Good communication vital to Singapore's success: Shanmugam
By Koh Swee Fang Valerie
Published: 4:00 AM, April 10, 2017
Updated: 6:58 AM, April 10, 2017
SINGAPORE — People know that a strong internal and external defence, provided by the police, civil defence and armed forces, has been the foundation for prosperity, safety and confidence in the Republic.
But Singapore’s success was also partly due to the Government’s ability to communicate, and grassroots leaders going around to explain, the need for National Service, which was “deeply unpopular” in 1967, Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam said yesterday.
And amid the terror threat around the world today, communication remains vital, stressed Mr Shanmugam at an NS appreciation ceremony in Nee Soon Group Representation Constituency.
“Because if there’s an attack, you want the grassroots leaders to go out into the community, assuage concerns, tell people not to be worried, tell them not to listen to rumours (and say) these are the facts, let’s keep calm, come together ... and we’ll defeat the terrorists,” he said.
The People’s Association’s community networks are critical for this task, he added, especially as part of the SGSecure movement. This was also a role played by the PA during the Konfrontasi conflict with Indonesia in the 1960s.
Mr Shanmugam recounted how the PA worked with the police to administer the voluntary vigilante corps from 1964 to guard crowded places and key installations.
He also spoke about the circumstances faced by Singapore in 1967, when NS began.
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