Multiracial Singapore will be psychologically prepared for a terrorist attack: PM Lee
Singapore: While it is assumed that a terrorist attack will take place in Singapore at some point, the country is psychologically prepared for it, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in an interview with Australia’s ABC Radio National broadcast yesterday.
Mr Lee said that following the Manchester suicide bombing attack, “you can never say that it will not happen. For us, we assume it is a matter of when and not whether”.
This is especially so for a potential lone wolf attack, as it is very difficult to preempt and prevent, he added.
The Prime Minister also noted that there are activists who have gone to the Middle East – from Malaysia, Indonesia and a few from Singapore. There are also those who have gone to the southern Philippines and linked up with separatist groups there, such as the Maute group in Marawi and the Abu Sayyaf group.
“It is a clear and present danger,” he pointed out.
That said, the country is doing its best to prepare itself and, should the attack happen, Singapore is “psychologically prepared and our multiracial society will not be under catastrophic stress”, the Prime Minister said.
“Because the risk is not just the casualties from the physical attack but the psychological damage you do to the trust and confidence between people of different races and religions in Singapore, particularly between the Muslims and non-Muslims.” On the topic of international relations, Mr Lee pointed out during the interview that Singapore has to keep its relationships with other countries up to date and, at the same time, “maintaining a certain rationality, consistency and predictability in our positions”. The Prime Minister added that Singapore’s interests do not change so suddenly, and its “enduring interests are security, stability, co-operation, integration in the region, and peace and prosperity, mutually in the Asia Pacific”.