In suppression dissent?
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Security threats keep ISD officers busy
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>PM lauds department's important role in keeping Singapore safe </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Goh Chin Lian, Political Correspondent
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->THE trouble-free appearance of Singapore should not lull Singaporeans into complacency, because security threats still lurk.
These include terrorism, tensions spilling over from neighbouring countries, foreign communities that import their country's problems here, and foreign powers - even friendly ones - who may try to destabilise Singapore.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong described these threats when speaking at a dinner marking the 60th anniversary of the Internal Security Department (ISD) on Aug 30.
A condensed version of his speech at the closed-door event was released to the media yesterday.
'Threats remain, and there is no danger that ISD officers will work yourselves out of a job,' he said.
In his speech, Mr Lee lauded the ISD's role in keeping Singapore safe, saying that 'few have as important a role as ISD in our nation's development'.
He recognised the quiet work of its officers in neutralising many security threats over the years, and preventing racial and religious conflicts.
Jihadist terrorism, he noted, will continue to be a threat as the 'rabid ideology' based on erroneous interpretations of Islam has a powerful hold on its adherents.
The threat was not just one of physical harm, it could also undermine Singapore's racial and religious harmony, said Mr Lee.
Activities of extremist groups in countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia could also spill over into Singapore, he observed.
He recounted a remark made by Mr Lee Kuan Yew back in 1959, to the effect that as long as there were Emergency laws - which give the police special powers - in the Federation of Malaya, there would be a need for similar laws here.
Even though the remark was made in the context of the communist threat, which has receded, the inter-linkage between the two countries remained, said the PM.
'Our societies are mirror images of each other - theirs a Malay majority and ours a Chinese majority. Their race relations and security situation will affect ours, and vice versa,' he said.
Another threat could come from a hostile intelligence agency or its political master wanting to exploit fault-lines in Singapore and destabilise it.
They could do this by ostensibly helping some group or other, or they could try to influence local views and set the political agenda through the media.
Mr Lee recounted two examples from 1971, both concerning newspapers.
One was the Eastern Sun, which was funded by a China agency on the basis that it would not oppose China on major issues.
The other was the Singapore Herald, which had 'suspicious' financial backers, such as a former chief minister of Sabah and Chase Manhattan Bank.
'The ISD must maintain an ever watchful eye because states will not cease using covert actions, even as they proudly proclaim their peaceable and benign intentions,' Mr Lee said.
A third threat stems from the increasingly diverse complexion of Singapore society due to the many immigrants and foreigners here.
While most pose no problems, the ISD must ensure that 'foreign communities do not engage in problems of their home countries', and that foreign intelligence agencies do not smuggle in agents to be activated years later, he noted.
PM Lee also reiterated the need for detention without trial to deal with security threats. He reminded the ISD to keep up its high standards and strict internal checks against abuses, citing the United States' experience with Guantanamo Bay as an example of what not to do.
Earlier in his speech, Mr Lee touched on the role of ISD officers in thwarting the work of communists and foreign powers in earlier years.
He cited the case of an American diplomat based in Singapore, Mr Hank Hendrickson, who interfered in Singapore politics by asking then Law Society president Francis Seow to lead a team of lawyers to contest the 1988 elections.
In a sworn affidavit, Seow admitted that he had been to Washington to meet Mr Hendrickson's superior in the State Department. They had assured him of refuge in the US should he run into problems with the Singapore Government.
They subsequently did, after evidence of his collusion came to light.
Said Mr Lee: 'Such foreign clandestine operations are part and parcel of 'the Great Game' between countries, even friendly ones. More such cases are documented in the ISD Heritage Centre.
'When the centre receives foreign visitors, it often has to hide away the relevant displays temporarily, out of consideration for our guests. These episodes taught us that it was just as important to monitor our friends as we do our enemies.' [email protected]
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Security threats keep ISD officers busy
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>PM lauds department's important role in keeping Singapore safe </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Goh Chin Lian, Political Correspondent
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->THE trouble-free appearance of Singapore should not lull Singaporeans into complacency, because security threats still lurk.
These include terrorism, tensions spilling over from neighbouring countries, foreign communities that import their country's problems here, and foreign powers - even friendly ones - who may try to destabilise Singapore.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong described these threats when speaking at a dinner marking the 60th anniversary of the Internal Security Department (ISD) on Aug 30.
A condensed version of his speech at the closed-door event was released to the media yesterday.
'Threats remain, and there is no danger that ISD officers will work yourselves out of a job,' he said.
In his speech, Mr Lee lauded the ISD's role in keeping Singapore safe, saying that 'few have as important a role as ISD in our nation's development'.
He recognised the quiet work of its officers in neutralising many security threats over the years, and preventing racial and religious conflicts.
Jihadist terrorism, he noted, will continue to be a threat as the 'rabid ideology' based on erroneous interpretations of Islam has a powerful hold on its adherents.
The threat was not just one of physical harm, it could also undermine Singapore's racial and religious harmony, said Mr Lee.
Activities of extremist groups in countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia could also spill over into Singapore, he observed.
He recounted a remark made by Mr Lee Kuan Yew back in 1959, to the effect that as long as there were Emergency laws - which give the police special powers - in the Federation of Malaya, there would be a need for similar laws here.
Even though the remark was made in the context of the communist threat, which has receded, the inter-linkage between the two countries remained, said the PM.
'Our societies are mirror images of each other - theirs a Malay majority and ours a Chinese majority. Their race relations and security situation will affect ours, and vice versa,' he said.
Another threat could come from a hostile intelligence agency or its political master wanting to exploit fault-lines in Singapore and destabilise it.
They could do this by ostensibly helping some group or other, or they could try to influence local views and set the political agenda through the media.
Mr Lee recounted two examples from 1971, both concerning newspapers.
One was the Eastern Sun, which was funded by a China agency on the basis that it would not oppose China on major issues.
The other was the Singapore Herald, which had 'suspicious' financial backers, such as a former chief minister of Sabah and Chase Manhattan Bank.
'The ISD must maintain an ever watchful eye because states will not cease using covert actions, even as they proudly proclaim their peaceable and benign intentions,' Mr Lee said.
A third threat stems from the increasingly diverse complexion of Singapore society due to the many immigrants and foreigners here.
While most pose no problems, the ISD must ensure that 'foreign communities do not engage in problems of their home countries', and that foreign intelligence agencies do not smuggle in agents to be activated years later, he noted.
PM Lee also reiterated the need for detention without trial to deal with security threats. He reminded the ISD to keep up its high standards and strict internal checks against abuses, citing the United States' experience with Guantanamo Bay as an example of what not to do.
Earlier in his speech, Mr Lee touched on the role of ISD officers in thwarting the work of communists and foreign powers in earlier years.
He cited the case of an American diplomat based in Singapore, Mr Hank Hendrickson, who interfered in Singapore politics by asking then Law Society president Francis Seow to lead a team of lawyers to contest the 1988 elections.
In a sworn affidavit, Seow admitted that he had been to Washington to meet Mr Hendrickson's superior in the State Department. They had assured him of refuge in the US should he run into problems with the Singapore Government.
They subsequently did, after evidence of his collusion came to light.
Said Mr Lee: 'Such foreign clandestine operations are part and parcel of 'the Great Game' between countries, even friendly ones. More such cases are documented in the ISD Heritage Centre.
'When the centre receives foreign visitors, it often has to hide away the relevant displays temporarily, out of consideration for our guests. These episodes taught us that it was just as important to monitor our friends as we do our enemies.' [email protected]
