SINGAPORE: As the organization celebrated its 75th anniversary on Tuesday( Oct 24 ), Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong stated that it is essential to have a capable and vigilant Internal Security Department ( ISD ) to protect Singapore.
Mr. Lee emphasized three security concerns that Singapore faces: the & nbsp, threat of terrorism, dangers posed by foreign influence operations, and domestic vulnerabilities, saying that it is” not by chance” that the country has been able to mitigate threats to its sovereignty and security.
Singapore will always have inherent flaws due to the diversity of races and religions there, Mr. Lee remarked in his statement at the ISD’s 75th commemoration gala dinner held in the Ritz Carlton.
Local threats are therefore a concern for ISD.
Mr. Lee said Foreign Singaporeans, especially the older ones, tend to have different viewpoints from another Singaporean people, using the example of US-China conflicts. & nbsp,
Additionally, when crime breaks out in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and other regions are strongly impacted.
” Sunni Singaporeans, who clearly understand the plight of the Palestinian population, like Muslim communities around the world, find the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict to be an mainly emotive issue.” And on the other hand, some members of our Jewish and Christian areas also become agitated, according to Mr. Lee.
” We must acknowledge and accept the reality of all these distinctions. They remind us to keep a close eye on racial and religious relationships because misunderstandings and conflicts may also develop and lead to serious issues if not handled properly.
In addition to race and religion, social groups are also growing, such as simmering tensions between local residents and non-Singaporeans. According to Mr. Lee, several groups support several causes, adopting vociferous advocacy and force group strategies learned from abroad, and dividing people for and against their cause.
Beyond what is available to the public or on social media, ISD is crucially important in this situation, giving the government proper information and intelligent evaluations.
” You are our ground-based eyes and ears, communicating with all of these different parties.” You keep a close eye on changes, and when issues start to get worse, you stop them in their tracks before they get out of hand.
Mr. Lee told past and present ISD officials, adding:” In fact, you protect the public place for the appropriate and successful working of Singapore’s democratic process ,” adding that the government can take action or change policies to address these issues.