And I Thought Singapore Airport Security Was Smart
Posted by Ray @ 11:33 amSeveral days overdue, I know. But just when you thought the US was the only country with airport security personnel staffed by primary school dropouts, we get this little gem (via tomorrow). Excerpt:
I entered the Immigration gantry at about 7.15pm with my daughter (Belle Lee, 13 yrs old) to have our passport scanned and our hand carry luggage checked whilst my husband (Lee Ming Chong) stayed behind with my son (Caius Lee, 8 yrs old) at the ticketing counter to sort out my son’s visa. After having mine and my Belle’s passport scanned, we proceed to the security gantry to have our hand luggage and our bodies scanned… A lady officer asked me to remove my boots for scanning, and I did as told immediately and put my boots inside the basket provided, for it to be scanned together with my hand luggage… Belle then asked casually “Mummy, why do you have to remove your shoes?” Whilst putting on my boots, I replied her and said that “they (the security officers) are afraid that we might keep bombs in our shoes (which is why I need to take it off to have it scanned)”.
Immediately, a security officer standing at the conveyor belt (Stephen S Naidira) who was standing in front of me said with a very rude tone “repeat what you just said”. I clarified with him what he meant - is it for me to repeat what I had told my daughter? He said loudly again, to repeat what I had just said. So I did exactly what he told me. I said to him that “my daughter asked me why I need to take off my shoes, and I told her that you guys (the security officers) are afraid that we will keep bombs in our shoes.” He immediately asked me to stand aside and said that he had to report it to his superior that I said the word “bomb” twice.
Oh noes! Mother used the word “bomb” while explaining to child why shoes needed to be scanned! Stop her, TEH TERRORISSS IS COMING!!!11oneone1
I was supremely curious to know which terminal this incident occurred in. Predictably, it was the budget terminal. Well, you know how Singapore works. International travellers? Wayang until win award. Local travellers? Take broomstick, insert into anus (just make sure you are of the opposite sex, no homosexual sodomy allowed in good, clean Singapore). For added effect, patronisingly inform victim it’s for his own good (in this case, security).
The New Paper article is a highly spun version of the actual facts. It makes airport security sound so reasonable, and Mrs Tan sound so… guilty. But do any of the people in the security detail actually know of this thing called context?! A comment on the livejournal post says it perfectly:
Security: Where are you going?
Ms Wong: Bombay
Security: Repeat what you said!
Ms Wong: BOMBAY
Security: You are under arrest for saying the word “Bomb” twice!
Ms Wong: ?????!!!!!!! But but Bombay…you know mumbai?
Security: What? What? What?, Bombay still got BOMB word, Mumbai is mumbai!
Ms Wong:!%$@^^&*(*
Supervisor: I can not make a decision on this, must check what BOMBAY means. Hello…. got dictionary? Anybody?
…
This… demonstration, nay, exhibition of imbecility reminds me of a story. During a telecommunications law seminar, the lecturer mentioned that using the word “bomb” in an SMS would make you liable to jail time and a fine of up to S$50,000.
Don’t believe me? See Telecommunications Act (Cap 323, 2000 Rev Ed Sing) s. 45(a):
Any person who transmits or causes to be transmitted a message which he knows to be false or fabricated shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction… in the case where the false or fabricated message contains any reference to the presence in any place or location of a bomb or other thing liable to explode or ignite, to a fine not exceeding $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years or to both.
Yes, my fellow Singaporeans, that is indeed the law. A friend joked that we could get jailed for SMSes like “There’s a sex bomb in Holland-V!”
The class laughed, of course. But it doesn’t seem so funny now.
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well there goes freedom of speech.
Comment by malique — Monday, April 9 2007 @ 5:36 pm