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Speech By Mr Eric Tan, Commissioner of Immigration & Checkpoints Authority at the ICA Workplan Seminar 2005
SPEECH BY MR ERIC TAN, COMMISSIONER OF IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY (ICA) AT THE ICA WORKPLAN SEMINAR ON THURSDAY, 28 APR 2005, 10 AM AT THE INSTITUTE OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION AUDITORIUM, 10 DOVER DRIVE
Senior Minister of State,
Distinguished Guests,
Fellow Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good Morning.
Let me first take this opportunity to thank Senior Minister of State Professor Ho Peng Kee for kindly consenting to be our guest of honour for this year's Work Plan Seminar.
Dear colleagues, this is the first occasion that I have, to address ICA since assuming the post of Commissioner. Let me begin by saying that we are already related as I had been seconded to the then Singapore Immigration and Registration and many of the ex-CED officers here would know that the Central Narcotics Bureau from which I last served as Director, traced its roots from the Police and Customs. The CNB story actually holds out an interesting lesson for ICA. CNB grew from a humble beginning more than 30 years ago from 2 separate units within the Police and Customs into Singapore's leading drug enforcement agency. The story of ICA is unfolding before us.
Hardly the "terrible twos"
When a child reaches the age of two, he becomes increasingly aware of his surroundings and starts to explore new things. This is also a good age to discover and develop his talents and to mould his character. Some say, he has begun to have an identity of his own. Think of the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) as a two-year-old child, whose illustrious parents were the Singapore Immigration & Registration and the Customs & Excise Department. What traits and capabilities did ICA inherit, and how different will ICA be from its parents?
ICA received the expertise and operations of two highly professional and successful organisations in their own right. However the merger of the Singapore Immigration & Registration and the Customs & Excise Department was motivated more than just for efficiency reasons. As an entity, the formation of ICA must be more than just the bringing of two separate groups of professionals, one that was responsible for clearing people and the other for cargo at the checkpoints. Given the prevailing security climate, the ensuing synergy has to be manifested in our ability to enhance the effectiveness of keeping our borders safe and secure especially at the various checkpoints and functions undertaken by ICA.
The formative years
At two years of age, we have to clearly lay the basic foundations and mould ICA's development and future directions. First and foremost, ICA has to become a more security-related Home Team entity. To do so, we will need to provide the suitable environment for ICA's formative development.
Just as a child needs an education, counter-terrorism and security training will be a key learning focus for ICA officers. We have implemented counter-terrorism and security training roadmaps to ensure that officers are well-prepared and equipped to prevent, detect and deal with terrorist attacks. The training roadmaps will ensure that there is a systematic progression of such skills and knowledge from basic to advanced level for ICA officers. As a start, new and existing ICA officers will undergo a comprehensive one-day counter-terrorism seminar. There will also be a higher-level course for the Counter-Terrorism & Security Officers at the checkpoints.
We must also ensure that in our early development, ICA gets all the fundamentals in place. Hence we have also been building up our technological and operational capabilities. Currently, ICA is using x-ray and gamma ray scanners to screen postal parcels, vehicles and containers at the postal centre, checkpoints and ports as part of our efforts to enhance security through the use of technology. The scanners enable us to view the contents of a container swiftly without having to conduct a physical inspection of the container. This year, we have strengthened our arsenal of radiographic scanners to further thwart the smuggling of unlawful conveyances. Our Senior Minister of State, Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee, will be elaborating more on our new weapon in his speech later.
Possessing the right know how and having systems in place cannot ensure that the child develop fully if as parents, we do not imbue the right values and cultural upbringing. Hence, ICA is expected to continue on our path of change especially in establishing a security minded culture amongst our officers. We will have to move forward and adopt a more proactive security and enforcement disposition on the ground. As Home Team professionals entrusted with a responsibility for Singapore?s safety and security, ICA officers would have to be adequately trained, suitably equipped and even armed so that we would be able to carry out our security related tasks more effectively. We can and should strengthen the efforts of other Home Team agencies in ensuring Singapore?s safety and security.
Singapore needs us to grow up quickly
Although I have repeatedly emphasised our infancy, I would like to highlight that we do not have the luxury of time. Singapore needs us to grow up quickly. Singapore needs us to transform rapidly from fledgling to falcon and soar with the winds of change. This brings us to "Thor" the enhanced falcon, which is the mascot for this year's Workplan Seminar. The theme for this year's Workplan Seminar, "Soaring the Winds of Change, Transforming for the Future", focuses on how ICA adapts and rises above uncertainties to achieve greater heights. ICA needs to embrace changes in our operating environment readily so as to meet future challenges. Singapore needs us to rise up to these challenges, to effectively secure her borders against terrorism, illegal immigration and other security threats.
"Rules are meant to be broken? but they should be learnt first."
A playwright once wrote, "Rules are meant to be broken, but they should be learnt first". In the fast pace changing security environment, even as ICA grows up and develops, we should learn and understand the underlying principles of our Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). When it comes to the crunch, it is the spirit of the SOPs and not the letter that should apply. Yes, our two-year-old ICA has to mature faster than the average child. We have to learn and understand.. and not just by repeating and mimicking what is being taught to us. Although "Security is our service", we must be sensitive to the needs of Singaporeans and although mindful of the security priorities, we should where possible seek to alleviate any inconvenience brought about by the heightened state of security checks.
Inspiring Confidence and Awe
I am acutely aware that ICA is presently not part of the Home Uniformed Service. However, we cannot detract from the fact that we do don uniforms and that we are an integral part of the Home Team. We share the responsibility for keeping Singapore safe and secure. We must recognize that we can do more and strive to create an even greater security signature in future, both at the checkpoints and through our enforcement operations. We should ultimately not just strive to Inspire Confidence in All but seek to Inspire Confidence with Awe.
Conclusion
I had earlier mentioned that rules need to be broken from time-to-time. However, here is one that is not negotiable. It is to protect Singapore's border security. Are we ready to meet the challenge?
~~~ END ~~~
Senior Minister of State,
Distinguished Guests,
Fellow Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good Morning.
Let me first take this opportunity to thank Senior Minister of State Professor Ho Peng Kee for kindly consenting to be our guest of honour for this year's Work Plan Seminar.
Dear colleagues, this is the first occasion that I have, to address ICA since assuming the post of Commissioner. Let me begin by saying that we are already related as I had been seconded to the then Singapore Immigration and Registration and many of the ex-CED officers here would know that the Central Narcotics Bureau from which I last served as Director, traced its roots from the Police and Customs. The CNB story actually holds out an interesting lesson for ICA. CNB grew from a humble beginning more than 30 years ago from 2 separate units within the Police and Customs into Singapore's leading drug enforcement agency. The story of ICA is unfolding before us.
Hardly the "terrible twos"
When a child reaches the age of two, he becomes increasingly aware of his surroundings and starts to explore new things. This is also a good age to discover and develop his talents and to mould his character. Some say, he has begun to have an identity of his own. Think of the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) as a two-year-old child, whose illustrious parents were the Singapore Immigration & Registration and the Customs & Excise Department. What traits and capabilities did ICA inherit, and how different will ICA be from its parents?
ICA received the expertise and operations of two highly professional and successful organisations in their own right. However the merger of the Singapore Immigration & Registration and the Customs & Excise Department was motivated more than just for efficiency reasons. As an entity, the formation of ICA must be more than just the bringing of two separate groups of professionals, one that was responsible for clearing people and the other for cargo at the checkpoints. Given the prevailing security climate, the ensuing synergy has to be manifested in our ability to enhance the effectiveness of keeping our borders safe and secure especially at the various checkpoints and functions undertaken by ICA.
The formative years
At two years of age, we have to clearly lay the basic foundations and mould ICA's development and future directions. First and foremost, ICA has to become a more security-related Home Team entity. To do so, we will need to provide the suitable environment for ICA's formative development.
Just as a child needs an education, counter-terrorism and security training will be a key learning focus for ICA officers. We have implemented counter-terrorism and security training roadmaps to ensure that officers are well-prepared and equipped to prevent, detect and deal with terrorist attacks. The training roadmaps will ensure that there is a systematic progression of such skills and knowledge from basic to advanced level for ICA officers. As a start, new and existing ICA officers will undergo a comprehensive one-day counter-terrorism seminar. There will also be a higher-level course for the Counter-Terrorism & Security Officers at the checkpoints.
We must also ensure that in our early development, ICA gets all the fundamentals in place. Hence we have also been building up our technological and operational capabilities. Currently, ICA is using x-ray and gamma ray scanners to screen postal parcels, vehicles and containers at the postal centre, checkpoints and ports as part of our efforts to enhance security through the use of technology. The scanners enable us to view the contents of a container swiftly without having to conduct a physical inspection of the container. This year, we have strengthened our arsenal of radiographic scanners to further thwart the smuggling of unlawful conveyances. Our Senior Minister of State, Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee, will be elaborating more on our new weapon in his speech later.
Possessing the right know how and having systems in place cannot ensure that the child develop fully if as parents, we do not imbue the right values and cultural upbringing. Hence, ICA is expected to continue on our path of change especially in establishing a security minded culture amongst our officers. We will have to move forward and adopt a more proactive security and enforcement disposition on the ground. As Home Team professionals entrusted with a responsibility for Singapore?s safety and security, ICA officers would have to be adequately trained, suitably equipped and even armed so that we would be able to carry out our security related tasks more effectively. We can and should strengthen the efforts of other Home Team agencies in ensuring Singapore?s safety and security.
Singapore needs us to grow up quickly
Although I have repeatedly emphasised our infancy, I would like to highlight that we do not have the luxury of time. Singapore needs us to grow up quickly. Singapore needs us to transform rapidly from fledgling to falcon and soar with the winds of change. This brings us to "Thor" the enhanced falcon, which is the mascot for this year's Workplan Seminar. The theme for this year's Workplan Seminar, "Soaring the Winds of Change, Transforming for the Future", focuses on how ICA adapts and rises above uncertainties to achieve greater heights. ICA needs to embrace changes in our operating environment readily so as to meet future challenges. Singapore needs us to rise up to these challenges, to effectively secure her borders against terrorism, illegal immigration and other security threats.
"Rules are meant to be broken? but they should be learnt first."
A playwright once wrote, "Rules are meant to be broken, but they should be learnt first". In the fast pace changing security environment, even as ICA grows up and develops, we should learn and understand the underlying principles of our Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). When it comes to the crunch, it is the spirit of the SOPs and not the letter that should apply. Yes, our two-year-old ICA has to mature faster than the average child. We have to learn and understand.. and not just by repeating and mimicking what is being taught to us. Although "Security is our service", we must be sensitive to the needs of Singaporeans and although mindful of the security priorities, we should where possible seek to alleviate any inconvenience brought about by the heightened state of security checks.
Inspiring Confidence and Awe
I am acutely aware that ICA is presently not part of the Home Uniformed Service. However, we cannot detract from the fact that we do don uniforms and that we are an integral part of the Home Team. We share the responsibility for keeping Singapore safe and secure. We must recognize that we can do more and strive to create an even greater security signature in future, both at the checkpoints and through our enforcement operations. We should ultimately not just strive to Inspire Confidence in All but seek to Inspire Confidence with Awe.
Conclusion
I had earlier mentioned that rules need to be broken from time-to-time. However, here is one that is not negotiable. It is to protect Singapore's border security. Are we ready to meet the challenge?
~~~ END ~~~