The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) revealed last week that hackers exploited a vulnerability in its I-net system early last month and stole the personal data of around 850 national servicemen and employees, including NRIC numbers, telephone numbers and dates of birth.

Mindef added that its investigations did not detect any compromise of sensitive military systems or breach of classified information, as the I-net system, which is connected to the Internet, sits on a physically separate network.

National servicemen, Mindef employees and Singapore Armed Forces personnel use the I-net to access the Internet for personal communications and Web surfing.

Today, both public and private sector organisations are under constant cyber attacks by hackers seeking to cause harm, to steal valuable information, or manipulate financial transactions and markets.

Cyber security experts like to espouse the cliche that it’s not if, but when, an organisation will be hacked.

While this is a somewhat defeatist point of view, it points to the simple fact that most organisations have cyber security weaknesses that can be easily exploited by cyber criminals; hacking is a lot more cost effective than breaking down the physical front door. The cyber criminals do their maths too.

The cyber attack on Mindef is a sobering backdrop for the Government’s latest Budget announcement to set aside over $80 million to support the Go Digital Programme for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The success of the programme will mean even more organisations setting up an online presence and perhaps even doing e-commerce.

All this begs the question: Are the SMEs ready for the threats in cyberspace? Would they invest solely in digital capabilities and neglect the critical cyber security and data protection aspects?

So how can Singapore improve its cyber security, the way our nation continually upgrades and improves our armed forces? The recent Mindef announcement on the setting up of a cyber command to enhance Singapore’s defence against cyber attacks is a good start. Indeed, having soldiers guard our cyber territory is as critical as having them guard our land.

While setting up such a unit is a good start, I would like to suggest another way for Singapore to protect its precious cyber resources.

In April last year, the US Department of Defence (DoD) conducted a bold experiment to crowdsource independent hackers from the White Hat community to participate in its “Hack the Pentagon” initiative. This approach is commonly called a “bug bounty” where participants get paid for reporting security bugs. Such programmes have been successfully implemented by tech companies such as Google, Facebook and Uber, as well as non-tech sector companies including Western Union, United Airlines and General Motors. Facebook, for example, has paid out more than US$5 million (S$7 million) over the last five years for more than 900 security bugs.

The “Hack the Pentagon” programme attracted more than 1,400 vetted participants who attempted to find security bugs on five US DoD websites. The result? In four weeks, the programme identified 138 security bugs, with the first report submitted just 13 minutes after the opening bell.

Then US Defence Secretary Ash Carter spoke about the programme’s “considerable success” and highlighted the significant cost savings, despite a price tag of US$150,000 – “if we had gone through the normal process of hiring an outside firm to do a security audit and vulnerability assessment, which is what we usually do, it would have cost us more than US$1 million”.

This was followed by a “Hack the Army” programme last November. Somewhat unexpectedly, a security researcher managed to exploit a chain of vulnerabilities to go from a public army website on the Internet into an internal DoD system that usually required special access credentials.

In addition to this critical security flaw – and perhaps more surprisingly – the “intrusion” did not set off any alarm bells and the Pentagon personnel started scrambling only after they had been told by the security researcher.

This is a stark reminder for us that while Singapore seeks to delink Internet access from the work computers of public servants, we need to ensure flawless design and execution.

At the conclusion of the “Hack the Army” programme, the DoD paid out US$100,000 for 118 security bugs. By the way, the first security bug was reported within five minutes of the programme launch.

It is instructive to note that the DoD saw the need to carry out the “Hack the Army” and “Hack the Pentagon” exercises, despite a US$19 billion US cyber security budget to support a robust cyber defence programme.

More importantly, the DoD took the bold step to rethink its approach and, by so doing, reaped significant benefits at a fraction of the usual cost. This approach allows the DoD to achieve a process of continuous and pervasive vulnerability detection, instead of a one-off yearly exercise. It also enables the defence organisation to tap the skills of hackers, instead of just entrusting any specific group to guard the DoD’s cyberspace.

In June last year, the DoD announced that it is embarking on three follow-on initiatives: to allow anyone to disclose vulnerabilities to the DoD without fear of prosecution; to expand the bug bounty programme to other areas of the DoD; and to provide incentives for defence contractors that adopt the same bug bounty approach. This is truly forward looking for a normally conservative government defence agency.

Singapore, like any other sovereign nation, is faced with unprecedented cyber risks that can only increase. To tackle such challenges, we have to think outside the box and recognise that no one mind or one single group of individuals will have all the solutions.

While it is often difficult to prevent or predict when cyber attacks will happen, perhaps our best bet may be to work towards a cyber security programme that identifies and fixes security bugs in a continual and pervasive manner. Singapore must continue to take the leadership position in this region just as it has always led on major issues.

stopinion@sph.com.sg

The writer is the chief executive of Swarmnetics, a Singapore company that helps organisations find security weaknesses by harnessing the expertise of the global White Hat community.

Read also: If you can hack it, DBS wants you
Yahoo reveals new hack affecting over 1 billion users

This article was first published on March 7, 2017.
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Singapore will update its laws to ensure that overseas content – which has become more readily available – is in line with local values.

Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim yesterday said the Broadcasting Act will be changed later this year, and details will be announced soon.

Dr Yaacob said the amendments are necessary as technology has enabled Singaporeans to access a wide variety of content online.

“When overseas content providers are directly targeting Singaporeans, we need to ensure that their content is in line with our community values, including the need to uphold racial and religious harmony,” he added.

During the debate on his ministry’s budget, several MPs raised concerns about the spread of false information, or “fake news”.

Ms Sun Xueling (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC) noted that false information was said to have shaped voter behaviour in last year’s Brexit vote and United States presidential elections, and countries like Germany are looking at laws to tackle the problem.

Mr Ong Teng Koon (Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC) stressed the danger of fake news straining religious and ethnic fault lines in Singapore’s diverse society.

But he also cautioned that over-regulation would harm Singapore’s image as an open society.

“A totally draconian approach is unlikely to work,” he said.

Dr Yaacob said the update to broadcasting laws will address such concerns.

“The Internet is vast and open, but if an entity reports news about Singapore regularly to inform Singaporeans on matters of public interest, we expect them to do so responsibly,” he said.

He also pointed out that tech giants such as Facebook and Google have recognised that a certain degree of control is necessary.

For instance, Google has prohibited advertisements on sites with deliberate misinformation, while Facebook is mobilising users to call out misinformation in their news feeds.

The amendments will cover all broadcast content, including entertainment and news reporting.

Dr Yaacob said the Government is studying the proposed changes very closely, to avoid adding undue burden to businesses.

But a review of laws and regulations is just one aspect of dealing with misinformation, he said.

The public also plays a crucial role in being discerning when accessing information, he added.

“To this end, we will continue to promote information and media literacy to all Singaporeans, particularly the young and those who may be vulnerable.”

During the debate, Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied GRC) suggested that Parliament sittings be streamed live online.

This would provide a source of reliable information to better inform the public.

In response, Minister of State for Communications and Information Chee Hong Tat said videos of all parliamentary speeches are uploaded online the day after the sitting.

The videos are also kept online for six months, he added.

ziliang@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on March 7, 2017.
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The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has issued a stop-work order against Feng Ming Construction (FMC), the main contractor of the Braddell Road flyover project, after a random spot check on Feb 23.

This means the completion date for the flyover project, designed to ease congestion around Braddell Road, will be pushed back from end-March.

In a reply to The Straits Times, an MOM spokesman said: “MOM discovered that shoring was not provided at excavated areas when required and the excavation (works) were not constructed in accordance with the professional engineer’s design.

“Materials were placed on excavation struts, which exposed persons working below to the risk of being hit by falling objects.”

The inspection did not come about because of an incident, The Straits Times understands.

The project was initially slated for completion in end-2015.

The completion date was pushed to the end of last year, before the promise of an opening at the end of this month.

The duration of the stop-work order (SWO) depends on how long it takes the company to rectify the safety breaches.

“Once MOM is satisfied that all has been resolved, the stop-work order will be lifted,” the spokesman said.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has not fixed a date for the completion of the project, a spokesman said.

It had previously insisted the project was still on track for completion this month.

Responding to queries, the LTA confirmed that the project will be delayed and said it will work with FMC to fix the safety lapses “so that work can resume as soon as possible”.

Its spokesman said: “Construction of the flyover has been challenging as works are being done during limited hours to minimise traffic disruption to commuters, as well as noise and dust disamenities to nearby residents.”

The LTA will announce the revised opening date for the flyover after further assessment, he added.

The public works project has had a rocky path since it began in 2012.

The first contractor, Hexagroup, won a $29 million tender but ran into financial difficulties.

This led to a temporary stoppage of work, ending hopes of meeting the initial completion target.

Hexagroup is now in the process of winding up.

A second tender, for $29.9 million, was awarded to FMC in 2015.

Works were expected to be completed by the end of last year – but the deadline was again extended, this time to March.

This was partly owing to problems associated with the handover from Hexagroup, a source in FMC previously told The Straits Times.

FMC could not be reached for comment about the SWO.

The project includes the construction of a single-lane flyover to directly connect vehicles turning right from Lorong 6 Toa Payoh with the Braddell underpass towards Paya Lebar, without their having to join traffic heading towards the Central Expressway.

Braddell Road will also be expanded from its dual three lanes to a dual five-lane carriageway.

Two new pedestrian bridges will connect Bishan and Braddell.

When The Straits Times visited the site last week, sections of the flyover looked unfinished and parts of the new pedestrian bridges were still missing.

Residents in the 10 blocks near the work site were frustrated when told of the delay, complaining about the dust and noise.

Retiree Francis Chua, 65, said: “When they said the flyover will be completed by March, I thought that we won’t have to sweep our floor daily of construction dust for long. Now, there isn’t even a date to look forward to.”

ngjunsen@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on March 7, 2017.
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The first land parcel for private homes at the new Bidadari estate is up for grabs.

In what is likely a first for a government land sales site, the developer of the mixed commercial and residential site is being asked to build a community centre and a neighbourhood police branch.

The 25,440 sq m plot next to Woodleigh MRT station is expected to yield 825 private homes. Build-To-Order launches have already taken place in Bidadari.

It was originally on the confirmed list of the Government Land Sales programme for the second half of last year, but its sale was postponed to allow the site requirements for comprehensive development to be finalised.

According to details of the tender released yesterday, the development in Upper Serangoon Road will be integrated with a community club, which should be at least 6,000 sq m, and a neighbourhood police centre that must occupy at least 2,190 sq m.

A maximum of 15,000 sq m of the 99-year leasehold plot should also be set aside for shop and restaurant uses. The development must include a commercial bridge to Bidadari Park as well.

The Government added that “on top of the extensive pedestrian and cycling network within Bidadari estate, the Land Transport Authority and HDB will also be exploring the possibility of car sharing and bike sharing schemes to encourage a ‘car-lite’ living environment”.

Mr Nicholas Mak, head of research at SLP International Property Consultants, said that the idea of an integrated community centre is quite novel. “As Bidadari is not such a big development, the Government may want to intensify land use and increase visitorship of the community centre at the same time,” he added.

He noted that the requirement of a neighbourhood police centre is especially unusual, adding that he expected the Government would pay for its share of the construction, as well as have a say in its final design.

Analysts expect the site to be hotly contested given its location next to an MRT station.

Mr Ong Teck Hui, JLL’s national director for research and consultancy, predicted between seven and 10 bids, as Bidadari has the “makings of a new prime city fringe sub-market”.

He said the only deterrent to developers would be the large quantum and high absolute land price, which could be between $766 million and $863 million. This translates to a top bid of between $800 per sq ft (psf) and $900 psf, he said.

Mr Ong Kah Seng, head of R’ST Research, estimates about 10 bids for the site, with the top one being between $860 psf and $900 psf. Residential units should sell at about $1,500 psf, he said.

“There has been overwhelming response for the Build-To-Order flats released in Bidadari. It is definitely shaping up to be a major, exciting residential-centric enclave, hence buying interest is expected to be strong,” he added.

Mr Mak highlighted the strong potential of the shopping area on the site, which will have first-mover advantage as the first mall in the estate.

The tender for the site closes at noon on June 13.

xinen@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on March 7, 2017.
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Tourism will be getting a boost from visitors headed from airport to seaport, as Singapore seeks to woo more travellers to embark on cruises from its shores.

Cruise operator Royal Caribbean International yesterday announced a marketing partnership to grow Singapore’s fly-cruise segment and bring in over $26 million in tourism dollars this year.

The partnership between the region’s largest cruise brand, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Changi Airport Group (CAG) will promote cruising out of Singapore on Royal Caribbean’s ships Ovation of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas. The ships can accommodate 4,905 guests and 4,269 guests respectively, and are among the largest in Asia.

About 45,000 tourists will be flying in to Singapore to sail on the two ships between March and June this year, the cruise operator said.

Read also: Indonesia contributes most to Singapore tourist arrivals

This is the second partnership among the three – the first, in place since August 2015 to market Royal Caribbean’s ship, Mariner of the Seas, is projected to bring over 170,000 fly-cruise visitors and $100 million in tourism receipts to Singapore over three years.

Royal Caribbean will have its longest deployment in Singapore yet over the next three years (2017-19) and has 72 sailings lined up for its 2017/2018 season, up from 64 sailings for the previous season.

Asia’s largest cruise ship, Ovation of the Seas, docked at Marina Bay Cruise Centre yesterday for its first season based in Singapore, which will comprise a total of 10 sailings to Penang, Phuket, Bangkok and Tianjin between March and April.

Read also: National Gallery Singapore wins big at annual Singapore Tourism Awards

Cruises aboard the 18-deck ship are nearly all sold out, with more than half of the ship’s bookings coming from overseas, said Royal Caribbean.

STB’s cruise director Annie Chang said that Singapore’s position as an Asian cruise hub is supported by arrivals from regional source markets such as India, Australia and Indonesia.

“That Royal Caribbean is increasing its homeported sailings in Singapore signals the success of our partnership in driving cruise tourism for Asia,” she added.

Singapore cruise passenger throughput grew 16 per cent to about 1.2 million in 2016, according to figures by the STB.

CAG’s vice-president of passenger development Peh Ke-Wei said that Singapore’s fly-cruise segment has huge growth potential, particularly with increased traffic from the opening of Changi Airport’s Terminal 4 later this year.

CAG is working on a long-term initiative to facilitate seamless transfer of baggage services for fly- cruise passengers, he added.

ASEAN has committed to developing cruise infrastructure, training staff and improving onshore activities to grow cruise tourism in the region, it was revealed in January.

Royal Caribbean Cruises’ managing director for Asia-Pacific Sean Treacy said that while Singapore’s strong air connectivity and strategic location is a boon, port infrastructure in the region must be upgraded to accommodate larger ships such as Ovation of the Seas and meet cruise demand in Asia.

Said Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s senior tourism lecturer Michael Chiam: “Growing the cruise market and having more ships use Singapore as a port of call gives tourists more options and us an edge.”

This article was first published on Mar 07, 2017.
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Giants have always lived among us and in the Singapore Botanic Gardens, a meranti melantai was already dwarfing all when Sir Stamford Raffles landed in Singapore in 1819.

This species was once common in the forests that used to cover Peninsula Malaysia and Singapore.

Listed as a heritage tree, it is one of 266 that serve as important green landmarks, according to the National Parks Board (NParks), which administers the Heritage Tree Scheme.

To qualify for the status, a tree’s girth, or trunk circumference, must measure more than 5m. It is also judged on its botanical, historical, social and aesthetic values.

How the trees are cared for depends on their location, species, age, and condition, said Mr Ng Cheow Kheng, NParks’ group director of horticulture and community gardening.

Some of the measures include installing lightning conductors on taller trees to protect them, and applying leaf litter or compost to the roots to encourage healthy root growth, he added.

Heritage trees in the Singapore Botanic Gardens are generally older and are inspected once every six months. Those outside of the Gardens are checked every 12 months.

The tamalan in Fort Canning Park and the rain trees in Connaught Drive were last inspected within the past one year, while the Meranti Melantai, pulai basong, and tembusu in the Singapore Botanic Gardens were checked last month.

Judged to be among the oldest heritage trees here, these four trees, together with the 22 rain trees, were assessed to be healthy.

MERANTI MELANTAI
(Shorea macroptera) tree at Singapore Botanic Gardens

This tree is estimated to be more than 200 years old.

It is part of the original vegetation in the Singapore Botanic Gardens’ Rain Forest, one of the oldest remnants of primary rainforests in Singapore.

PULAI BASONG
(Alstonia pneumatophora) tree at Singapore Botanic Gardens

Early in the 19th century, before the Swan Lake and Symphony Lake were constructed, a freshwater swamp forest existed along the western edge of the Gardens.

This habitat was likely the original home of the pulai basong.

This tree, also part of the original vegetation in the Gardens, is likely to be older than the park at more than 160 years old.

It is a native species that is critically endangered in the wild in Singapore.

TEMBUSU
(Cyrtophyllum fragrans) tree at Singapore Botanic Gardens

This iconic tree, estimated to be more than 170 years old, is featured on the back of the Singapore $5 note.

It has a unique lower lateral branch, which makes it easily recognisable.

RAIN TREE
(Samanea saman) in Connaught Drive

A total of 22 rain trees in Connaught Drive are heritage trees. NParks estimates that some of them were planted in the mid-1880s, which would make them more than 130 years old.

This means they would have witnessed historic events in the Civic District, including the declaration of Independence for Singapore by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew in 1963.

TAMALAN
(Dalbergia oliveri) tree at Fort Canning Park

The only tamalan heritage tree in Singapore is estimated to be 80 years old.

It once stood guard over the tombstones of the former Christian cemetery in Fort Canning Green and is a prominent landmark of Fort Canning Park.

This article was first published on Mar 07, 2017.
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Pioneer dentist Look Yan Kit was a wealthy man and philanthropist from 19th-century Singapore who had a road and even a former public swimming pool named after him.

Journalist Ye Jiyun worked at Singapore’s first Chinese daily newspaper Lat Pau as editor and chief writer for 40 years until he died in 1921. The paper, which was founded in 1881, folded 11 years after his death.

English-Chinese translator Ho Siak Kuan was chief translator for the British colonial government in the 1880s, and rose to be assistant secretary for Chinese affairs before retiring in 1926 after 42 years as a civil servant.

The trio were among the founders of the former Yeung Ching School, which was set up in Chinatown 111 years ago. The school was renamed Yangzheng Primary School in 1988 after the Education Ministry took over its management and relocated it to Serangoon.

Their life stories are retold in a new book, Records Of Old Yeung Ching, launched at the school’s Old Boys’ Association anniversary lunch at the Dragon Phoenix Restaurant in Liang Court on Sunday.

Read also: Heritage steeped in history

Written in Chinese by retired paediatrician Ho Nai Kiong, 79, the 280-page book features more than 40 Chinese community leaders who founded the school, including Lim Chwee Chian, Khoo Hun Yeung and Ng Sen Choy; former school principals; teachers and prominent old boys, such as the late oil painter Lee Man Fong.

“I chose to tell the history of the school this way because it is more interesting and readable,” said Dr Ho, who studied in the school between 1945 and 1950.

It is his second book on the school, set up mostly by Cantonese-speaking community leaders in 1906. Two years ago, he published the first, Xian Xinghai’s 10 Years In Singapore: 1911 – 1921, about the famous Chinese composer who was another old boy of the school.

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2016-01-04 15:12:45

Photo Gallery

S’pore’s heritage street

Source: The New Paper

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Other interesting snippets on the school’s history up to 1987 in the book include its days during the Japanese Occupation, stories behind the school song composed by the late Madam Lucien Wong and the school basketball team’s glory days in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Dr Ho said he started researching his alma mater’s history in 2005 when the school celebrated its centenary and found many inaccuracies and untruths, some found in the school’s earlier publications and, more recently, on its website.

“I hope my book can help to set the record right,” he said.

This article was first published on Mar 07, 2017.
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