Sometimes I think the government are just replying for the sake
of replying.
This isn't the first time they reply but not really replying
sincerely, look at what the person wrote Feb 20, and look at the
reply below on Feb 25,
SINCE the beginning of the year, the Government has
organised various mock terror attacks to gauge and improve
Singapore's readiness to cope with such catastrophes.
However, as a senior security supervisor on a worksite in the
western part of Singapore, my experience when a bomb was discovered
on our worksite makes me wonder if we are ready to face the threat
of terrorism.
Last Thursday, at about 4.30pm, a bomb (probably a World War II
relic) was discovered on our worksite. The police were notified
five minutes later and a corporal from Queenstown Police Station
arrived on the scene. It was more than 45 minutes later, at 5.18pm,
that an officer from police explosives team confirmed it was a
bomb. By then, the area had been cordoned off.
At 6.25pm, a police assistant superintendent, who was the
investigating officer, arrived but there was still no sign of the
bomb disposal unit. At 7.45pm, a lone second lieutenant from the
unit arrived but was unable to remove or dispose of the bomb.
Finally, at about 8pm, a unit from the explosives ordnance
department arrived. At 8.18pm, a search dog was brought to locate
other possible bombs. Only at 9pm was the bomb safely removed from
the scene.
I am disappointed by the slow response time of the bomb disposal
unit. Why did it take them nearly three hours to arrive after the
bomb was confirmed at 5.18pm? What if the bomb had exploded in
those three hours?
I understand the bomb disposal unit needs to follow certain
standard operating procedures but does it really need to take three
hours?
It is fortunate the bomb was found at the edge of the worksite. Had
it been on the worksite itself, it would not only have posed a
greater risk to workers but also have resulted in considerable
economic loss because of the time the bomb disposal unit took to
arrive.
If we are so slow to act on a single bomb threat, how can we cope
with a terror attack on even the smallest scale?
I hope this is an isolated incident that does not reflect on the
overall operational readiness of the bomb disposal unit.
Neo Poh Goon
WE REFER to Mr Neo Poh Goon's letter 'Bomb squad slow to
respond to threat' (ST, Feb 20).
We would like to assure him that the Singapore Armed Forces and the
Police treat all cases of explosives and ordnance seriously and we
work closely to deal with them.
When the Police receive a call on suspected explosive devices, our
officers will be dispatched immediately to the site to ensure
public safety by throwing a cordon around the object and order an
evacuation, if necessary.
The officers will inform SAF's Explosives and Ordnance Disposal
unit to dispose of the item after identifying the object.
There are different levels of responses in such cases depending on
the risk level.
In this case, if the threat to public safety was high, the team
would have been activated immediately. But the object was a World
War II three-inch round which did not contain any high
explosives.
The SAF's teams are well-organised to react to contingencies. Such
an approach is necessary at a time when there is a heightened
threat of terrorist attacks.
We want to assure the public that both the SAF and Police are
well-prepared and committed to ensuring their safety at all
times.
Col Benedict Lim
Director, Public Affairs
Ministry of Defence
Audrey Ang
Assistant Director, Media Relations
Singapore Police Force
