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SINGAPORE: It is vital to have a capable and vigilant Internal Security Department (ISD) to protect Singapore, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Tuesday (Oct 24) as the agency marked its 75th anniversary.
It is “not by chance” that Singapore has succeeded in mitigating threats to domestic security and sovereignty, Mr Lee said, even as he highlighted three security issues that Singapore faces – the threat of terrorism, the dangers posed by foreign influence operations, as well as domestic vulnerabilities.
With the diversity of races and religions in Singapore, the country will always have inherent faultlines, Mr Lee noted in his speech at the ISD’s 75th-anniversary gala dinner at the Ritz Carlton.
Domestic vulnerabilities are thus a preoccupation for ISD.
Citing the example of US-China tensions, Mr Lee said Chinese Singaporeans, especially the older ones, tend to have different views from other Singaporeans.
And when violence flares up in the Middle East, it stirs strong reactions in Southeast Asia and beyond.
“The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict is an especially emotive issue for Muslim Singaporeans, who empathise strongly with the plight of the Palestinian population, just like Muslim communities worldwide. And on the other side, certain segments of our Jewish and Christian communities get worked up too,” Mr Lee said.
“All these differences are a reality that we must recognise and accept. They remind us to continue watching racial and religious relations carefully because misunderstandings and frictions can still arise, and cause serious problems if not properly handled.”
Besides race and religion, there are emerging social divisions, such as simmering tensions between citizens and non-Singaporeans living and working here. Various groups champion different causes, adopting strident advocacy and pressure group tactics learnt from elsewhere, dividing people for and against their cause, said Mr Lee.
“This is where ISD plays a crucial role behind the scenes, providing timely information and insightful assessments to the government, beyond what is in the public domain or on social media,” he added.
“You are our eyes and ears on the ground, keeping in touch with all these various groups. You watch the trends vigilantly, and when problems threaten to grow serious, nip them in the bud before they can get out of hand.”
ISD’s informed advice enables the government to take action or adjust policies to address these concerns, Mr Lee told past and present ISD officers, adding: “In essence, you protect the public space for the proper and successful functioning of Singapore’s democratic process.”
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