Tag Archives: Security Alert

The man who became the first person arrested this year for leaving his luggage bag unattended at an MRT station, have been fined the maximum $1,000 for causing annoyance to the public. Construction worker Wang Jianpo, a 39 year old Chinese national, pleaded guilty to the offence on Friday. Wang, who is a construction worker, had been working in Singapore for at least five years, triggered the security alert on 2 April after he left a blue luggage bag unattended at the far end of the train platform at Hougang MRT station. The court understands that the luggage was collected from his friend at Buangkok Crescent earlier that day before he headed for Hougang MRT station. For some reason, Wang decided to leave the luggage bag behind while he went to Chinatown to run some errands. The luggage was eventually found to contain only household items.

Yesterday's attack on Russia's metro train that claimed the lives of about a dozen people brings home the point that an attack can happen anywhere and at any time. So, it is better that we err on the side of caution, rather than take our chances in matters involving security. What would we rather have? A security situation that claims many lives? Or a false alarm that caused an inconvenience to many people, but no loss of lives or even a potential for any disaster averted? So, why need to waste time trying t debate if the closure was the right call. It was. Period.