Speech by Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen at the 7th Singapore International Symposium on Protection Against Toxic Substances (SISPAT) / 3rd International CBRE Operations Conference (ICOC) Opening Ceremony

Distinguished guests,

Organising committee,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good Morning.

First, let me extend a hearty welcome to all of you, especially to our foreign guests. Welcome to the 7^th Singapore International Symposium on Protection against Toxic Substances, or SISPAT; and the 3^rd International CBRE Operations Conference, or ICOC in short. Jointly organised by DSO National Laboratories and the Singapore Armed Forces’ (SAF) CBRE Defence Group, SISPAT and ICOC allow us to tap into the knowledge and expertise of the international community of researchers, scientists, engineers and military practitioners from around the world, which helps Singapore to benchmark its own capabilities in protecting against chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive threats - or what we call CBRNE threats.

CBRNE Threats: Real, Ever-present and Evolving

They say that a picture paints a thousand words and I think within the last decade or so, for each of us, in fact for all us, it is easy to recall visual images for each of the CBRNE threats. Few can forget the repeated images of the Twin Towers collapsing after they were struck by commercial jets on 9/11. I am sure each of you would have your own story of friends who SMS-ed you on the incident or when you saw the news on television. This is something different, something catastrophic, and the images being broadcasted globally created awareness of the ever-present danger of terrorist threats. The 2002 Bali bombings and the London 7/7 bus and train bombings vividly portrayed the severe damage home-made bombs could inflict in confined spaces. For chemical threats, many will remember images of hapless and distraught train passengers after the SARIN gas attacks in Japan and of gas mask drills by ordinary Israeli civilians in the event of an attack from Iraq. In recent times, the meltdown of nuclear reactors at Fukushima and the aftermath of such radiological and nuclear fallouts remain indelibly etched in our minds. Although Fukushima is more than 4,000 kilometres away from most ASEAN countries, residents in ASEAN asked if they were at risk. Even in Singapore, I remembered the time I went to a Japanese restaurant and it had a Geiger counter so that you could ensure that the food being served was not radiologically contaminated. It was a good entrepreneurial idea which allowed business to continue. For Singaporeans, SARS had devastating effects in 2003 and for those who lived through those effects, we will not forget it. Back then, I had happened to just come into politics for a few years and my previous profession was a surgeon. We formed the SARS combat team, and called it the political team because even though the SARS virus on a relative scale was not the most infectious or virulent virus, the psychological terror it created had disrupted lives and our economy. Tourists stopped coming as people sought to stay away from one another and the economy slumped. More than 20 countries were affected in the region so we had to restore confidence and decided that we needed to deal with the crisis. We passed the infectious quarantine law through Parliament so that we could quarantine people at home. We went to the hospitals as part of the SARS combat team to explain to them that they had to change their modus operandi. I give you one example. Prior to SARS, our hospitals were operating on an efficiency-driven and seamless model. In fact, larger hospitals in Singapore had a transportation system, equivalent to a small mass rapid transport that carried blood and residues around the hospitals seamlessly. These were really expressways for the SARS virus to travel and so we had to shut down and create barriers as well as change the paradigm so that we could reduce the risks.

I think members of the public require very little reminders on the real and present danger on each of the CBRNE threats, especially in this interconnected world. These threats transcend national boundaries and can have a global impact. These threats present a dynamic and continuous challenge, evolving in response to counter-measures put up by security agencies. The two "underwear bomber" plots uncovered in 2009 and 2012 were foiled, thankfully, but security experts found that the IED had a sophisticated detonation system that had eluded the tight airport security and detection systems. In February this year, three similar terror attacks used magnetic Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) to hit targets in Georgia, India and Thailand over a span of two days. While geographically dispersed, the timing, circumstances and techniques used suggest that these attacks could have been coordinated.

It is clear to us, especially amongst you, that CBRNE threats represent a constant dynamic challenge that brings about devastating consequences once our defences are breached. So we are gathered to ask a simple question: How do we reduce the risks of such threats? Total protection is not feasible as threats from natural disasters are often unforeseen and the intent of terrorists is often to maim or kill in crowded public places. As such, intelligence and technological advances are key assets in our fight against CBRNE threats. Therefore in that context, I think it is timely that this year’s SISPAT/ICOC is held to allow experts to share their experiences and display new advances that can be added to our armamentarium.

Strengthening Singapore’s CBRNE Defence through Collaboration

Given the complex and cross-border nature of CBRNE threats, no single agency or country has the capability or capacity to deal with such threats on its own. Instead, we need to share knowledge and best practices. This intent is aptly reflected in the theme for this year’s SISPAT and ICOC: "Addressing Evolving CBRNE Threats through Collaborative Approaches".

As a small country, Singapore needs to collaborate and work closely with others. DSO has research collaborations with the US, UK, Sweden, France, Germany and Australia. Through these partnerships, DSO has expanded its capabilities. For example, with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in biomedical sample analysis and with the Institute of Transuranium Elements, FOI Sweden and France’s Direction Générale de l'Armement to enhance forensic capabilities for radio-nuclear materials and biological agents.

DSO also leverages on our local research institutions. Recently, a combined team from the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School and the Biodefence Programme in DSO discovered a human antibody that can neutralise and kill the dengue virus much faster than existing anti-dengue compounds. Following this success, the team is moving on to find antibodies for other dengue serotypes.

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) also works closely with other armed forces on CBRNE defence. This Thursday, the SAF and the US Army Pacific will demonstrate their joint capabilities and showcase the interoperability between the two armies in a CBRNE scenario. The SAF also participates in multilateral exercises such as Exercise Pacific Shield, under the ambit of the Proliferation Security Initiative, to develop joint interdiction capabilities against Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs).

Another critical area of collaboration in CBRNE defence is closer integration of operations and the use of technology, or so called Ops-Tech integration. Prior to this, I asked the organiser who the key targeted groups are, and the chairman said that there were two - the academics and the CBRE practitioners. I am happy that we have two communities, one giving the intelligential basis and the understanding of philosophy while the other trying to integrate it together with operational challenges. Relevant agencies in Singapore now routinely use CBRE robots, Unmanned Surface Vessels and mini-UAVs for real operations. We are also developing the Mobile Lab System - a joint experimental project by the SAF’s CBRE Defence Group, DSO and DSTA - that will allow for quick laboratory analyses of chemical and biological samples.

Finally, to prevent gaps from being exploited, all countries must deal with CBRNE threats through a Whole-of-Government approach. Singapore has a ministerial-level Security Policy Review Committee chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister to oversee national security policy formulation across all government agencies. Let me give you an example. Following the London 7/7 bombing, the committee sent a team to London to conduct a real-time study on information as well as transportation management. We came back with the conclusion that we had to harden our transport hubs. Nobody would disagree with good concepts but we just had to get the commercial side as well as various agencies together to decide their roles and how much needed to be done. Thankfully, we were able to do it in fairly good time and this Security Policy Review Committee, which cuts across agencies, allowed us to actualise the changes much faster. At the operational level, the SAF works closely with the Ministry of Home Affairs to conduct security operations against non-conventional threats, including CBRNE threats, for major events such as the inaugural Youth Olympic Games 2010, the annual Shangri-La Dialogue and even for events like the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix. Such collaboration ensures that agencies work in concert with one another, and that our efforts and resources at the national level are optimised against the evolving CBRNE threats.

Conclusion

The organisation of SISPAT-ICOC demonstrates Singapore’s commitment to work with the international community in the fight against CBRNE threats. The gathering together here of eminent minds in the field, as well as seasoned professionals with years of operational experience, highlights our collective commitment to ensure our security against CBRNE threats.

I am confident that, as with previous symposiums, the discussions that will take place over the next few days will be of the highest calibre.

I wish all of you a fruitful symposium and a very pleasant stay in Singapore. It now gives me great pleasure to officially open the 7^th SISPAT/3^rdICOC Symposium. Thank you.

More Resources

A Global Gathering of Scientists and Operational Practitioners on Defence Against CBRNE Threats - Addressing Evolving CBRNE Threats through Collaborative Approaches