Managing terrorism in Singapore

An prime example of terrorism being mitigated through efforts at a national level is Singapore. For example, the community engagement program launched by PM Lee on 9 February 2006 is a long term effort to ensure that Singaporeans are better equipped to maintain social cohesion and harmony, should a crisis happen in Singapore. It aims to bring Singaporeans from different communities together to strengthen inter-communal bonds.

To counter terrorism, governments also need to work to implement frameworks for dealing with terrorist attacks. Apart from such plans mentioned above, the government also needs to develop emergency response plans to terrorist attacks, and conduct exercises to maintain public vigilance, such as exercise Northstar 

(Click link to find out more about exercise Northstar: http://news.xin.msn.com/en/singapore/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5581084)

conducted by the government to stimulate a terrorist attack. Only when the government is adequately prepared to provide the leadership to proactively prevent terrorist attack and respond quickly in crisis can terrorism be mitigated. Another initiative to maintain public vigilance is through reminding the public to be alert at all times through the media. The broadcasting of a clip at all MRT stations showing the bombing of Singapore's MRT and measures the public can take to avoid it is one key example.

Through efforts at a national level, the Singapore government has rather successfully managed terrorism in Singapore.