PM Lee Hsien Loong at the ISD 75th Anniversary Gala Dinner

I am delighted to join you tonight to celebrate ISD’s Diamond Jubilee. For three quarters of a century, ISD has worked quietly and vigilantly in the background to keep Singapore safe and secure. Tonight’s celebration is an opportunity for us to reflect on ISD’s journey, and recognise the good work of many ISD officers over all these decades.

Role of ISD

Sometimes people think that nation building is all sweetness and light. That all it takes is to have leaders to have great ideas, to inspire people to unite behind a common cause, and if we all work hard, we will progress and prosper. Of course, all of that is necessary but it is not quite enough.

Real life is more complicated. Societies have to defend themselves against all sorts of dangers. We would be gullible to think that everyone wishes us well. From abroad, we can be targeted by foreign influence operations and covert activities. On the domestic front, vulnerabilities and fault lines need to be managed. While we must not be paranoid and see shadows behind every corner, neither should we be naïve about the real threats to an open and stable society. It is therefore critical for the government to stay well informed about such threats, and be equipped to deal with them.

That is why the British colonial government established the Singapore Special Branch 75 years ago, after the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) launched an armed uprising to establish a Communist state. During the Malayan Emergency, the Special Branch, as the domestic intelligence agency, played a central role in tackling the Communist threat. After Separation from Malaysia, the Special Branch was renamed the Internal Security Department (ISD) in 1966. The fight against Communism finally ended in 1989, with the signing of the Peace Agreements by the CPM amidst the decline of communism worldwide.

Commenting on the battle against the CPM, Dr Goh Keng Swee said that: “the first and most important of the prerequisites to success is, I regret to say, an efficient secret police, or ‘Special Branch’, to use the delicate British colonial term for it.” Dr Goh said this in the context of defeating a Communist insurgency. But the need for an “efficient secret police”, as Dr Goh called it, extends beyond this specific context. In the post-Communist era, the nations face a whole host of other dangers.

Most countries have specialised intelligence agencies focussed on their own domestic situations. The FBI in the US, the MI5 in Britain, the Shin Bet in Israel, or the Malaysian Special Branch, just to name a few. The ISD is our counterpart to these foreign agencies, equally and indeed even more essential to us. Because Singapore is more vulnerable than most other countries. As a diverse multiracial and multi-religious nation, our inherent fault lines will always exist. And being such an open and interconnected society, our people are susceptible to many external influences.

During the Malayan Emergency, the Communist threat to Singapore was inextricably linked to the insurgency being fought in Malaya – the same Communist Party of Malaya operated on both sides of the Causeway. And looming large behind them were the communist giants, in particular China, which provided the CPM with support and ideological motivation.

Today, we continue to be affected by trends in the region and beyond.

We follow developments in the Middle East, including the ongoing social reforms in Saudi Arabia and the war between Israel and Hamas, to understand their impact on populations in Southeast Asia, and on our own population.

Our terrorism threat also does not arise domestically, but springs from the broader security situation in the region. The Jemaah Islamiyah group originated in Indonesia, and spawned cells in Malaysia and the Philippines as well as Singapore. ISIS operated in Syria and Iraq, but it inspired some Singaporeans to self-radicalise. From Western countries, we are exposed to political and academic discourse that reflects their social problems and divisions. Ideas like White privilege and structural racism, and the rhetoric of intersectionality and social justice, and identity politics, can easily and uncritically find their way into our public debate, and lead us astray. These are external influences that we should already be tracking. But because they can also be attack vectors exploited by parties who mean us harm, therefore all the more they demand our close attention.

That is why it is vital to have a capable and vigilant ISD to protect ourselves.

Tonight, let me talk about three security issues that preoccupy us – the threat of terrorism, the dangers posed by foreign influence operations, and our own domestic vulnerabilities.

Terrorism

The first major threat is terrorism. This has been high on ISD’s priorities, especially the threat from Islamist terrorist groups. Around the time of the 9/11 attacks in 2001, we discovered the Al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah group in Singapore. It had identified multiple targets and developed detailed plans to conduct a major attack here. A decade plus later, ISIS, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, rose to prominence. Some Singaporeans were radicalised by their ideology, and a few even travelled to Syria to participate in armed jihad.

It has been 22 years since 9/11. The threat from transnational Islamist terrorist groups has evolved but remains persistent. Dangerous groups continue to operate in our neighbourhood, including in Indonesia, Philippines, and other parts of Southeast Asia. They have adopted new strategies for recruitment and fund-raising, and developed novel tactics for their attack operations. Additionally, lone wolf and small group attacks, using easily available weapons, have become a more frequent modus operandi. Such misguided individuals do not need a well-defined structure for indoctrination, training, or command and control. All they need is an internet connection to call them into action, and turn them into a danger to others.

At the same time, new forms of extremist ideologies are emerging, such as far-right extremism. In late 2020, Singapore dealt with its first far-right radicalisation case – a 16-year old youth who was inspired by the Christchurch attacker, and planned to attack Muslims at two local mosques in Singapore.

We take this danger seriously, because a single act of terror could tear apart the racial and religious harmony and trust that we have painstakingly built over the decades. We have seen this happen too often in other countries. This is where ISD comes in – to make sure our people do not get captured by some extreme ideology, or caught up in quarrels which are not ours, to sow chaos within our own community.

ISD’s vigilance has repeatedly pre-empted and disrupted terrorist plots against us. We arrested the Jemaah Islamiyah group before they could carry out their planned attacks. ISD has also detected and dealt with many self-radicalised individuals, and prevented them from doing any harm.

In fact, ISD not only countered these threats, but also managed to turn around most of those who were led astray. ISD’s partnership with the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG) and the Inter-Agency Aftercare Group (ACG) has been crucial to the rehabilitation of many radicalised individuals. Since 2002, 137 Singaporeans have been issued with ISA orders, nearly 90% have made good progress in rehabilitation and have been successfully reintegrated into society.

Foreign Influence and Espionage

A second threat is foreign influence and espionage. I spoke about this during my National Day Rally last year, though necessarily in circumspect terms. This is not about war or physical attacks – the SAF exists to deal with that. We are talking about more insidious threats that lurk in the shadows. ISD’s job is to look out for them. ISD deals with foreign actors who seek to subvert us, mount influence operations to manipulate us, or conduct espionage to compromise our most precious secrets.

We do not talk about these covert activities much, for good reasons, but there is no shortage of such threats in the world. We have to guard against the actions of countries that are at odds with us.

Such things happen to Singapore too.

ISD officers would be familiar with the 2017 case of the professor from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

Espionage operations have also become increasingly sophisticated, moving into the cyber realm.

By sharing these cases publicly, we hope to make Singaporeans understand better that the world is not as benign as it seems, and that we are not making up these threats just to frighten people.

We have to remain vigilant against such influence and espionage operations. Our adversaries are well-resourced and determined. ISD is our first line of defence, and must be equally capable and shrewd when deciding how best to deal with these threats. Do we intervene immediately to put a stop to it, and prevent further harm being done? Or do we sit tight, watch, and suss out the network, before making our move? And when we act, how do we manage the potential fallout on the broader bilateral relationship?

Making these choices requires patience, subtlety, and good judgment. Ultimately the political leadership must make the calls, but they do so well-advised by ISD, with its depth of experience in the field. So we are grateful for the good work of ISD and its whole-of-government partners. Your efforts put us in a much better position to counter such foreign influence and espionage operations.

Domestic Vulnerabilities

The third major preoccupation is with our own domestic scene. As I said earlier, our society will always have inherent faultlines, because of the diversity of races and religions in our population. Since independence, we have come a long way in building trust between different communities. But it would be unwise of us to imagine that differences in perspectives and attitudes have entirely disappeared.

Just look at Singaporeans’ reactions to recent developments. On the US-China tensions, Chinese Singaporeans, especially the older ones, tend to have different views compared to other Singaporeans. Every time conflict and violence flare up in the Middle East, passions get roused up in Southeast Asia, and to some extent in Singapore too. The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict is an especially emotive issue for Muslim Singaporeans, who empathise strongly with the plight of the Palestinian population, just like Muslim communities worldwide. And on the other side, certain segments of our Jewish and Christian communities get worked up too.

All these differences are a reality that we must recognise and accept. They remind us to continue watching racial and religious relations carefully because misunderstandings and frictions can still arise, and cause serious problems if not properly handled. Just look at what happens each time some isolated racial or religious incident goes viral and causes a national furore.

Besides race and religion, we also have to watch out for emerging social divisions. For example, simmering tensions between citizens and non-Singaporeans living and working here. And sharpening polarisation as various groups champion different causes, adopting strident advocacy and pressure group tactics learnt from elsewhere, dividing people for and against their cause.

This is where ISD plays a crucial role behind-the-scenes, providing timely information and insightful assessments to the Government, beyond what is in the public domain or on social media.

You are our eyes and ears on the ground, keeping in touch with all these various groups. You watch the trends vigilantly, and when problems threaten to grow serious, nip them in the bud before they can get out of hand. Your informed advice enables the Government to take action or adjust policies to address these concerns. In essence, you protect the public space for the proper and successful functioning of Singapore’s democratic process.

Transforming ISD for the Future

To do all this well, we need a strong and effective ISD. I am happy that Director and his management team are undertaking a major effort of organisational transformation, to reinvent how you work, to reimagine your workplace, and to reinvigorate your workforce. These efforts will ensure that ISD has what it needs to continue to prosecute its mission effectively: Up-to-date capabilities that keep ISD a few steps ahead of the threats, amidst a constantly evolving environment. Good facilities and offices that enable ISD officers to work and train in a conducive workplace. An attractive career proposition that develops your officers well, and keeps them committed and motivated. An important element of this organisational transformation is changing mindsets.

ISD is no longer just operating in the deep shadows. It is also now coming out to the half-shadows, telling the story of ISD’s contributions in a museum display, using the ISD name proudly in job fairs, attracting interest and enquiries, and getting a new generation of bright, idealistic and public-spirited young people to join the team. These are all forward-looking moves that will help ISD to be the first-class intelligence agency that Singapore needs, for a long time to come.

#OneISD – Stories of ISD Officers

Finally, let me say something about your strongest and most important asset – your people. ISD officers are a special breed. You have a strong sense of mission. You embody the organisation’s core values of courage, loyalty to the nation, integrity, and self-sacrifice. You work quietly, often in very difficult circumstances, without expecting visible recognition, and without even being able to share what you do with your loved ones.

I make it a point to visit ISD regularly. Each time, I learn a bit more about what you do from the formal briefings you give me and I always look forward to meeting the officers at the informal gatherings after that. These sessions give me a strong sense of the camaraderie and pride that you have in your service.

Many stories of how ISD officers have gone above and beyond the call of duty to fulfil their mission will never be known outside a tiny, select group. But once in a while, at occasions like this, I think we can pull the curtains aside just a little, to recognise your good work. Tonight, I would like to name two officers, and say a little about what they have done.

First, Saraj Din – a pioneer ISD officer. During the Laju Hijack in 1974, he answered the call for volunteers, and was among a team of government officials including five ISD officers who escorted the hijackers on the flight to Kuwait. His courage and sense of duty prevailed despite the uncertainties in that fraught situation. He was also a member of the Police team that negotiated with the hijackers of SQ117 in 1991. His knowledge of Urdu proved crucial in ending the hostage taking. When he spoke in Urdu, all four Pakistani hijackers ran to the cockpit, thinking that their demands were being met. This gave the SAF commandos the opportunity to storm the plane and neutralise the threat.

The second officer is “Tiger Lily”. She was one of the few female Operations officers when she joined ISD in the 1980s. She was instrumental in the investigations into the Singapore Jemaah Islamiyah network. She developed relationships with the JI Muslimah – wives of JI members – which her male colleagues could not possibly have done. “Tiger Lily” also managed to get the wives to persuade their husbands to come clean on their JI involvement and cooperate with ISD investigations. This was risky business, sometimes dangerous, but driven by courage and a strong sense of purpose, she persevered and succeeded. Saraj and “Tiger Lily” are just two out of many dedicated and outstanding ISD officers.

There are many more of you out there doing good work behind the scenes. Please know that you are all our silent heroes.

Conclusion

It is not by chance that Singapore has succeeded in mitigating and neutralising security threats to domestic security and sovereignty all this while. From its Post-WWII roots till today, ISD has been the steady force at our frontlines. It has been neither shaken, nor stirred. Often staying away from the limelight, but ever present and ready to respond. Driven by your mission of Keeping Singapore Safe and Sovereign for All Singaporeans. We all sleep easier at night, knowing that ISD is there, keeping a watchful eye on things which can go bump in the night.

On behalf of all Singaporeans, I thank ISD and all your officers, past and present, for your tireless dedication to safeguarding Singapore.

Congratulations to ISD once again on 75 years of mission success!