Speech by Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, at the Special Forces Commanders Conference

Commanders,Distinguished guests, Friends of the Special Forces Commanders' Conference,Ladies and Gentlemen, Good morning.

The global financial crisis has taken its toll on the economies and livelihoods of people all over the world. While its immediate impact has been economic, it may also have a profound impact on the wider security environment. It could accentuate differences between countries, ideological conflicts and separatism. In the medium term, terrorism, sectarianism and piracy could well worsen as a consequence of this crisis. In our region, while there have been recent successes against individual terrorists and groups, the bombings of the Marriott and Ritz Carlton hotels in Jakarta just three months ago, in July, are a grim reminder that terrorism remains a common and persistent threat. No one is immune from danger in today's globalised world. A terrorist attack in one country could threaten the lives of citizens from many countries, who happen to be there on business or for leisure. We have to depend on each other, and specifically on each other's special forces, to safeguard each other's citizens.

We have also seen a surge in piracy attacks in the Gulf of Aden and the coast off Somalia over the last few years. This has seriously undermined the safety and freedom of navigation of international shipping transiting through the area. The international community has recognised quickly that such non-conventional and transnational threats demand greater international cooperation, and responded collectively. Ships, aircraft and other forces from many countries are now operating together off Somalia to deter and disrupt piracy in this important body of water. In such a security landscape, Special Forces provide governments with targeted and cost effective responses to tackle threats like terrorism and piracy. Equipped with specialised skills and sophisticated equipment, Special Forces have a critical part to play in dealing with the challenges posed by these complex and multi-faceted threats. Previously viewed primarily as a force to augment or support regular troops in wartime operations, Special Forces have established themselves as a lead component in military operations as well as operations-other-than-war, including counter-terrorism and anti-piracy operations. Special Forces are at the forefront of the fight against global terrorism in Afghanistan. On board many naval ships conducting patrols in the Gulf of Aden are Special Forces who stand ready to board and investigate suspicious vessels.

These enhanced global and strategic roles for Special Forces require them to adapt to new partnerships and new modes of operations. Where they may once operate solely within military domains, Special Forces today can expect to work hand-in-glove with civilian authorities and in what may traditionally be law enforcement roles. When they reported once only to their own government, Special Forces can also expect to work with many international partners in undertaking various missions in the international arena, belonging and reporting to a larger coalition of governments. The demands on Special Forces today are heavy. They must understand global security affairs. They also need access to the latest technology solutions and be also extremely adept in using them to carry out their missions. The recruitment, selection and training of Special Forces will therefore have to adapt accordingly. In the coming years, Special Forces can expect their role to further evolve.

Terrorists, pirates and others who threaten our peace and security have unfortunately become increasingly adept at evading countermeasures and adopting new strategies to breach our latest security measures. The terrorists who attacked Mumbai used GPS to find their way around Mumbai, and selected a range of targets that were designed to bring Mumbai to a standstill. To evade hotel security, the Jakarta Marriott bombers smuggled in and assembled the bombs in their hotel rooms. Given such amorphous threats, as our front-line responders, Special Forces will also therefore need to continue to develop sharper and more novel responses. To enhance the capability of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to deal with a wide spectrum of security threats, an integrated Special Operations Task Force (SOTF) was established this year. The SOTF brings together the Army's Commandos, the Naval Diving Unit (NDU), and airlift assets from the Air Force under a unified command. It is an operational task force with a standing headquarters to integrate all operations, training and capability development of the SAF's special forces. The establishment of the SOTF has provided the SAF with expanded capacity to carry out special operations, peacetime counter-terrorism operations and peacetime contingency operations through resource optimisation and enhanced inter-Service integration. The integration has allowed new synergies to be created in training, equipping and operations.

Recently, the SOTF participated in a large-scale counter-terrorism exercise code-named NORTHSTAR VII alongside 2,000 personnel from 15 Singapore government agencies such as the Singapore Police Force, the Singapore Civil Defence Force, and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.

The forces in the exercise dealt with a simulated 15-man terrorist group landing on Singapore via various land and sea routes to launch coordinated attacks on hotels and shopping malls in the island resort of Sentosa and the Orchard Road shopping area. The exercise reflects Singapore's "Whole-of-Government" approach in dealing with these extraordinary challenges. The Singapore government also recognised that our laws needed to be updated to adequately deal with these new situations. The Singapore Armed Forces Act was amended in 2007 to provide the SAF with carefully calibrated legal powers to conduct security operations in support of civilian authorities. Such powers include the right to intercept, stop, search and detain, seize and apply force against hostile aircraft, vessels and persons. The amendments to the SAF Act have empowered not only the SOTF but the SAF as a whole with a broader mandate to conduct homeland security operations, when required, in conjunction with other law enforcement agencies.

The transnational nature of contemporary security threats coupled with the challenge to redefine the role and place of Special Forces in our militaries underscore the importance of facilitating exchanges among the Special Forces community. It is therefore timely that we are gathered here today to discuss the roles and challenges of Special Forces amidst the changing security landscape.

Conferences such as this, building upon the Regional Special Forces Counter-Terrorism Conferences in 2004 and 2005, provide the opportunity to learn from one another's experiences, generate fresh perspectives to overcome challenges, and devise counter-measures to multi-dimensional threats. We will never know when we may be called upon to work with each other to safeguard our common interests and each other's citizens. This morning, I am heartened to note the excellent turnout of the Special Forces fraternity from 16 countries around the world, as well as ASEAN Army Chiefs who are in Singapore for the 10th ASEAN Chiefs of Army Multilateral Meeting. Your presence is a reflection of our shared concerns and your countries' commitment to work together to combat the security challenges that threaten global stability and peace in the 21st century. I wish all of you a rewarding week ahead. Thank you.