Speech by Senior Minister of State for Defence, Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, at the MINDEF Committee of Supply Debate 2020

TOTAL DEFENCE – OUR BEST RESPONSE TO KEEP SINGAPORE STRONG

Mr Chairman, the strength of a nation depends largely on the readiness of her people to resist and respond to the threats and their various manifestations. This demands an all-round defence and deterrence strategy best provided by Total Defence, with its six pillars and emphasis on everyone playing their part.

Remembering the Ethos of Total Defence

Total Defence has rallied Singaporeans together in responding to challenges that have threatened our independence and well-being. Despite the challenges, be it threats from terrorism, economic downturns, and SARS, we overcame them all. The outbreak of COVID-19 is the latest test of our collective strength as a nation.

Mr Seah Kian Peng asked how Singaporeans can play a part to overcome this crisis. In the past month, we have seen how fear of the virus had led to panic-buying of household essentials, hoarding and profiteering from the sale of masks, and shunning of our healthcare workers. Yet, at the same time, we came across countless heart-warming examples of how Singaporeans have displayed quiet strength and resolve to fight this crisis together – residents leaving hand sanitisers and spare masks in common areas for others, and university students bringing food for their classmates who are on leave of absence.

Religious leaders have also come together to provide religious guidance during this period. The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, for example, has said in an advisory to Muslims that Islam excuses those who are unwell from attending congregational prayers, including Friday prayers. Muslims are also advised to set aside the practice of salam, or shaking hands, to ensure that they do not transmit the virus. Some temples and churches are scaling back or cancelling regular services and urging followers to watch their services online instead. I really appreciate the guidance provided by the religious leaders to rally the community together in the current situation.

The government is mindful that Singaporeans and businesses are facing pressures as Singapore is affected by the economic downturn and slowdown and uncertainties from the COVID-19 outbreak. In Budget 2020, the government has announced measures to help businesses directly affected by the outbreak. We must build resilience in our economy. It is heartening to know that businesses are exemplifying economic defence by implementing business continuity plans, sending workers for re-training, and following calls to disinfect working areas regularly. Companies like Singapore Airlines, SingTel, and SMRT are finding ways to avoid retrenching their workers by cutting capital spending, operating costs and wages for managerial staff. Hopefully, these measures will provide workers with greater job assurance, and help them cope and emerge stronger from the difficult period. Some like CapitaLand and Changi Airport have also offered rental relief to help retailers cope with the COVID-19 crisis. As businesses do their part, fellow Singaporeans should also show solidarity – take the necessary precautions and carry on with our own life, eat and shop as you normally do and support these businesses. Please do not panic when you see shops disinfecting their premises or medical workers in Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) providing assistance – these practices are routine precautionary procedures at a time like this.

As we fight the virus, concurrently, we are also fighting an even greater threat – the spread of fake news. According to a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) study, fake news can travel six times faster than true stories. In the past month, false information on the closure of schools and the closure of an MRT station due to the spread of COVID-19 was propagated. When you receive messages or unsubstantiated information over WhatsApp or other online platforms, do not forward or circulate them. Always check the information against official sources, like the government websites or the official news releases. If you are unsure, do not spread the information. Such discipline will go a long way in our fight against fake news. All in all, Singapore can and will overcome this COVID-19 situation if Singaporeans are psychologically resilient and support the government and businesses to deal with this outbreak. We should not be easily rattled and instead, show confidence as a people. As my soldiers often say in Hokkien "ai zai" or "be steady".

Mr Chairman, may I say a few words in Malay please? [Translated] Religious leaders have also come together to provide religious guidance during this period. The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has said in an advisory to Muslims that Islam excuses those who are unwell from attending congregational prayers, including Friday prayers. Muslims were also advised to set aside the practice of salam to ensure that they do not transmit the virus. Some temples and churches are scaling back or cancelling regular services and urging followers to watch their services online instead. I really appreciate the guidance provided by the religious leaders to rally the community together in this current situation.

[Translated] As we fight the virus, concurrently, we are fighting an even greater threat – the spread of fake news. According to a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) study, fake news can travel six times faster than true stories. In the past month, false information on the closure of schools and an MRT station due to the spread of COVID-19 was propagated. When you receive messages or unsubstantiated information over WhatsApp or other online platforms, do not forward or circulate them. Always check the information against official sources, like the government websites and official news releases. If you are unsure, don't spread the information. Such discipline will go a long way in our fight against fake news. All in all, Singapore can and will overcome this COVID-19 situation if Singaporeans are psychologically resilient and support the government and businesses to deal with this outbreak. We should not be easily rattled and instead, show confidence as a people. As my soldiers often say, "Relak je, Jangan Tension!" or "relax, don't be so stressed".

Digital Defence as a Response to Threats Emanating from the Digital Domain

Mr Chairman, the spread of falsehoods during this COVID-19 crisis is just one example of how fake news can damage our society, erode communal trust and social cohesion. Ms Joan Pereira asked how MINDEF is supporting whole-of-government efforts to prepare Singaporeans to combat the spread of online falsehoods and fake news.

As part of a broader effort to raise information literacy and increase Singaporeans' understanding of digital threats, MINDEF, SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), the National Library Board (NLB) and the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore had worked together to add a Digital Defence component to the SkillsFuture for Digital Workplace programme. The enhancement to the programme will equip participants with the skills to detect and deal with fake news and digital threats. At the same time, MINDEF/SAF has partnered NLB to enrich our existing BMT curriculum with content on cyber-attacks and information threats. Now, BMT recruits will have to complete an e-module on Digital Security in the SAF and visit the Digital Defence exhibition at the Singapore Discovery Centre. Students who joined the 2019 N.E.mation! competition had the chance to visit the SAF Cyber Defence School, which equips MINDEF/SAF's cyber workforce with skillsets and knowledge for deployment in cyber defence entities, to learn about the SAF's cyber capabilities and contributions to keep Singapore's network systems and infrastructure safe and secure. They also visited The Straits Times' newly revamped newsroom to learn how ST detects and deals with fake news.

Online falsehoods can also affect the reputation and credibility of businesses, and even cause serious financial losses. A case in point is Tesla. Last January, Tesla's shares and consumers' confidence in their products were affected when fake news or fake videos claiming that Tesla's cars are unsafe were circulated online. Mr Henry Kwek asked about the initiatives targeted at business owners to equip them to deal with digital threats. One of the many efforts to achieve this is a collaboration between MINDEF, SSG, the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) and NLB, to introduce a Digital Defence component into the SUSS SME Resilience, Entrepreneurship and Nurturing programme to teach small- and medium-sized enterprises and business owners how to use the S.U.R.E. (Source, Understand, Research & Evaluate) framework to better assess the reliability of information. We conducted one session last year and feedback on this has been very positive so far.

While we do our utmost to defend Singapore against digital threats, we have to acknowledge that it is impossible to prevent all cyber and data incidents, especially by determined and capable adversaries. Dr Teo Ho Pin and Mr Seah Kian Peng asked about MINDEF's efforts to strengthen cyber security against potential threats and attacks on our security systems. MINDEF/SAF is doubling down on efforts to raise the cybersecurity standards and readiness within the entire Defence Sector, including our vendors and among MINDEF Related Organisations like SAFRA and NSRCC. We will limit the amount of data they hold and ensure implementation of technical and procedural measures to protect the data during transmission and storage. In addition, I am happy to announce, that the first batch of Specialists from the Cyber NSF scheme has been deployed into cyber defence operations across MINDEF/SAF. The Defence Cyber Security Centre (DCSC) which was announced in 2019, has also reached 24/7 operating capability to monitor, detect and respond to threats. The DCSC will coordinate operations across the defence sector and integrate cyber threat intelligence capabilities.

Total Defence – The Collective Strength of Our People

While we step up efforts in Digital Defence, the multi-faceted threats of today mean that to keep Singapore strong, we need the collective effort of all aspects of society – government, businesses, communities and individuals like you and me, across every Total Defence pillar.

Dr Teo Ho Pin asked about MINDEF's efforts to engage the community to strengthen resilience against potential threats. MINDEF is working with PA to introduce the Total Defence Achiever Badge programme this year, for the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), which currently includes 2,000 active volunteers. To achieve the highest tier of this programme, CERT volunteers will have to attend lessons to learn how to identify fake news, community mediation and psychological first aid, among other training components. In this way, CERT volunteers will be better equipped with the knowledge and skills to respond to the evolving nature of emergencies, thereby putting Total Defence into action.

Total Defence for the Next Generation

Dr Teo (Ho Pin) also asked for an update on both government-led and community-led efforts to strengthen Total Defence. I am happy to share with the house that the community has in various ways, taken ownership of Total Defence. One example is the collaboration between four NTU students, Coding Lab and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to develop a Total Defence board game within the Tiny Thinkers Starter Kit, which were given to pre-schoolers and parents of low-income families, with the aim of exposing young children to Total Defence

As noted by Ms Joan Pereira, in many countries, education on the importance of resilience and emergency preparedness starts at a young age. In Singapore, to anchor Total Defence for our next generation, MINDEF collaborated with MediaCorp artiste Edmund Chen and the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) to create "My Little Red Dot – Making Our Home A Better Place" book. Through this book, young children can learn about Total Defence in an interactive manner, and parents are encouraged to share values such as unity and resilience with their children.

Community Support for Military Defence

Mr Chairman, key to Total Defence is a strong SAF – our military defence pillar. For a small country like Singapore, the only way to have a credible military of sufficient size is to have a conscript force, where every able-bodied male Singaporean defends Singapore, thereby contributing to military defence. Earlier, SMS Heng has talked about this extensively. I believe that strong family and societal support for our National Servicemen will motivate them to give their best when performing their duties. To recognise and strengthen family support for our servicemen, I am happy to announce that MINDEF and MHA will launch the SAFRA Family Scheme and HomeTeamNS Family Scheme this year. Under these schemes, Operationally Ready National Servicemen can sign up for a family package for himself and his dependants, regardless of the size of his family. This allows significant cost savings because servicemen no longer need to pay individual membership fees for each dependant. We hope this will encourage more families to visit SAFRA and HomeTeamNS clubhouses, enjoy the facilities, and spend more quality time together. SAFRA and HomeTeamNS will announce more details in mid-2020.

Aspirations for Total Defence

Last month, we launched the new Total Defence logo, the winning design by Ms Samantha Teng, an Allied Educator. Mr Seah Kian Peng asked about the significance of the new logo and how Singaporeans responded to the call for the design of a new logo. In Ms Teng's design, the arrows pointing upwards represent Singapore's continuous journey to stay resilient against current and future threats. When we launched the logo competition, we wanted to create a new logo that represents all six pillars and more importantly, to hear from Singaporeans what Total Defence meant for them. We were heartened to receive more than 600 designs by participants from all walks of life – from students, teachers, professional designers and retirees.

Global trends and threats are evolving, and as Mr Seah Kian Peng noted, one of the issues our youths and many young people around the world are increasingly concerned with is climate change. Given that Total Defence has kept Singapore strong for more than 35 years, it is timely for us, as a nation, to revitalise this all-round defence and deterrence strategy to address these threats confronting Singapore now and in the future. We will continue partnering fellow Singaporeans to seek ideas on how to strengthen our Total Defence because this should be a whole-of-nation effort. As part of the SG Together movement, MINDEF will conduct a series of engagement sessions in the second half of 2020, to hear from Singaporeans on how all of us can do better to put Total Defence into action, and how Total Defence can be strengthened for our future. This will also allow younger Singaporeans to reflect on what Total Defence is to them and operationalise this as we respond to the future threats and challenges.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Mr Chairman, although the COVID-19 outbreak has not ended, I believe the collective effort from the government, communities and individuals will see us through this crisis. We must continue to encourage the community spirit shown during this period, and support those at the frontline. It is with this collective strength that we are able to stay resilient and united as one people. We must make Total Defence in every Singaporean's DNA. With a strong Total Defence, we have every reason to have confidence and a sense of hope for Singapore's future.

Thank You.