THE biggest ever manhunt in Singapore has got even bigger.

Since JI leader Mas Selamat Kastari escaped on 27 Feb, the authorities have extended their search to cover at least 50 places all over the island, according to press reports and public sightings.

The dragnet to uncover the fugitive is probably even more extensive than what is known to the public as many of these operations are conducted discreetly.

The search parties are combing everywhere - from forests and coastlines to cemeteries and abandoned buildings.

Guards are even stationed around the clock at places such as the Labrador Park to prevent anyone from slipping away by boat.

More than 1,000 officers - including those from the Special Operations Command, police land divisions, Gurkhas and the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority - have been deployed.

The Singapore Armed Forces Guards unit troops and military policemen are also involved in the search.

Assistant Commissioner Wong Hong Kuan, the police director of operations, has said: 'We're prepared to sustain this for the long haul.

'If a person is determined to hide, he can hide for weeks.'

FARTHER FROM CENTRE

AC Wong added that the police were continuing to focus on forested areas.

He said: 'As the days go on, chances are he's got farther and farther away from the centre, so the search widens while we strengthen the border controls we have in place.'

Describing the forest as a 'premier hiding location', he said every patch will be combed.

As for populated areas, the police are counting on the public to be their eyes and ears.

So far, the police have received more than 1,100 e-mails and possible telephone leads from the public about the fugitive.

Over 54,000 posters and pamphlets have gone out.

Five companies have offered rewards for the capture of Mas Selamat, bringing the total bounty to $66,888.

The highest sum offered - $50,000 - comes from Aasperon Manpower, a labour-supply company which recruits workers from countries such as China, India and Bangladesh for the hospitality and manufacturing industries.

Two weeks ago, private security company Metropolis Security Systems said it would give $1,000 to any of its 250 security guards who gave the police leads resulting in the fugitive's capture.

Crime Library Singapore, a volunteer organisation which helps find missing people upped its stakes to $5,000.

The other two offers came from undertaker He Guocai for $8,888 and Dragnet Private Investigation & Security Consultants for $2,000.

This article was first published in The New Paper on Mar 16, 2008.