Singapore (VNA) - TheGovernment of Singapore will reinforce defence and domestic security and workclosely with citizens and neighbouring nations to cope with new threats.

This was one of theimportant addenda noted by several ministries to Singaporean President HalimahYacob’s Address on May 8.

Accordingly, the Ministry ofDefence will developnew fighting concepts, and leverage on technological advancements such as theuse of the Aerostat surveillance systems, which can scan Singapore’s seas andskies for threats, high-tech warships like the Littoral Mission Vessels, amongothers.

It will strengthen cyber defence by training and usingqualified full-time national servicemen (NSF), as well as build a capable cyberdefence force through partnerships with local Institutes of Higher Learning.

The Ministry of Defence will also work with neighbouring nationsand regional partners to enhance regional stability and address common securitychallenges.

The Ministry of Home Affairswill set up a NewHome Team Operations Centre which will use new technologies and harness datafor swift response to incidents.

The ministry will push for digital transformation and useof robotics, such as the use of exo-skeletons by the Singapore Civil DefenceForce, biometric solutions by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, amongothers.

It will introduce new legislation to allow lawenforcements agencies to deal with security threats more effectively. Thereview of the Penal Code will be completed to enhance protection for vulnerablepersons.

The Ministry of Home Affairs will build on communitynetworks, such as prioritising SGSecure and ensuring that various sectors ofthe community are prepared for emergencies.

The National SecurityCoordination Secretariat under the Prime Minister’s Office will work with a wide range ofexperts, including academia, to enhance the government’s ability to identifyemergent risks to national security.

It will identify risks that cut across different networksand domains, and factor these into the Government’s long-term planning, and conductnational security education programmes to keep public officers up to date withthe changing security environment.

Meanwhile, Singapore will pursue a foreign policy that emphasises the importanceof ASEAN’s unity and centrality through initiatives such as the ASEAN SmartCities Network.

The country will deepen engagement with regional and keypowers such as China and the United States, and maintain relations withimmediate neighbours such as Malaysia and Indonesia through connectivity oreconomic projects.

It will also continue to promote free trade and regional economicintegration, such as pushing for progress on the Regional ComprehensiveEconomic Partnership (RCEP).-VNA