Singapore – The decision to separate Internet surfing from computers with access to the government’s internal networks was made in response to cyber security threats, said the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and the Cyber Security Agency (CSA) at a media briefing on Thursday.

David Koh, CSA chief executive, said: “Singapore is under constant attack on the cyber front. We are a prime target for cyber criminals, gangs, hacktivists and even state actors. As public servants, we have a duty and responsibility to protect the government and the citizens’ information and data. It is crucial we prevent breaches and disrupt what is known as the ‘cyber kill chain’ to raise our cyber defensives.

“This move of Internet surfing separation will significantly reduce the attack surface and make it harder for attackers to exploit our systems. Cyber security is a key enabler for Smart Nation. We can’t be a Smart Nation that is trusted and resilient if our systems are open and vulnerable.”

The IDA clarified that the policy would still allow public servants to have access to the Internet, albeit on computers that do not have access to the whole-of-government (WOG) information and communications (ICT) infrastructure. It also assured that the policy would neither affect various government e-services nor citizen engagement via e-mail.

Jacqueline Poh, IDA managing director, said: “Public servants will continue to have access to Internet surfing but it will not be from the same device used to access the government’s internal networks. We are not alone in enacting such policies to safeguard critical government and citizen data. We acknowledge that there will be some initial adjustment issues and are committed to working with our staff to develop alternatives so that they may continue working productively.”

IDA added that the separation of Internet surfing from internal systems has been in place in several government agencies and is also present in other organisations such as banks.

Ong-Ang Ai Boon, director, Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS), agreed with the move. “ABS fully supports all efforts to strengthen cyber security and to raise awareness of the risks. We appreciate that due consideration must have been made in the decision that was taken. Banks here take cyber security very seriously and have various policies and processes in place. The industry will continue to stay vigilant and to assess ways to enhance cyber security.”

This article was first published on June 10, 2016.
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Three days before tying the knot might not sound like the ideal time to start thinking about what would happen if husband and wife were to argue.

But that was what Mr Darren Koh, 32, and Ms Claire Wong, 29, spent two hours doing yesterday – and they believe the experience will help their marriage run smoothly.

They were among 15 couples who attended a free marriage preparation course run by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) that was launched in December 2014.

New figures show 2,800 couples have attended the course since it was launched up to April this year.

The two-hour session is an introduction to the Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Programme (Prep), which is based on research in the United States and teaches communication and conflict resolution skills.

Nine in 10 couples who attended the Prep introduction course said they found it useful and would recommend it to friends.

“The course helped us identify our problems and taught us how to resolve them,” said Mr Koh, a system engineer, citing how he tends to withdraw in a conflict, leading the argument to worsen.

The couple have been dating for five years and found out about the course when they filed their notice of marriage online.

They decided to attend the course and find out how they could strengthen their relationship.

In May last year, the ministry also launched the full 12-hour Prep workshop, which takes place over two days.

It covers 12 topics, from communication to conflict management and commitment.

As of April this year, 332 couples had attended the full workshop.

Prep trainer Evelyn Khong, 57, a principal consultant at Fei Yue Community Services, said most couples bring up communication issues or want to know how to deal with in-laws.

As part of the full Prep course, she gets couples to discuss commitments, such as how often to visit the in-laws and how much money to give them.

She also suggests thinking of marriage as a business partnership. “You’ve invested so much in it, in the wedding, you need to make sure that it works,” said Madam Khong.

The ministry is studying the impact and effectiveness of the Prep courses in Singapore, and will release the results next year.

Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development Faishal Ibrahim, who observed yesterday’s introduction programme, would like to see more Singaporeans going for such courses.

“The programme has been shown to be very effective in getting couples to communicate effectively with one another – which is the essence of marriage and any partnership,” said Dr Faishal.

“I’ve been married for 21 years, and I have realised that communication at different points and different phases of married life require different skills and different knowledge.”

kxinghui@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on June 10, 2016.
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Malaysia’s Johor River is becoming more salty while levels at the Linggiu Reservoir are decreasing, said Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli yesterday.

Linggiu, which was built upstream of the Johor River in 1994, collects and releases rainwater into the river.

It is operated by Singapore’s national water agency PUB and helps to meet half of Singapore’s water needs.

The reservoir is about 33 per cent full, a historic low. It was 40 per cent full in April, and 80 per cent full at the beginning of last year.

Speaking to reporters during a visit to the Stamford Detention Tank, which is being built to improve flood protection in Singapore, Mr Masagos said: “To wash off the salinity is a challenge. The salinity of the river is increasing and intrudes into our water works.”

PUB supplies Johor with 16 million gallons of potable water a day, but increased this amount last Saturday by 6 million gallons at the request of Badan Kawalselia Air Johor, Johor’s water regulatory body.

“In providing water to Malaysia, we first ensure that we have adequate supply,” said Mr Masagos.

“We are able to extract our 250 million gallons per day, on average, over the month, although we are always challenged because of the same weather challenges that both countries are facing.”

He added that Singapore has asked the Malaysian authorities to look into other ways to top up the Linggiu Reservoir.

The Straits Times reported on May 27 that Johor is looking at two rivers – Sayong River and Ulu Sedili Besar River – for water.

Either one of the river projects would take at least two years to complete.

This article was first published on June 10, 2016.
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