Question:
Miss Rachel Ong asked the Minister for Home Affairs how can the public
be equipped to pick up indicators that an individual may be getting self-radicalised, as part of a community network
to prevent terror attacks.
Answer:
1. It is important to report suspected radicalised individuals early, so that interventions
can be taken before any harm is done. Family members, colleagues or friends play an important role. They are in a
good position to pick up tell-tale signs. Some of these signs include avid consumption of radical material, posting
of terrorism-related material on social media, becoming withdrawn, or espousing intolerant “us versus
them” viewpoints.
2. We have been leveraging the SGSecure movement to reach out to different groups in the
community, including in neighbourhoods, schools, religious organisations and workplaces, to raise awareness on the
threat of terrorism, and educate them on detecting early signs of radicalisation.
3. ISD has also been working with schools, institutes of higher learning, and community
organisations to conduct counter-terrorism and counter-radicalisation outreach activities. These include
workshops, talks and seminars, which aim to sensitise them to the threat of radicalisation and the need to
report suspected radicalised individuals early.
4. ISD has also worked with the Ministry of Manpower and MUIS to reach out to migrant
workers. For example, advisories have been disseminated to migrant workers to urge them to watch out for signs of
radicalisation. A terrorism module has been incorporated in the Settling-In Programme for foreign domestic workers,
which teaches them what they should and should not do, how they can look out for tell-tale signs of radicalised
individuals, and the Police hotline to call.
5. We will continue to find ways to educate the public on radicalisation. Members of the
public can report suspicious behavior by contacting the ISD Counter-Terrorism Centre hotline (1800 – 2626473),
calling 999, SMS to 71999, or use the “Report” function in the SGSecure app. The identity of the informer
will be protected.
