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Straits Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Mindef to set up new volunteer management unit to grow volunteer pool
SINGAPORE – The Ministry of Defence will start a new volunteer management unit to better coordinate opportunities for civilians who can contribute to the nation's defence. This is part of an effort to broaden and strengthen the ministry's volunteer ecosystem. Announcing this at the annual Mindef volunteers' dinner on July 24, Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing said this comes as the ministry has to operate across an expanded spectrum of operational challenges today, with the difference between peace and war no longer as clear-cut. Remarking that the ministry now deals with 'many shades of grey' in between peace and war, he said it would thus need people with different skill sets to chime in across a range of operations, no matter their background or fitness level. In particular, the new unit would work with the various existing units within Mindef 'to make sure that we expand the opportunities for our people to contribute to the defence of this country', he said. 'The power of the SAF is not just about the men and women in uniform,' Mr Chan added. 'It is about how able we are to mobilise the whole of society to look at every aspect of our defence.' He also said the most powerful message that Singapore can tell any party with harmful intentions is this: 'When you deal with Singapore, you don't just deal with the SAF. You deal with the entire Singapore.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Live: People evacuated from border regions amid deadly Thailand-Cambodia clash Asia 11 Thai civilians killed as Thai and Cambodian militaries clash at disputed border: Reports Asia Deadly Thai-Cambodian dispute puts Asean's relevance on the line Singapore Singapore says prolonged suffering of civilians in Gaza is 'unconscionable' Singapore Khatib Camp to make way for housing, with its functions moving to Amoy Quee Camp Singapore First BTO flats in Greater Southern Waterfront, Mount Pleasant to go on sale in October Singapore Primary 1 registration: 29 schools to conduct ballot in Phase 2B Currently, volunteering opportunities with Mindef are largely limited to industry experts in areas such as training safety, medical advice, legal counsel, strategic communications, technology, sustainability and public outreach. They are routinely brought in to serve on 38 Mindef boards, committees and councils. More than 400 of them were honoured at the volunteers' dinner, held at Paradox Singapore Merchant Court Hotel. The dinner has been a yearly tradition since 1998 to thank volunteers for their contributions and support for Mindef and the Singapore Armed Forces. There were also non-expert volunteers in the midst, but they were few. They included Ms Gloria He, a 36-year-old senior strategic initiatives manager at fintech start-up StraitsX, who volunteers as a guide with the Defence Collective Singapore (DCS) under the Friends of the Singapore Discovery Centre (SDC) initiative. Ms Gloria He volunteers as a guide with the Defence Collective Singapore under the Friends of the Singapore Discovery Centre initiative. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO The SDC is one of the three museums managed by DCS, a Mindef-related organisation with a mission to champion Singapore's defence story through immersive galleries and engaging experiences. Mindef said the current volunteers' contributions have allowed the ministry to stay updated on industry best practices and organisational processes. The volunteers also serve as a link between Mindef and the public by promoting public awareness on defence and inspiring support for national service, it said. Present at the dinner was Associate Professor Mark Leong, a 64-year-old doctor who has served as chairman of the SAF Emergency Medicine Specialist Advisory Board since 2017. The board was convened to help shape a professional and responsive SAF medical ecosystem. Associate Professor Mark Leong has served as chairman of the SAF Emergency Medicine Specialist Advisory Board since 2017. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO Prof Leong, a senior consultant for emergency medicine at the Singapore General Hospital, said he found the volunteering work meaningful as the plans he is roped in to provide his professional opinion on are 'real, solid developments – not just drawer plans or good-to-have ideas'. One example is the SAF emergency ambulance service, which the SAF Medical Corps introduced in 2015 to allow the direct evacuation of serious casualties at training areas outside SAF camps to the nearest restructured hospital while they receive appropriate medical treatment en route. Prof Leong said the advisory board provided views during the conception phase on how the plan could be implemented and resourced, as well as how the SAF's paramedics could be trained to provide the service. These days, the Medical Corps taps the advisory board more for its views on forward-looking areas such as how to prevent injuries in soldiers, he said. The pool of Mindef volunteers is not necessarily all citizens. For one, Ms He, who helps with the SDC's Defence Through The Ages guided tour, is a Chinese national. She got involved in the work in late 2023, not long after she moved to Singapore three years ago for work. As a guide, Ms He shares stories of Singapore's defence history with various community groups, including beneficiaries like nursing homes. She said she sought the volunteering opportunity as she is interested in history, and used to volunteer with museums in other countries where she lived. This is her way of making a positive contribution to Singapore now that she lives here, she said, noting that she influenced her Canadian husband to start volunteering with DCS too. Foreigners like her do have a part to play, she stressed. 'It is good for the region that Singapore is stable, strong and sends a signal that it has the ability to defend itself. It is good for Asean, good for Asia and good for peace in general,' she said. 'We both work in business, so when there is peace, it is easy to grow business as well. It's kind of like a connected circle.'
Straits Times
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Singapore, Vietnam agree to step up defence ties, dialogue among leaders
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Vietnam's Minister of National Defence, General Phan Van Giang (on the red carpet, left), welcomes Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing in Hanoi on July 22. SINGAPORE - Singapore and Vietnam will strengthen their defence relationship and seek more regular dialogue between their leaders, Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing said on July 22. This is as both countries aim to achieve concrete outcomes from the upgrade of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) earlier in 2025, Mr Chan said at the conclusion of a visit to Hanoi. During his visit, Mr Chan had called on Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. The two leaders reaffirmed the warm and friendly bilateral relationship between Singapore and Vietnam, and discussed various initiatives under the CSP, said Mindef in a statement. Mr Chan, who is also Coordinating Minister for Public Services, said he and Mr Pham discussed several areas of potential cooperation, such as in renewable energy, data and finance, and leadership development. At the strategic level, more dialogue between leaders of both sides is important, given the turbulent global economic and security situation, he added. 'We talked about setting up more regular dialogues between the public services of both sides, and how we can use such occasions to talk about the emerging challenges that both of us face,' he said. In March 2025, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Communist Party of Vietnam General Secretary To Lam announced that Singapore and Vietnam had elevated bilateral ties to a wide-ranging CSP, with both sides committing to deepen cooperation in areas such as security, sustainability and the digital economy. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singaporeans aged 21 to 59 can claim $600 SG60 vouchers from July 22 Singapore Singaporeans continue to hold world's most powerful passport in latest ranking Singapore Woman evacuated from lift in Supreme Court building after falling glass triggers emergency halt Asia Malaysian aide's unresolved 2009 death tests govt's reform pledge despite DAP chief's apology Singapore Prosecution says judge who acquitted duo of bribing ex-LTA official had copied defence arguments Singapore Singapore not affected by haze despite smoke plumes in Sumatra: NEA Singapore Miscalculation of MOH subsidies and grants led to $7m in overpayments, $2m in shortfalls Singapore Ports and planes: The 2 Singapore firms helping to keep the world moving The CSP with Vietnam is Singapore's first with an Asean member state, reflecting both countries' shared commitment to expanding cooperation in areas of mutual benefit and which can create growth opportunities, said Mindef. Singapore's cooperation with Vietnam also supports regional initiatives like the Asean Digital Economy Framework Agreement and the Asean Power Grid, which will strengthen the economy and resilience of Singapore, Vietnam and Asean, the ministry added. On his trip, Mr Chan also met his counterpart, Minister of National Defence Phan Van Giang, and they exchanged views on geopolitical developments. Given that security challenges will increasingly be networked, Mr Chan said he and General Phan discussed ways for the two armed forces to work together to counter such threats. The two defence ministers also agreed to step up military-to-military interactions through high-level visits, bilateral dialogues, cross-attendance of courses, and professional exchanges. 'We will also continue to work together at the Asean Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM-Plus to uphold an open and inclusive regional security architecture,' said Mr Chan. Mr Chan was joined at the meetings by Minister of State for Defence Desmond Choo.
Express Tribune
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Singapore military called in to combat cyberattack
Units in Singapore's military have been called in to help combat a cyberattack against critical infrastructure, the country's defence minister said Saturday -- a hack attempt attributed to an espionage group experts have linked to China. Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing said these select units will work with the Cyber Security Agency (CSA) in a united government response to the threat, local media reported. Chan described the cyberattack as "one example of the emerging threats" that the military has to handle, the reports said. There have been no reported breaches so far. Coordinating Minister for National Security K. Shanmugam first disclosed the attack late Friday, describing it as a type of Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) that poses a serious danger to the city-state. An APT refers to a cyberattack in which an intruder establishes and maintains unauthorised access to a target, remaining undetected for a sustained period of time. "I can say that it is serious and it is ongoing. And it has been identified to be UNC3886," Shanmugam said, referring to the alleged attackers. Shanmugam, who is also home affairs minister, did not elaborate in his speech on the group's sponsors or the origin of the attack. But Google-owned cybersecurity firm Mandiant described UNC3886 as a "highly adept China-nexus cyber espionage group". APT actors typically steal sensitive information and disrupt essential services, such as healthcare, telecoms, water, transport and power, Shanmugam said. "If it succeeds, it can conduct espionage and it can cause major disruption to Singapore and Singaporeans," he added.
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Singapore military helps battle cyberattack: minister
Units in Singapore's military have been called in to help combat a cyberattack against critical infrastructure, the country's defence minister said Saturday -- a hack attempt attributed to an espionage group experts have linked to China. Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing said these select units will work with the Cyber Security Agency (CSA) in a united government response to the threat, local media reported. Chan described the cyberattack as "one example of the emerging threats" that the military has to handle, the reports said. There have been no reported breaches so far. Coordinating Minister for National Security K. Shanmugam first disclosed the attack late Friday, describing it as a type of Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) that poses a serious danger to the city-state. An APT refers to a cyberattack in which an intruder establishes and maintains unauthorised access to a target, remaining undetected for a sustained period of time. "I can say that it is serious and it is ongoing. And it has been identified to be UNC3886," Shanmugam said, referring to the alleged attackers. Shanmugam, who is also home affairs minister, did not elaborate in his speech on the group's sponsors or the origin of the attack. But Google-owned cybersecurity firm Mandiant described UNC3886 as a "highly adept China-nexus cyber espionage group". APT actors typically steal sensitive information and disrupt essential services, such as healthcare, telecoms, water, transport and power, Shanmugam said. "If it succeeds, it can conduct espionage and it can cause major disruption to Singapore and Singaporeans," he added. - 'Stealthy opponents' - A successful breach of Singapore's power system, for example, could wreak havoc with the electricity supply, with knock-on effects on essential services, such as healthcare and transport. "There are also economic implications. Our banks, airports and industries would not be able to operate. Our economy can be substantially affected," Shanmugam said. Between 2021 and 2024, suspected APTs against Singapore increased more than fourfold. A cyber breach of a public healthcare cluster in 2018 accessed the medication records of about 160,000 patients, including then prime minister Lee Hsien Loong. Beijing's embassy in Singapore on Saturday expressed "strong dissatisfaction" with media reports linking UNC3886 to China. In a statement, the embassy said it "firmly opposes any unwarranted smearing of China" and that "in fact, China is one of the main victims of cyberattacks". The statement added: "China firmly opposes and cracks down on all forms of cyberattacks in accordance with the law. China does not encourage, support, or condone hacking activities." Asked by reporters Saturday about the link between UNC3886 and China, The Straits Times newspaper quoted Shanmugam as saying: "As far as the Singapore government is concerned, we can say we are confident that it is this particular organisation. Who they are linked to, and how they operate, is not something I want to go into." Information Minister Josephine Teo said in a Facebook post Saturday that the alleged attacker was publicly named because it was "important for Singaporeans to know where the attack is coming from and what the potential consequences will be". The attack on Singapore's critical infrastructure "highlights the extraordinary challenges posed by APT actors," said Satnam Narang, senior staff research engineer at US-based cybersecurity firm Tenable. "Combating such stealthy opponents is becoming increasingly demanding as the scale and complexity of IT infrastructure that organisations and nations must defend continues to grow," he said. mba/sst
Int'l Business Times
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Singapore Military Helps Battle Cyberattack: Minister
Units in Singapore's military have been called in to help combat a cyberattack against critical infrastructure, the country's defence minister said Saturday -- a hack attempt attributed to an espionage group experts have linked to China. Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing said these select units will work with the Cyber Security Agency (CSA) in a united government response to the threat, local media reported. Chan described the cyberattack as "one example of the emerging threats" that the military has to handle, the reports said. There have been no reported breaches so far. Coordinating Minister for National Security K. Shanmugam first disclosed the attack late Friday, describing it as a type of Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) that poses a serious danger to the city-state. An APT refers to a cyberattack in which an intruder establishes and maintains unauthorised access to a target, remaining undetected for a sustained period of time. "I can say that it is serious and it is ongoing. And it has been identified to be UNC3886," Shanmugam said, referring to the alleged attackers. Shanmugam, who is also home affairs minister, did not elaborate in his speech on the group's sponsors or the origin of the attack. But Google-owned cybersecurity firm Mandiant described UNC3886 as a "highly adept China-nexus cyber espionage group". APT actors typically steal sensitive information and disrupt essential services, such as healthcare, telecoms, water, transport and power, Shanmugam said. "If it succeeds, it can conduct espionage and it can cause major disruption to Singapore and Singaporeans," he added. A successful breach of Singapore's power system, for example, could wreak havoc with the electricity supply, with knock-on effects on essential services, such as healthcare and transport. "There are also economic implications. Our banks, airports and industries would not be able to operate. Our economy can be substantially affected," Shanmugam said. Between 2021 and 2024, suspected APTs against Singapore increased more than fourfold. A cyber breach of a public healthcare cluster in 2018 accessed the medication records of about 160,000 patients, including then prime minister Lee Hsien Loong. Beijing's embassy in Singapore on Saturday expressed "strong dissatisfaction" with media reports linking UNC3886 to China. In a statement, the embassy said it "firmly opposes any unwarranted smearing of China" and that "in fact, China is one of the main victims of cyberattacks". The statement added: "China firmly opposes and cracks down on all forms of cyberattacks in accordance with the law. China does not encourage, support, or condone hacking activities." Asked by reporters Saturday about the link between UNC3886 and China, The Straits Times newspaper quoted Shanmugam as saying: "As far as the Singapore government is concerned, we can say we are confident that it is this particular organisation. Who they are linked to, and how they operate, is not something I want to go into." Information Minister Josephine Teo said in a Facebook post Saturday that the alleged attacker was publicly named because it was "important for Singaporeans to know where the attack is coming from and what the potential consequences will be". The attack on Singapore's critical infrastructure "highlights the extraordinary challenges posed by APT actors," said Satnam Narang, senior staff research engineer at US-based cybersecurity firm Tenable. "Combating such stealthy opponents is becoming increasingly demanding as the scale and complexity of IT infrastructure that organisations and nations must defend continues to grow," he said.
