I am so F***ing Pissed!
Just went down to MINDEF to collect some posters for a project i'm doing, and guess what? My PDA phone got confiscated! Ok Details.
As a rule, SAF does not allow camera phones into camps, even in this day and age where ALL new phones come with cameras. Doh... obviously SAF has got CONFIDENTIAL or SECRET documents lying about that any Tom, Dick or Harry can have access to and take pics.
My camp's a bit different as we're handling reservists day in day out, no way we can stop them from bringing in such phones. Thus, being the flexible, friendly camp that we are, we only require all phones to be registered.
Now MINDEF has this tiny A4 slip of paper at the Pass Office saying to "Surrender camera phones etc. at the MINDEF Building Point of Entry". I for one did not see this stupid paper till i was leaving the place.
Nevermind, i went to the MINDEF building, was stopped by a RP asking where i was going, then directed to a metal detector door frame thing. So i emptied everything i had on me onto the tray, INCLUDING my phone and went through the detector.
THEN, this guy on duty at the detector asked to see my phone, which i passed to him. He proceeded to tell me that the phone is not allowed in the premises. Yea i expected that, was just hoping he wouldn't see and avoid all the hassle. So bobian, i say "Ok, so you safekeep here? i get back when i leave?" He was like "No, we got to confiscate it, send to MSD for checking." I was like WTF! I haven't even entered the building yet, what's there to check? I wasn't even like sneaking the phone in hidden in my underwear or anything!
So fine, referred me to the Warrant Officer on duty. Told me there are signs everywhere telling me these items are prohibited. THEN, i see the dumb sign pasted at the glass counter, higher than my 1.74m height. What the hell... If you want someone to see something, you paste it at normal eye level or below, not in the sky! And it didn't even say "Surrender those items here" or anything. I always thought the point of checking would be at the detector who should politely let me know its not allowed and safekeep the item till i'm leaving, not bloody confiscate my phone!
Ask how i get my phone back. Tell me oh, maybe one week later MSD done checking then will call me come back HERE to collect. I was like "How you call me? My phone is confiscated!" They were like oh, you can have your sim card back. Duh duh duh!!! What is there to check when i'm bringing my phone IN and not OUT of the damn building?! How the hell am i to do my work? All my contacts and To-Do list's in my phone. If they think a miserable SIM card can store all my contacts think again man. Whose's phone can store all their contact these days?
Hell, the warrant officer had the cheek to tell me that this happens everyday, as if expecting me to sympathise with him. Dude, if this is happening EVERYDAY, then you bloody well review your damn system. It makes no sense and is damn bloody pissing ppl like me off. We surrender our phone upon being asked, and have our phone confiscated?!
Argh!!! I am so fed up with idiots who blindly follow regulations set by some dumbass who's probably long dead by now. Trust Singapore to go about things the wrong way round. Don't want people to anyhow spit chewing gum, we ban chewing gum instead of educating the public and providing more bins for disposal of gum. Scared security breach, ban camera phones instead of making sure only the right people have access to the sensitive stuff. Ya better blindfold all visitors next time and make them wear ear plugs. Doh!
I'm so damn pissed... and ya, don't bother calling me, i'm unreachable... GRrrrrr!!!
As a rule, SAF does not allow camera phones into camps, even in this day and age where ALL new phones come with cameras. Doh... obviously SAF has got CONFIDENTIAL or SECRET documents lying about that any Tom, Dick or Harry can have access to and take pics.
My camp's a bit different as we're handling reservists day in day out, no way we can stop them from bringing in such phones. Thus, being the flexible, friendly camp that we are, we only require all phones to be registered.
Now MINDEF has this tiny A4 slip of paper at the Pass Office saying to "Surrender camera phones etc. at the MINDEF Building Point of Entry". I for one did not see this stupid paper till i was leaving the place.
Nevermind, i went to the MINDEF building, was stopped by a RP asking where i was going, then directed to a metal detector door frame thing. So i emptied everything i had on me onto the tray, INCLUDING my phone and went through the detector.
THEN, this guy on duty at the detector asked to see my phone, which i passed to him. He proceeded to tell me that the phone is not allowed in the premises. Yea i expected that, was just hoping he wouldn't see and avoid all the hassle. So bobian, i say "Ok, so you safekeep here? i get back when i leave?" He was like "No, we got to confiscate it, send to MSD for checking." I was like WTF! I haven't even entered the building yet, what's there to check? I wasn't even like sneaking the phone in hidden in my underwear or anything!
So fine, referred me to the Warrant Officer on duty. Told me there are signs everywhere telling me these items are prohibited. THEN, i see the dumb sign pasted at the glass counter, higher than my 1.74m height. What the hell... If you want someone to see something, you paste it at normal eye level or below, not in the sky! And it didn't even say "Surrender those items here" or anything. I always thought the point of checking would be at the detector who should politely let me know its not allowed and safekeep the item till i'm leaving, not bloody confiscate my phone!
Ask how i get my phone back. Tell me oh, maybe one week later MSD done checking then will call me come back HERE to collect. I was like "How you call me? My phone is confiscated!" They were like oh, you can have your sim card back. Duh duh duh!!! What is there to check when i'm bringing my phone IN and not OUT of the damn building?! How the hell am i to do my work? All my contacts and To-Do list's in my phone. If they think a miserable SIM card can store all my contacts think again man. Whose's phone can store all their contact these days?
Hell, the warrant officer had the cheek to tell me that this happens everyday, as if expecting me to sympathise with him. Dude, if this is happening EVERYDAY, then you bloody well review your damn system. It makes no sense and is damn bloody pissing ppl like me off. We surrender our phone upon being asked, and have our phone confiscated?!
Argh!!! I am so fed up with idiots who blindly follow regulations set by some dumbass who's probably long dead by now. Trust Singapore to go about things the wrong way round. Don't want people to anyhow spit chewing gum, we ban chewing gum instead of educating the public and providing more bins for disposal of gum. Scared security breach, ban camera phones instead of making sure only the right people have access to the sensitive stuff. Ya better blindfold all visitors next time and make them wear ear plugs. Doh!
I'm so damn pissed... and ya, don't bother calling me, i'm unreachable... GRrrrrr!!!
posted by Justus at 12:27 PM
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