"Mr Zaqy Mohammad talked about "hybrid warfare" that is ongoing. Indeed, it is the antithesis of Total Defence. And if you think about it, I think that generation was prescient and very clever in launching Total Defence - this was more than 30 years ago - because Hybrid Warfare is an orchestrated campaign to weaken and fracture the solidarity of a target nation. And this is no laughing matter, because it is actually in practice. So according to this doctrine, the aggressor targets a specific country or countries, and undertakes a long-term campaign to undermine the civil, economic, social, psychological, and military defences - that is the equivalent of our Total Defence."
Read More"The threats and challenges we face since Total Defence was introduced 32 years ago have evolved, but the message to respond as one people remains equally, if not more, important today."
Read More"We need to ensure that our defences are strong on all fronts -- military, civil, economic, social, and psychological. Our security agencies will do all they can to keep the threats at bay, but it will not be enough. The ISIS-brand of terrorism is, at its core, a battle for hearts and minds. As I mentioned on Total Defence Day a few weeks ago, this makes it even more critical for us to strengthen our social and psychological defences, to prevent our fault lines from being easily exploited for extremist agendas."
Read More"Speaking at the event, SMS Ong commended the students for their creativity and tenacity in producing the animation clips, and said that N.E.mation! is an excellent example of how youths can make Total Defence come alive through creative ways. He highlighted that past generations have played an important role in building a safe and secure nation in the last 50 years, and encouraged students to take ownership of Singapore's future."
Read More"But, in our confidence and optimism for the future, we must not let our guard down. In particular, I believe we need to work hard to further strengthen our social and psychological defences. The enemy is more sophisticated. The battle is no longer traditional. The real battle of today and of the future is for the hearts and minds of our people."
Read More"Senior Minister of State for Defence, Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, officiated at the Total Defence Day Commemoration Event this afternoon at 'The Future of Us' exhibition, where he launched the Total Defence 2016 Campaign, themed "Together We Keep Singapore Strong", and toured the Total Defence 2016 Exhiabition."
Read MoreThese [WWII] stories left a deep impression on me. It was an impact for life. They made me realise the importance of Total Defence to keep Singapore safe…Singapore is safe today, but we cannot take peace for granted.
Read MoreMs Low Yeng Ling, Dr Fatimah Lateef and Mr Amrin Amin asked how we can respond to new hybrid threats. Now in its 33rd year, Total Defence remains our best defence and response. The avenue of threats is new – social media, the internet and electronic devices, but the threats are the same – distortions and falsehoods. And they target the same vulnerabilities – our differences in race, religion and background. This is why the five pillars and core message of every Singaporean standing together, playing our part to protect Singapore and our shared way of life continue to be relevant.
Read More"Singapore is safe today, but we cannot take peace for granted. We face different challenges today in a rapidly-changing and globalised environment. You would have read media reports on terrorism and the new threats we face. If we are ill-prepared, we will be vulnerable. This is why the concept of Total Defence remains relevant for all of us today."
Read More[Second Minster for Defence Mr Ong Ye Kung] said, “The painful lessons learnt from Singapore’s fall is why National Service (NS) was introduced 50 years ago. Everyone needs to play a part in Total Defence. This includes supporting NS and our National Servicemen. And by staying united, Singapore will be able to overcome all challenges and threats to our society.
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