S’pore must ‘stay united, resilient’ in face of increased terror threat
People hold placards reading "We are not afraid" during a rally at the scene of Thursday's gun and bomb attack in central Jakarta, Indonesia January 15, 2016. Photo: Reuters
SINGAPORE — Warning of the “significantly” greater threat from ISIS and terrorism today, President Tony Tan Keng Yam stressed the importance of Singapore keeping its society united and resilient.
“A terrorist attack here will not only cause death and injury, but could also tear apart our social fabric,” said Dr Tan today (Jan 15), in his opening address to Singapore’s 13th Parliament, where he outlined the Government’s priorities for the next five years. “Hence, we must keep our society united and resilient ... If we trust and accept one another ‘regardless of race, language or religion’, we will remain strong and united even if others seek to sow fear and division amongst us.”
This is especially so, said Dr Tan, in light of yesterday’s terror attacks in Jakarta, which are “a reminder of how close terrorism can strike”.
At the same time, hundreds of terrorists from South-east Asia are fighting for ISIS in Syria and Iraq, with some bringing the threat back home, armed with their networks, expertise and radical ideology, he noted. Terrorism can also arise at home, and not just come from abroad, as attacks elsewhere have shown, he added.
“Terrorism has become a dangerous and persistent threat,” said Dr Tan. “We are fully on guard against this threat, but we cannot rule out the possibility of an attack in Singapore.”
What can be done is for every Singaporean to play their roles in keeping the country safe and preserving multi-racial harmony, he added. That means “all” must reject violence while working to deepen mutual understanding and expand common spaces.
Dr Tan also noted that Singapore’s geopolitical realities remain unchanged from the time it gained independence 50 years ago, in making the point that sovereignty depends on the ability to determine one’s own fate.
In that sense, investments in security must continue, even as there are other matters on the domestic front competing for attention and resources. Singapore must also continue to expand its international space through diplomacy, he added.
“If we cannot safeguard our sovereignty, we cannot secure our livelihoods,” said the President.
After Dr Tan's address, first-term Member of Parliament Amrin Amin stress that Singapore is a resilient society and "we will stand up against acts of terrorism".
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen sent a letter to his Indonesian counterpart General (Rtd) Ryamizard Ryacudu today to offer his condolences for the bomb blasts and gun attacks in Jakarta on Thursday, which killed seven.
In his letter, which he posted on his Facebook page, Dr Ng said these acts of terror are “a grim reminder of the clear and present threat of terrorism to countries in our region”.
He also conveyed Singapore’s commitment to step up the exchange of intelligence and other counter-terrorism efforts with Indonesia, adding that the Ministry of Defence and Singapore Armed Forces stands ready to help.
In a note accompanying his Facebook post, Dr Ng also stressed: “The threat of terrorism to Singaporeans has increased and we must remain vigilant here and work with other countries to stem this tide of terror.”
