UNCERTAIN GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT
During the interview, Mr Wong was also asked if the role of organisations such as the Home Team has changed amid a different global climate and the threat of radicalisations.
“We are now in a more troubled, a more uncertain, a more volatile environment globally. The importance of security and safety for Singapore is something we cannot take for granted,” he said, adding that the government will continue to invest in its capabilities to maintain a high level of trust and confidence in its safety and security forces.
The visit to the police centre and fire station was a chance for him to familiarise himself with what the Home Team is doing.
“But importantly, to say to all our Home Team officers, thank you for your service, thank you for your sacrifice, your courage and your commitment to serve,” he added.
During the visit, Mr Wong was briefed on some of the latest training and operational capabilities of the Home Team, such as the police’s handheld jammer guns to counter drones, and the new fast response car with advanced features such as automated number plate recognition.
SCDF also demonstrated its “smart classroom” with Virtual Reality and Extended Reality training systems, and the electric pump ladder, dubbed as Southeast Asia’s first fully electric firefighting vehicle.
Several of the latest technologies are a result of collaborations with HTX (Home Team Science and Technology Agency). But not all technology needs to be homegrown, Mr Wong said.
“We, of course, want to nurture and groom and get some of that anchored within Singapore, but we also learn from the best and in so many different places,” he added.
There may also be more technology-enabled crimes including threats from unmanned vehicles and unmanned autonomous vehicles.
“With all these new threats that continue to emerge, our own capabilities have to improve, and we are always focused on harnessing the best technologies to make sure that we have an effective Home Team,” the prime minister said.
