Official Launch of the SGSecure Movement

1.             Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong officially launched the SGSecure movement this morning at the Singapore University of Technology and Design.

2.         The SGSecure launch was attended by partner agencies such as the Ministry of Community, Culture and Youth, Ministry of Communications and Information, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Manpower and the People's Association. Community and religious leaders, students, key representatives and participants of pilot SGSecure projects, such as those from the neighbourhood, school, community and workplace domains, also attended the launch. Home Team volunteers and National Service (NS) officers were also present.

3.         In his speech, PM Lee called on Singaporeans to safeguard our way of life and stand united in the fight against terrorism. He encouraged Singaporeans to play their part by being vigilant in deterring a terrorist attack. He emphasised the importance of every individual knowing what to do when an attack occurs.

4.         PM Lee cautioned against taking Singapore's racial and religious harmony for granted and stressed the need for individuals to do more to strengthen social bonds and promote harmony. Referring to the heightened racial and religious tensions in places around the world where terrorist attacks had happened, PM Lee reiterated the need for a united and resilient community response in dealing with the aftermath of a terrorist incident in Singapore.

5.         PM Lee also unveiled the new SGSecure mobile app. The app is a one-stop portal for members of public to receive alerts during major emergencies, provide information to and seek assistance from the authorities, as well as download useful information on how we can mitigate the threat of terrorism. Following the SGSecure launch, PM Lee viewed the SGSecure exhibition which showcased some of the key programmes. He also interacted with students and participants of the key projects.

6.         The official launch of SGSecure marks the first major milestone for the national movement which has moved into the neighbourhoods, schools, workplaces, community groups and the NS and volunteer communities, through pilot programmes aimed at enhancing awareness of the terrorism threat Singapore faces and equipping everyone with skills and knowledge to respond to a terrorist attack.

7.         To date, the SGSecure movement has seen the conduct of the revamped Emergency Preparedness Day (EP Day) in three pilot constituencies [1] , Crisis Response Exercises in two constituencies as well as the 'Keep Singapore Safe' pilot programme in eight secondary schools. [2] Industry players, such as building and retail mall owners, have also supported SGSecure by enrolling in counter-terrorism seminars and participating in ground deployment exercises to strengthen their readiness and response to terrorist attacks.

8.         For more information, please refer to www.sgsecure.sg .

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About SGSecure

SGSecure is a national movement to sensitise, train and mobilise Singaporeans to play a part to prevent and deal with a terrorist attack. It is the community's response to safeguard our way of life against terrorism and community strife. Government's response alone is not enough.

Every member of the community must do his part by staying alert to ever-present security threats, staying united as one people during peacetime and in crisis, and staying strong to be resilient and bounce back quickly in a crisis. For more information, visit www.sgsecure.sg .

[1] The three constituencies which have successfully piloted the revamped Emergency Preparedness Day are Chong Pang, Jurong Spring and Toa Payoh West-Balestier.

[2] Cadets from the National Police Cadet Corps and National Civil Defence Cadet Corps from the following eight schools are involved in the pilot - Jurong West Secondary, Montfort Secondary, Presbyterian High School, Hong Kah Secondary, De Yi Secondary, Chung Cheng High School (Main), Ping Yi Secondary and Anglo-Chinese School (Independent).