THREAT POSED BY RELIGIOUS OR EXTREMIST GROUPS TO NATIONAL SECURITY (Assessment)

Mr Noris Ong Chin Guan asked the Minister for Home Affairs if he will (i) give an assessment of the extent of the threat, if any, posed by religious or other extremist groups to our national security; and (ii) highlight the approach adopted by his Ministry to monitor the activities and influences of such groups.

The Minister for Home Affairs (Mr Wong Kan Seng): Mr Speaker, the recent tragic events in America underscore the threat posed by terrorism. Singapore is an open society and must remain mindful of our vulnerabilities to ethnic, ideological and religious tensions and conflicts in our multi-racial and multi-religious society. Our national security and continued peaceful and harmonious way of life are exposed to threats from domestic as well as external forces. Members will recall that Singapore was the stage for terrorist actions by foreign elements in the Laju incident of 1974 and, more recently, the hijack of SQ 117 in 1991.

While we have not found any domestic group to be involved in politically motivated violence, we are conscious of the possibility for local groups, even if only a minority, to be influenced or misled into participating in an agenda of violence purveyed by external extremist groups.

The Internal Security Department and the Singapore Police Force monitor racial and religious extremism and other security threats closely. Appropriate action will be taken against any group that threatens national security or law and order.

In an increasingly inter-connected world, the scourge of terrorism affects all civilised countries. Hence, the Internal Security Department and the Police Force have established channels of cooperation for exchange of information with various countries on security issues and intelligence.