Home Team Show and Festival (HTSF) 2017 Press Conference - Opening Remarks by the Chairman of the HTSF 2017 Organising Committee, Deputy Commissioner of Police Lim Kok Thai

Members of the media

Welcome and thank you for joining us today.

2. With me today are my colleagues from the Home Team who are part of the organising committee for the Home Team Show and Festival.  We also have Mr Dick Lee who is our Creative Director for the event.

3. At this point, let me provide a quick overview of the rationale for the Home Team Show and Festival.

Rationale for HTSF

4. Over the years, Home Team officers have played a critical role in nation-building, by keeping our communities, our homes and our streets safe and secure for all. At the same time, we would not have been able to carry out our work effectively without the support and trust of the community that we protect.

5. While we have enjoyed many years of strong partnership with the community, it is timely to bring this partnership to the next level. We seek to build even stronger public trust and confidence in the Home Team, and to reach out to more people, for them to know us better and understand how they themselves can play a bigger role in our mission to safeguard Singapore's safety and security.

6. The idea for the Home Team Show and Festival - or HTSF in short, was thus mooted. Through the event, we hope to raise public awareness about the Home Team, the work that we do and the importance of community partnership in keeping Singapore safe and secure. It is an event to celebrate the work of our Home Team officers, including our NS officers, who work hard 24/7, every day, to keep Singapore safe and secure. This is the idea behind the focus of the HTSF - HOME, how as one team, the Home Team works closely with the community so that together,  we keep our home, Singapore, safe and secure.

7. This year has added significance because it has been 20 years since the Home Team concept was introduced in 1997 by Mr Wong Kan Seng, then-Minister for Home Affairs, as a way of having the different Home Team Departments work closer together in order to enhance MHA's operational effectiveness. We have come a long way since.

8. The HTSF is held in conjunction with our celebration of 50 years of National Service (NS). Home Team NS officers are an integral part of the Home Team, working together with our regulars to build a safe and secure Singapore. We appreciate the contributions of generations of NS officers and their families in nation-building and want to pay tribute to them.

9. We also hope to ride on the momentum of the SGSecure national movement launched last year, to underscore the importance of community partnership. All of us have a role to play to keep Singapore safe and secure.

Key Highlights of HTSF

10. This year's Festival will be different from previous editions. Much thought and effort had gone into designing the Festival grounds to provide a highly immersive and interactive experience for all visitors. For the first time ever, members of the public can go on Police Coast Guard and Singapore Civil Defence Force boat rides at the Marina Reservoir and Marina Barrage. There will also be high-speed manoeuvre displays at the Reservoir, simulating the chase and interception of intruding crafts in Singapore waters.

11. There will also be different zones which are designed to provide visitors insights into the Home Team's work and how they can partner the Home Team to protect our home. Visitors will also have a sneak peek into our transformation plans to ensure the Home Team remains effective into the future, including how the Home Team is leveraging technology to build up our capabilities.

12. The Show, under the creative direction of Mr Dick Lee, will tell the story of Home Team officers - the challenges they face, their personal struggles and their commitment and dedication to the mission. Dick needs no introduction. He is an acclaimed Creative Director who has numerous accolades under his belt. All I can say is, we are in good hands! Dick has gathered a team of creative and talented people, to bring the Home Team story to life.

Conclusion

13. The HTSF represents many firsts for the Home Team. The event would give the public a chance to experience all the Home Team Departments under one roof - who we are, and the work that we do. My colleagues from across the Home Team have come together over months of planning and preparation to bring this event to all. We are very excited to share the details with you today.

14. I look forward to your continued support for the Home Team and hope to see all of you at the HTSF.

15. Thank you again. Let me now pass on the microphone to my colleague Manimaran who will provide you more details on what we have planned.