The country’s network of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras will be significantly expanded over the next four years to deter those plotting terror attacks in Singapore.
The Straits Times reported that that the Government will also pass laws, where necessary, to require building owners and organisers of major events to beef up security, said Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam.
In his speech to senior Home Team officials at a closed-door forum on Friday (March 18), Mr Shanmugam added that the threat of a terrorist attack in Singapore is at its “highest level” in recent times and that the CCTV expansion is among three key initiatives rolled out to fight the threat of terrorism.
“The terrorism threat to us is real,” he noted, said a Channel NewsAsia report.
“We will take all precautions to prevent an attack from taking place in Singapore. We, the Home Team agencies, will do our utmost and we hope we never have an attack.”
Mr Shanmugam said that police cameras will be installed at 10,000 Housing Board blocks and multi-storey carparks by this year.
Next, such cameras will be put up at common heartland areas, in crowded areas such as town centres, hawker centres and walkways to major transport nodes.
Footage from other CCTVs will also be made available to the police on demand, including those at commercial buildings with high footfall, government buildings and on the public transport system.
Additionally, a special response police unit is being formed to beef up Singapore’s security response to a terror threat. These Emergency Response Teams will be able to respond to attacks carried out simultaneously at multiple locations.
The third initiative to fight terrorism outlined by Mr Shanmugam involves the development of a new national programme called SG Secure later this year.
It will be a revamp and expansion of the existing Community Engagement Programme, which has been in place since 2005, reported Channel NewsAsia.
As part of SG Secure, the Home Team will work with partners to raise awareness and train different groups of Singaporeans to play an active role in keeping Singapore safe.
sujint@sph.com.sg
