Making a CASE for Enhancing Security of Infrastructure

TODAY

16 October 2017

Damien D. Cheong and Kumar Ramakrishna

The Infrastructure Protection Bill 2017, which was passed this month, has two main objectives. The first is to enhance security at protected places and critical infrastructure by granting more powers to security personnel as well as improve security protocols.

For example, the new law empowers security personnel to take action against unauthorised photography/videography of protected and sensitive installations. As if to drive home the point, just two days after the bill was enacted, the authorities briefly detained two men for allegedly taking photos of the MRT depot at Bishan.

While both men were subsequently released, it could well have been a more serious situation.

The second is to encourage developers to adopt ‘security-by-design’ concepts when designing new buildings, as well as to direct owners to enhance the physical security of existing buildings by, for instance, installing bollards and/or CCTV cameras).

… Damien D Cheong is Research Fellow, National Security Studies Programme (NSSP) and Associate Professor Kumar Ramakrishna is Head of Policy Studies and NSSP Coordinator at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

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