Wednesday, January 25, 2017

[Defending the Lion City] Our Terrex ICVs are finally coming home!




If you have been following the news, you would have known by now that our nine Terrex ICVs are finally coming home.

The S'pore Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a press statement on 24 Jan 2017.

MFA Press Statement: Reply from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying

On 24 January 2017, Chief Executive of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Leung Chun-ying replied to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s earlier letter to inform him that the Hong Kong authorities have completed their investigations, and will be releasing the SAF Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicles and other equipment to the Singapore Government through the carrier.  This is a positive outcome.  Prime Minister Lee has replied to Chief Executive Leung to thank him for Hong Kong’s cooperation in resolving this matter.  
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
24 JANUARY 2017
Source: MFA 

When Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen was asked by the media for comments on the news, this was what he had to say.


“MINDEF and SAF are in close communication with the carrier APL and assisting them to ensure that there is a smooth repatriation of the SAF terrexes.

When the terrexes are released by Hong Kong customs, APL has told us that they will make special efforts to expedite the process, despite this being a Chinese New Year weekend, as you can imagine. Many countries, when Chinese New Year approaches, many companies will be on leave but APL said they will make special efforts.

And they also informed us that they will transport the terrexes directly from Hong Kong back to Singapore without any intermediate stops. Even then, that seal of passage from Hong Kong to Singapore directly will take about a week." Defence Min. Ng Eng Hen


Interestingly, Hong Kong’s Commissioner of Customs and Excise Roy Tang's statement seem to suggest that the shipper, APL was the main cause of the Terrex ICVs being detained.

“The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is committed to complying with international standards of strategic trade control, and Hong Kong implements a robust control system to achieve it. 
Import, export and transshipment/transit of strategic commodities in breach of licensing requirement are criminal offences punishable under the Hong Kong law."


Roy Tang also said that the Hong Kong Customs has completed its investigation of the suspected breach, and the investigation might lead to criminal prosecution.

While he did not elaborate on the possible target for prosecution, nor did he respond to queries on whether APL would face legal action , he did state that "the department had ruled out any involvement by the Singapore government in shipping breaches through the former British colony".

Hmm... sounds like APL may yet be out of hot water yet.

In any case, we are all glad that our Terrex ICVs are coming home.


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Update: The Terrex ICVs have left HK on 27 Jan 2017.
Source: None other than the Defence Ministers's FB page.


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Read more about the Terrex incident here:


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