SINGAPORE: Singapore has increased its security posture amid the Israel-Iran conflict, Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said on Saturday (Jun 28).
Speaking to Lianhe Zaobao on the sidelines of a community event in Chong Pang, he said that while there is a ceasefire, "we don't know exactly what will happen after this".
"Arising from (the situation) there, you can expect that people in this region, or even others, from extremist organisations, might want to make a point against Israeli, American, or other Western assets, and there could also be attacks from the far right on Muslim assets," he added.
Singapore increased its security levels after the Israeli attacks on Iran and the counterattacks, with the police and other agencies stepping up patrols and checks, said Mr Shanmugam.
"Singapore, as I have said many times, if we get attacked, you will get international headlines.
"So on both sides - the far right, attacking Muslims, or representative of Muslim countries including Iran, is a possibility; and likewise, you could get attacks on Western assets - American, European, Israeli."
He said Singapore is working off different scenarios because you can "never be absolutely sure".
Security is a joint responsibility, and the government has been trying to increase awareness through the SGSecure programme, added the minister.
"We have been trying for years, it goes up and it comes down - because it’s safe, people leave their items around," Mr Shanmugam said.
"I have asked the security agencies to try with what I call a 'cold start' and leave things in places, see how many people actually pick it up; pick it up meaning they notice it and notify the agencies. I think the results tell us that the awareness is not very high."
When asked if there have been "more suspicious activities or extreme activities" being detected, Mr Shanmugam said: "Not that we have picked up here yet. But they need to succeed only once."
The home affairs minister also spoke about Thailand's move to recriminalise cannabis.
On Tuesday, Thailand's health ministry issued an order prohibiting the sale of cannabis for recreational use and making it mandatory for any retail purchase to require a doctor's prescription.
Singapore is looking out for possible outflows to the country, Mr Shanmugam said.
"The nexus between drugs and crime, and terrorism, also needs to be looked at. Many different issues. We try to maintain our openness and our connectivity, and our business-friendly environment.
"Our security agencies have looked at it and up the posture. It is a bit early to say what is going to happen, but we have to be more careful," he added.
When Thailand decriminalised cannabis a few years ago, he said some people on "the more liberal side" asked when Singapore was going to change.
The Singapore government does not decide on such matters based on what other countries do, he added.
"We take a hard look, we look at the science, we look at the social impact, and the actual impact and we run the government of Singapore and the policies in the best interests of Singaporeans.
"I am absolutely convinced, the Cabinet is absolutely convinced that the right policy is to be strict on drugs, and you can see, the people who asked for liberalisation, are shutting their eyes deliberately to what is happening around the world and the immense harm," said the minister.
He noted an incident at a Moscow airport where a man, who was reportedly drug-traced, had picked up an 18-month-old child and flung the child onto the ground. The child is in a critical condition.
For countries that have decriminalised cannabis, including Thailand previously, there are "young children who are high (on drugs)", he said.
"Why would we want it? And 85 per cent of our population supports the tough stand that we take - keep it criminal, no decriminalisation, in fact they support the penalties too," he added.
The Singapore government cannot be "zig-zagging" on its laws, he said.
"Different countries have their policy. We work in the best interests of Singaporeans, and it was the right policy to keep it criminalised, not soften our stance, and that remains the right policy."
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Speaking to Lianhe Zaobao on the sidelines of a community event in Chong Pang, he said that while there is a ceasefire, "we don't know exactly what will happen after this".
"Arising from (the situation) there, you can expect that people in this region, or even others, from extremist organisations, might want to make a point against Israeli, American, or other Western assets, and there could also be attacks from the far right on Muslim assets," he added.
Singapore increased its security levels after the Israeli attacks on Iran and the counterattacks, with the police and other agencies stepping up patrols and checks, said Mr Shanmugam.
"Singapore, as I have said many times, if we get attacked, you will get international headlines.
"So on both sides - the far right, attacking Muslims, or representative of Muslim countries including Iran, is a possibility; and likewise, you could get attacks on Western assets - American, European, Israeli."
He said Singapore is working off different scenarios because you can "never be absolutely sure".
Security is a joint responsibility, and the government has been trying to increase awareness through the SGSecure programme, added the minister.
"We have been trying for years, it goes up and it comes down - because it’s safe, people leave their items around," Mr Shanmugam said.
"I have asked the security agencies to try with what I call a 'cold start' and leave things in places, see how many people actually pick it up; pick it up meaning they notice it and notify the agencies. I think the results tell us that the awareness is not very high."
When asked if there have been "more suspicious activities or extreme activities" being detected, Mr Shanmugam said: "Not that we have picked up here yet. But they need to succeed only once."
Related:
THAILAND RECRIMINALISING CANNABIS
The home affairs minister also spoke about Thailand's move to recriminalise cannabis.
On Tuesday, Thailand's health ministry issued an order prohibiting the sale of cannabis for recreational use and making it mandatory for any retail purchase to require a doctor's prescription.
Singapore is looking out for possible outflows to the country, Mr Shanmugam said.
"The nexus between drugs and crime, and terrorism, also needs to be looked at. Many different issues. We try to maintain our openness and our connectivity, and our business-friendly environment.
"Our security agencies have looked at it and up the posture. It is a bit early to say what is going to happen, but we have to be more careful," he added.
When Thailand decriminalised cannabis a few years ago, he said some people on "the more liberal side" asked when Singapore was going to change.
The Singapore government does not decide on such matters based on what other countries do, he added.
"We take a hard look, we look at the science, we look at the social impact, and the actual impact and we run the government of Singapore and the policies in the best interests of Singaporeans.
"I am absolutely convinced, the Cabinet is absolutely convinced that the right policy is to be strict on drugs, and you can see, the people who asked for liberalisation, are shutting their eyes deliberately to what is happening around the world and the immense harm," said the minister.
He noted an incident at a Moscow airport where a man, who was reportedly drug-traced, had picked up an 18-month-old child and flung the child onto the ground. The child is in a critical condition.
For countries that have decriminalised cannabis, including Thailand previously, there are "young children who are high (on drugs)", he said.
"Why would we want it? And 85 per cent of our population supports the tough stand that we take - keep it criminal, no decriminalisation, in fact they support the penalties too," he added.
The Singapore government cannot be "zig-zagging" on its laws, he said.
"Different countries have their policy. We work in the best interests of Singaporeans, and it was the right policy to keep it criminalised, not soften our stance, and that remains the right policy."
Related:
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