SOME time in November or December, bomb blasts will be heard in
as many as four MRT stations here. The Ministry of Home Affairs
wants to know how well- prepared Singaporeans are if terrorists
strike and, unlike other SCDF exercises, Singaporeans won't have a
choice as to whether or not they want to take part.
There will be no warning, no schedule. If you happen to be a
commuter at the selected stations and the exercise is likely to
take place during peak hours Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng
is waiting to see how ready you are.
"Please cooperate with us, please carry on as normal, but at the
same time please play a part. But as to when it will happen, we
will not say there is no warning by terrorists before they bomb a
station," said Mr Wong in an exclusive interview with Today.
In fact, when he heard about the July 7 terror attacks on London's
subway trains, his thoughts turned naturally to Singapore.
"I thought, despite all the preparations they've made, it has
happened to them. Which means, despite all the preparations that
we're making, or have made, it can happen to us," said Mr Wong, who
is also the Home Affairs Minister.
He commended the London authorities and Londoners for the way in
which they dealt with the attacks. Would Singaporeans be as brave?
"I hope they would respond the same way," said Mr Wong.
The exercise in November may offer some clues, though officials
here started taking notes much earlier.
Soon after the London blasts, a team of police officers from
Singapore visited London to see what lessons could be drawn from
the tragedy.
Mr Wong was coy about sharing details. "The last thing you want to
do is to let the enemy know what you're doing."
But he added: "We've learned a lot. And in time, we'll share that
with others
But looking at how Londoners reacted to the bombing,
and how they went about their normal lives, I think that is
something Singaporeans should learn."
His greatest fear is that if, or when, terrorists succeed in
hitting Singapore, its citizens will flee. "We have to make sure
that we can't be defeated by this," he said. "If a bomb explodes
and (people) run away, I think the terrorists will have won. We
cannot let ourselves be defeated by our own doing; we have to stand
up and say: 'No, we must persist and we must carry on.'" Teo Hwee
Nak
taken from
todayonline.com