Counter Terrorism In Singapore

Running head: COUNTER TERRORISM IN SINGAPORE 1

Counter Terrorism in Singapore

Name

Professor’s name

Course

Date

COUNTER TERRORISM IN SINGAPORE 2

a) Is it safe in Singapore? Is our current global terrorism score/ranking realistic?

According to the Embassy assessment, the rate of crime in Singapore is low. The low rate

of crime does not mean that there is no crime in Singapore. Singapore still experiences terrorism

just like other countries but not as much as countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq. With various

threats of terrorism hanging in Singapore’s air, security is essential for the Singapore’s citizens.

One question that Singaporeans have certainly held in their minds is how safe is their country

and whether the global ranking of global terrorism is realistic or not realistic. Currently,

Singapore is ranked second as the safest country in the world. For instance, in the fiscal year

2015, the budget of the defense force of Singapore was increased by 5.7% to $9.5 billion based

on the nominal terms (Rosxalynd, 2013). The quotation is large because Singapore is among the

largest importers of weapons in the world.

Based on various strategies used by the Singapore army to combat terrorism, Singapore

has been declared the safest country to live. Many Singaporeans are safe from incidences of

terrorism that are affecting not only Middle East countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan, but also

African countries such as South Sudan and Somalia. Therefore, the current ranking of Singapore

as the safest country is realistic because Singapore’s Police Forces are safely playing their roles

to ensure that the country is safe from any terrorism threat that may endanger the life of

Singaporeans (Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies & Office of the Coordinator for

Counterterrorism).

b) How the recent global terrorism affect Singapore? Are we operationally ready to

manage these threats?

COUNTER TERRORISM IN SINGAPORE 3

Singapore, located in the Southeast Asia, is recognized for its busiest trading ports and capitalist

economy in the world. However, the recent terrorism has affected Singapore’s economic and

political activities. Singapore has observed its reasonable share of terrorism since its 1965

bombing of MacDonald’s house and the attack of the SQ 117 Singapore’s plane (Yam, 2004).

From the 1965 bombing of the MacDonald House to the hijacking of the Singaporean plane to

the recent planned attacks in 2002, Singapore is not new to the terrorism threat (Tan, 2004).

However, in the recent global attack, the novel aspect of terrorism called an Islamist Terrorism

has affected not only Singapore but also the whole world. The Islamist Terrorist Organizations

use Islam religion to justify their evil actions so as to serve political and social objectives,

especially to destroy the country and its allies.

The recent terrorist attack in Singapore had the effect on the economy of Singapore.

However, the effect of recent terrorism had little effect on the robust economy of Singapore,

being among the fastest nations in the world to recover from the recent attacks in 2009 (Berube

et al. 2010). The economic capability and success to neutralize terrorism threat are observed by

some of the Singaporeans as resentment at worst and envy at best since Singapore depends on

the value-added exports and imports that mostly come from Indonesia and Malaysia. For

example, raw water from Malaysia and the resale of the treated water to Johor put Singapore at

risk of terrorism threats (Singh, 2011). Terrorists believe that when successfully attack

Singapore, the trade of the sentiments will cease since the products are the success factors for the

Singapore’s economy.

The political prominence of the Singapore on the global stage, geographical location, and

support from the United States has led Singapore to become a symbol for which terrorists

observe as prized. The fact that Singapore is heavily prepared for any terrorism threat, it will

COUNTER TERRORISM IN SINGAPORE 4

remain that the country will face terrorism threats since the Islamist are targeting to collapse

Singapore’s economy. However, Singapore government is ready to manage the terrorism threats

so that the country can remain safe for the Singaporeans. There are various steps that have been

adopted by the Singaporean’s government to manage the threats. The strategies are discussed in

the next question.

c) What are the measures/operations orders in place today? Are they sufficient or should

Singapore Police Force or Home Team Departments do more?

Singapore is adopting fair strategies in its endeavors to counterattack terrorism, and

reduce the possibilities of becoming a victim of terrorism. Globally, Singapore has developed

security agreements with various countries including the United States, Asia-Pacific Economic

Cooperation, and the United Nation’s countries. Singapore is pushing for the multilateral and

bilateral collaborations in security in the named regions. The multilateral and bilateral

collaborations in security issues are being pushed especially in the Declaration on the Joint

Action on the Counter-Terrorism and the ASEAN Regional Forum. Also, Singapore is sharing

its ideas, intelligence, and expertise with individual states of ASEAN, particularly Indonesia,

Thailand, and Malaysia. For example, sharing of ideas, intelligence, and expertise led to the

arrest and recapture of Mas Selamat in Malaysia and Indonesia (Rosxalynd, 2013).

A part from pushing for collaboration regarding security issues on the regional and global

front, Singapore has escalated its security endeavors internally. Cooperation and coordination are

being escalated between various intelligence agencies involving the Intelligence Division of

Ministry of Defense and Internal Security Department of Home Affairs. Besides, Singapore is

undertaking various steps to study not only biochemical but also chemical warfare that terrorists

COUNTER TERRORISM IN SINGAPORE 5

use as weapons so that they can understand ways of minimizing the effects of the weapons.

Moreover, Singapore is creating mass awareness of terrorism and educates Singaporeans about

terrorism. The step in educating Singaporeans about terrorism is essential since citizens can raise

an alarm on any suspicious action that relates to terrorism. The Singaporeans are holding inter-

communal harmony, social cohesion, and multiracialism within the community to combat issues

related to terrorism (Berube et al. 2010).

Moreover, Singapore has been aggressive in denying terrorists the funds required to carry

out terrorism activities. Many terrorist organizations located in the Southeast Asia are being

motivated by the local agendas. The terrorist organizations have benefited from the financial and

logistic support from the terrorist groups. Also, Singapore signed the United Nation Convention

on the Suppression of the funding of the terrorism. Also, Singapore is controlling its boarders

(Yam, 2004) by the use of sophisticated surveillance technology such as aviation security (Yam,

2004), thus aiming at combating the issues related to terrorism.

There are various operations that show that Singapore is trying its level best to eliminate

the issue of terrorisms. For example, in December 2001, the ISD from Singapore arrested 15

people. The 13 of the arrested people were from JI. Members of the terrorism group had a plan to

bomb attacks in Singapore that could have led to catastrophic effects. JI had planned to attack the

shuttle-but that was to convey the United States military people and their families, the British

and Australian Commissions, United States vessels in Singapore, the Israel and US Embassies,

and US commercial buildings located in Singapore (Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies &

Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism).

COUNTER TERRORISM IN SINGAPORE 6

Singapore Police Force needs to adopt different means of combating terrorism. For

example, Singapore Police Force needs to use ideological prevention in underpinning

transnational terrorism. Also, the Singapore Police Force needs to initiate policy-coordination

strategy that will help in keeping the society free from any terror threats (Yam, 2004).

However, the current measures in combating terrorism are not enough. For example, the

arrest of Hambali and Mas Selamat Kastari may have interfered operations of JI in the area, but

other leaders are still untouched (Yam, 2004). The Singapore Home Department or the Team

Singapore Police Force is required to formulate additional measures that can help in securing the

country from any terrorism threat. The named departments need to coordinate with the

Information Technology expertise and intelligence groups so that they can understand the

potential areas that are being targeted by the terrorism groups.

d) What & How can Police Technology Department (SPF IT Department) play a part in

this?

Singapore Police Force has been playing an essential role in combating issues related to

terrorism. With the creation of the SPF IT Department, the issues related to security have

drastically reduced. The SPF IT Department shares the information related to terrorism with

intelligence, thus raising an alarm in the suspected areas that are being targeted by the terrorism

groups. Also, the department tracks the plans of the terrorism groups and communicates with

other police force so that an immediate action can be taken to counterattack any activity that is

being planned by the terrorists. Therefore, SPF IT is an essential department that collects

information concerning the terrorism activities and shares the information so as to warn

Singaporeans on any targeted areas.

COUNTER TERRORISM IN SINGAPORE 7

In conclusion, Lee Hsien Loong, Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister, terrorism will be

with the country and it will be a long war. Singapore will continue to fight irrespective of the

number of arrests done by the Singapore police force (Yam, 2004). Singapore is a country in the

Southeast Asia that is playing an essential role in combating terrorist threats. There are various

measures that are being established by the Singapore government to eliminate issues related to

terrorism. Such measures include guarding its boarders, educating Singaporeans on issues related

to terrorism, and the creation of Intelligence Department that is essential for communicating the

plans of the terrorism groups. The measures have played an essential role in ensuring that

Singaporeans are safe. Singapore is a safe country and will remain to be safe only if there will be

quick response in bombing, hijacking of planes, and observing chemical responses (Yam, 2004).

COUNTER TERRORISM IN SINGAPORE 8

References

Berube, A., Friedhoff, A., Nadeau, C., Rode, P., Paccoud, A., Kandt, J. (2010). Global Metro

Monitor: The path to economic recovery.

Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies & Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism.

(2006). Terror in Southeast Asia: The Threat and Response. The U.S. Department of

States. Washington D.C. http://www.rsis.edu.sg/wp-

content/uploads/2014/07/NEW_TerrorismSEAConference0513.pdf

Mohamed, (2013). Why they became terrorists: The case study of JI in Singapore. In Religious

Rehabilitation Group.

http://www.rrg.sg/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=66:why-they-

became-terrorists-the-case-study-of-ji-in-singapore&catid=4:recent-articles&Itemid=9

Rosxalynd, (2013). Singapore’s Foreign Policy: To What Extend is Terrorism a Threat to

Singapore? Nanyang Technological University.

Singh, B. (2011). Why Singapore is an iconic target for terrorists. The Malaysian Insider.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/why-spore-is-an-iconic-target-for-

terrorists-bilveer-singh/

Tan, L.Y. (2004). Macdonald House bomb explosion. In Singapore Infopedia.

http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_62_2004-12-17.html

Yam, T.K. (2004). The Fight Against Terror: Singapore National Security Strategy. National

Security Coordination Center. Singapore.

http://www.nscs.gov.sg/public/download.ashx?id=48

Place new order. It's free, fast and safe

Paper type

Deadline

Page count

550 words

Total price: $ 15.00

Our customers say

Jeff Curtis

USA, Student

"I'm fully satisfied with the essay I've just received. When I read it, I felt like it was exactly what I wanted to say, but couldn’t find the necessary words. Thank you!"

Ian McGregor

UK, Student

"I don’t know what I would do without your assistance! With your help, I met my deadline just in time and the work was very professional. I will be back in several days with another assignment!"

Shannon Williams

Canada, Student

"It was the perfect experience! I enjoyed working with my writer, he delivered my work on time and followed all the guidelines about the referencing and contents."