Security Impacts of Globalisation

Question 1

What are the security impacts of Globalisation?

Answer 1

• Transnational Terrorism
• In 2001, 6 Singaporean Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) members were arrested for planning terrorist attacks on Yishun MRT and several embassies in Singapore. JI is a Southeast Asian Islamist militant group with ties to Al-Qaeda and ISIS. Members are usually radicalized as such organizations position the attack as launching a “holy war” against the world.
• Cyber Threats
• In 2016, the personal info of 1.5 million Singaporeans, including then Prime Minister Lee and a few other ministers were stolen. This included information such as their outpatient prescription, addresses and IC numbers.

Question 2

How can we combat cyberthreats in society?

Answer 2

Vigilance by individuals
* Individuals are also urged to practice vigilance. This includes referring to websites such as scamalert.sg that allow citizens to install security features, be reminded on scam signs and also a Telegram broadcast group that allows them to be updated with the latest scam tactics.
Security Measures by Governments
* Governments can also set up dedicated agencies with expertise and resources needed to investigate and handle cyber threats. For example, the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) also includes outreach programmes such as the The Go Safe Online Pop-up which consists of information panels and a bult-in motion sensor game designed to educate Singaporeans about cyber tips. This is installed in schools, libraries and community spaces.
Cooperation among countries
* In 2018, officers from Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong took part in a joint operation to crack down on a criminal organization involved in almost $820 million worth of internet love scams. The joint operation used a system to share information on the criminals and their activities, allowing the authorities to close in on them.

Question 3

How can we combat transnational terrorism in society?

Answer 3

• Vigilance by Individuals
• After the September 11 attacks in 2001, an informant told the Internal Security Department about Khan, a Singaporean citizen of Pakistani descent who had made claims of having ties with Al-Qaeda. This information allowed authorities to capture Khan and foil his planned attacks on Yishun MRT and embassies.
• Security Measures by Governments
• Governments around the world have taken border-management measures to proactively prevent terrorist attacks from occurring. For example, the use of biometrics to verify identity allow authorities to ascertainthe identity of individuals at land, sea or air checkpoints. This includes facial features, fingerprints and iris patterns as adopted in Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest airport for international travel. This prevents suspicious persons from penetrating borders.
• Cooperation among countries
• ASEAN countries cooperate to strengthen regional counter-terrorism measures. For example, at the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting in 2018, defence ministers officially adopted the “Our Eyes” Initiative to enhance strategic information sharing on terrorism and radicalism so that countries can respond swiftly during terrorist incidents.