Bullshit About Romanian Diplomat Silviu Ionescu

Informed on Friday 1 April that the Coroner's Court has determined "overwhelming evidence" Dr Silviu Ionescu was the hit-and -run driver that killed Tong Kok Wai, the Romanian Charge d'Affaires told the Straits Times the Singapore charges were "bullshit" (he probably dismissed it as an April Fool's joke). Even Aurelian Neagu, the Romanian Ambassador to Singapore stationed in Tokyo, maintains that Romania's Prosecutor's Office had yet to receive any evidence related to the case. The bungling of a straight forward case of simple detective work started with the authorities releasing the Audi car involved to Ionescu instead of compounding it as required per standard operating procedure. The officer in charge stated plainly in court the rules were bent because a foreign official was involved. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Home Affairs Ministry and Attorney General's Chambers, now all have their knickers in a twist because no one lifted a finger to immediately demand a waiver of diplomatic immunity in December 2009. To borrow a phrase from Foreign Minister George Yeo, it was a case of "sitting on their hands."

Meanwhile Indonesia officials were more efficient in apprehending a corrupt tax official who fled to Singapore on March 24, despite the lack of a extradition treaty being in place. Gayus Tambunan, 30, is accused of bribing high-ranking police officials to bury an investigation about his $3.5 million bank account. Indonesian Embassy official Yayan Muliyana said Gayus gave himself up after the Indonesian police, working closely with local law enforcement agencies, met with him at Marriot Hotel on Wednesday morning. The arms of the law have far reach, if only the officials bother to get off their fat bottoms once in a while. For those who follow the Foreign Minister's many travels around the globe, he did visit some East Europeans countries a month back, but somehow deigned to stop over in Romania.