*I remember posting this entry yesterday. However, Jason told me that it was not on this blog. I checked again this evening and I found that I mistakenly posted my entry on another blog of mine...sorry for the delay^_^
article title: Don't take our role in national security for granted
source from : http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_483955.html
author: Yeo Jin Pheng
date of article: Jan 31, 2010
I WAS shopping at Ikea in Alexandra on Thursday night when I noticed an overstuffed laptop-size bag on the first floor. I asked shoppers nearby if the bag belonged to anyone, but received only negative responses and bewildered looks.
Being security-conscious, I took this as a potential bomb threat and hastily alerted an Ikea employee who was manning that section of the store, informing her that there was an unattended bulky bag lying nearby, and led her to it.
I expected her to contact a member of the security staff who should be well drilled to handle such situations. To my surprise, she simply walked to the bag, picked it up nonchalantly, and headed towards the 'lost and found' section.
I do not know if her behaviour or the lack of action from other shoppers nearby is indicative of the attitude of most Singaporeans towards potential hazards and bomb threats. If so, it is worrying that Singaporeans take national security for granted.
I do not believe we need a wake-up call in terms of a terrorism-related disaster in a neighbouring country or even our own before we change our attitude towards national security.
My response
I REFER to the recent letter by Yeo Jin Pheng about Singaporeans’ attitudes towards national security (Don't take our role in national security for granted).
I cannot agree more with his point of view. Singapore enjoys a good reputation of national safety, with an extremely low crime rate. However, as mentioned in the ubiquitous advertisement, “LOW crime does not mean NO crime”, people living in Singapore should always keep alert about the hidden dangers. If we act like an ostrich which buries one’s head into the earth and refuses to face the reality, gradually we will lose the sense of vigilance.
Tired of listening to those “suspicious looking person or article” security reminds in MRT, Singaporeans are inclined to ignore the potential threats. Habitually, people in Singapore are taking security for granted. When it came to a lost luggage in the shop, passer-by would rather leave it alone than report it to security guard. Even if it was reported, the luggage was simply treated as something common without any check. In the letter, Mr Yeo called for our attention to prevent the lack of social vigilance, which indirectly gives rise to terrorism mishap. As I see it, it is of vital importance to raise Singaporeans’ awareness concerning public safety.
Stay alert so as to stay safe.
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The Comment from Irene:
ReplyDeleteI have met such situation described in the forum several times in Singapore. But I do not agree with Yeo Jin Pheng and Vera completely. I do not think it as serious as what they said. I acknowledge that the staff in IKEA was not careful enough. But as a assistant in IKEA, the person Yeo Jin Pheng alerted must have many experiences like this. I believe she knew how to deal with it accroding to her experience. Of course, it was much better for her to check it if it did not violate others' privacy. And though people can never be too careful in concerning public safety, it does not mean that we should terrorize the public all the time. I do not think Thursday night in IKEA is a proper time for terrorism and overstuffed bag is too obvious to hold a bomb. From my point of view, the government and the citizens of Singapore have done well in public safety. In addition, the happening that the auther met in IKEA last Thursday is not convinced to represent most Singaporeans' attitude towords potential threats and national security.
I quite agree with Yeo Jin Pheng and Vera's opinion on the security stuff. I believe that it is everyone's duty to keep alert to prevent tragedy happens. Although we are very tired of the words and videos on the MRT stations, we should keep these stuff in mind in order to protect ourselves. I also remember the sentence that Vera mentioned in her reflection. "LOW crime does not mean NO crime." I think people may trust their country too much that they become inconcious about the protential of the crime. To be responsible citizen, people must show their alert and attention about the security around them.
ReplyDelete-----------------By Tonia Liu from W.I.T.
I agree with the ideas of the auther Yeo Jin Pheng. There are many reasons. First of all, people should be alert to uspicious looking person or article. Because when people are alerted, the terrorism will be afraid to do something bad. Second, being alert to things around you is actually being good and responsible for you. "Low crime does not mean no crime" is a slogan with is familiar to many people, especially Singaporeans. These words strongly illustrate the situation now. If we donot give the bad guys any chances, our life will be safe.
ReplyDeleteBob Ma Xiao