(From “Talk at the Cafe Spectator” Column)

The telephone calls from Singapore appeared urgent. Unable to reach Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, this was why Udith Lokubandara MP, who serves as Personal Assistant to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, left hurried messages at his office to call back.

Not sure what the issue was, Minister Samaraweera telephoned. Mr. Lokubandara, a UPFA (Mahinda faction) MP for Badulla District, handed over the telephone to the former President Rajapaksa, who was undergoing a medical check-up at a hospital in Singapore.

Rajapaksa asked whether Foreign Minister Samaraweera could contact the Singapore government and arrange for personal protection for him.

The request had been prompted by the alleged murder of Kim Jong-nam by North Korean agents at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on February 13. The deceased is half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. It has now been confirmed, the Malaysian government said, that the VX nerve agent, a highly potent chemical, was injected to Kim’s face by a woman.

Since the incident, both Kuala Lumpur and Pyongyang are locked in a pitched diplomatic row. Pyongyang has accused the Malaysian government of engaging in a “sinister purpose” in collaboration with South Korea. Kuala Lumpur believes North Korean agents infiltrated the country to carry out the attack. Not wanting to take chances, Mr. Samaraweera telephoned his friend and one time Foreign Minister, Kasivisvanathan Shanmugam. He is now the Home Minister of Singapore.

A day later, Mr. Samaraweera received a response from Home Minister Shanmugam. He said their intelligence and security authorities had carried out an extensive security assessment. There was no threat to Mr. Rajapaksa and hence personal security was not required, he said. The matter ended there. Mr Rajapaksa and his entourage have since returned to
Sri Lanka.

Singapore’s professionalism in matters of security is quite different from Sri Lanka where personal security continues to be assigned on political assessments rather than on the basis of security concerns. The practice was in force in large measure during the previous administration under President Rajapaksa and continues.

Courtesy:Sunday Times