The recent spate of terror attacks in Turkey, Bangladesh and Malaysia during Ramadan, which is supposed to be a month of peace, “shows the level of evilness” of the terrorists, said Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam yesterday, as he stressed the importance of preparing for a similar incident in the Republic.

Speaking to reporters during his visit to the Hari Raya Bazaar at Geylang Serai, Mr Shanmugam condemned the “horrific” attacks while repeating his and other Singapore leaders’ warning that the Republic remains a target for terrorists.

“I have said more than once that we are also a target,” he said.

“It’s really sad. This is a month of peace ... and that they should choose to attack even during this month shows the level of evilness. But what we can do is to prepare ourselves, which we have been doing.”

For instance, following the suicide bombings at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport, the local authorities have bumped up checks and patrols at checkpoints and major transport nodes.

That the latest attack happened “right next door” in Kuala Lumpur — confirmed yesterday by the Malaysian authorities to be linked to Islamic State (IS) — did not come as a surprise given the rising radicalism in the region, added Mr Shanmugam, who is also Law Minister. He was referring to the grenade blasts at a Puchong nightclub last Tuesday that left eight injured — the first successful IS-linked strike on Malaysian soil.

“We’ve had so many attacks last year — Paris, of course, late last year. But just in the last few days, you’ve seen Istanbul airport, Dhaka — horrific attacks; people being killed, getting their bodies chopped up,” he said. “And now in Kuala Lumpur, right next door, which has been confirmed today to be an Islamic-State-linked attack.”

Mr Shanmugam added: “It doesn’t come as any surprise to people in the Government because we knew all around us, radicalism was growing, is growing, and it’s just a question of time.”

He noted that more than 1,000 radicalised individuals from regional countries have gone to join IS’ fight in the Middle East. Some of them are capable of planning attacks through proxies in the region and they want to attack, he added.

Weighing in on Mr Shanmugam’s remarks, leaders of Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circles (IRCCs) reiterated the importance for Singaporeans to stay united amid terror strikes around the world, and to avoid demonising particular communities.

Dr Karunanithy Ramasamy, vice-chairman of Telok Blangah IRCC, said: “We should not blame one community or race. It’s just a small fraction involved in this.”

He saw the incidents as an “opportunity” for Singaporeans to strengthen their resolve to be united and take security seriously.

Agreeing, Kampong Glam IRCC member Reverend Gabriel Liew said that people of various faiths have to come together to condemn the string of terror attacks. “We need to educate our followers not to react by being paranoid or hysterical. We’re all saddened and worried, but we should not demonise any community,” said Rev Liew. “We shouldn’t let such incidents divide us. It’s what the terrorists want — to be divisive.”

During his visit to the bazaar at Geylang Serai, Mr Shanmugam mingled with the crowd and thanked the police national servicemen on duty for “doing a very good job”.

He said: “Planning for (crowd) control, patrolling, deployment of forces is all done by national servicemen. And the actual patrols are done by police national servicemen. They take great pride. They take ownership. They’re doing a very good job.”

Source:
courtesy of TODAY

by Valerie Koh

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