SGSecure message must be brought home to all Singaporeans

SINGAPORE — While the high-level, national messages of SGSecure have been effective and well-understood, there is a need to make the anti-terrorism movement relatable at a community level, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Josephine Teo said on Sunday (Aug 13).

Doing so will let Singaporeans know that a terrorist attack can happen in places close to where they live, eat and shop, Mrs Teo said on the sidelines of Bishan North’s Emergency Preparedness Day.

“In other words, they know that it can happen, and they know it can happen very close to them. So then, they don’t think it’s still something that’s still talked about in theoretical terms,” said Mrs Teo, who is also a Bishan-Toa Payoh Member of Parliament.

And to boost community preparedness in the event of such an attack, the message must be repeated constantly, owing to the Republic’s relative peace and security, while people need to “act out what they do in the event of a real emergency”.

Mrs Teo added: “Coming to the heartlands is one way of (bringing the message across) because people are going about their weekend activities. (By) showing them that even a terrorist attack can happen in the heartlands, I think the message is so much more real.”

Yesterday’s event at Bishan North saw close to 300 residents learn more about essential emergency skills and SGSecure. There were booths where cardiopulmonary resuscitation as well as the use of Automated External Defibrillators and fire extinguishers were taught.

As with other Emergency Preparedness days, there was a simulated attack by gunmen in the Bishan North Shopping Mall area, along with a skit to impart the SGSecure message of Run, Hide, Tell to the residents.

Bishan North grassroots volunteer Vincent Loo, 43, who was one of the 20 volunteers involved in the exercise, said it was important to be “aware of what’s around us, and react instantly”.

Mr Loo said that beyond a major attack, it was crucial to know how to respond accordingly in the first moments of even an incident like a heart attack. He added that grassroots volunteers have also been reaching out to residents to download the SGSecure app.

Residents TODAY spoke to who attended the event noted the importance of preparing for a terrorist attack, with most agreeing that the community is the first line of defence.

For some, like Stella Chew, 52, it was their first time learning about emergency preparedness. Mdm Chew told TODAY that it was also her first time using a fire extinguisher. “At least now I know what to do in case of a small fire, so that it won’t get bigger (and) more dangerous,” she added.

The Emergency Preparedness Day is a programme under the SGSecure movement aimed at building a community of prepared citizens.

“We don’t want to live our lives in fear, but neither do we want to have our lives destroyed by the lack of knowledge,” said Mrs Teo. “That’s what SGSecure seeks to do: That not only are we prepared, but we’re able to respond in a constructive way.”