Profit-driven private organisations urged to......
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Profit-driven private organisations urged to take security of premises seriously
By S Ramesh | Posted: 20 June 2010 1627 hrsSINGAPORE : Law and Second Home Affairs Minister, K Shanmugam, has said profit-driven private organisations must take security of their premises seriously.
He stressed that the onus is on them - not the government or the taxpaying public alone - to ensure that their premises are safe and secure.
The recent vandalism at Changi MRT Depot has sparked debate on who should be responsible for security on premises like train depots.
Is it the government's job or SMRT's?
Speaking on the sidelines of a community event on Sunday, Mr Shanmugam said it is impossible and unacceptable to require the taxpayer or the public to pay for the security of thousands of profit-making entitles in Singapore.
He said: "You look at SMRT. It is an entity that makes profits. It is a listed company which makes profits for its shareholders. Is it fair for the public, through the government, to pay for that security either in manpower terms or in terms of the costs?
"I think it will be too high a cost, and the most effective way in organising this security framework is for the government to identify key government installations that it will provide security for, and for the rest of the buildings for the government to provide a framework on how security should be provided.
"When it comes to private sector organisations, like the SMRT depot, it has been gazetted as a protected place, but the actual security of the premises is within the control of the company, as it should be, and SMRT has accepted that its responsibility is to provide for the security."
And this applies to organisations which are bottom-line driven.
Mr Shanmugam noted that SMRT has accepted responsibility for the security of Changi Depot.
But if Singaporeans do not view SMRT as a private company, then it is a misconception on their part.
Mr Shanmugam explained: "If they do not see SMRT as a private company, then that is a misconception because it is a listed company, but it is private in the broad sense that it is not a government entity. It declares dividends which goes to the shareholders.
"You and I - if we are not shareholders, we won't get the dividends. So you have to ask yourself - should the broader community of 3.2 million citizens and other taxpayers, should they be paying for the security costs when the profits of the company go to a group of shareholders?
"I think some people could be genuinely wondering this, but some of the other comments are politically motivated. The reality is - let us look at it - it is a company, it has got its own structure, it has got its own management, it has got its own security arrangements and they have got to take it seriously.
"Some people have said Temasek has shares in SMRT. Does that make it a government entity? Temasek has shares in many companies - DBS, Keppel both within and outside Singapore. Does that mean they do not pay taxes to the government? Does that mean that all their employees become government employees? Does that mean the government takes over the security of all their premises? Then where do we draw the line in Singapore, outside Singapore?"
A Swiss national has been charged with vandalism in this case. Another - a Briton - is at large and is wanted by Singapore Police.
Mr Shanmugam said: "The law treats everyone - whether a foreigner or a local - equally, and where an offence is committed, we would treat the person as we would treat any other person, regardless of whether he is a foreigner or local. But the message in Singapore is, there are certain things which are red lines and you do not cross them."
At the community level, the importance of emergency preparedness continues to be emphasised during regular community exercises. In fact, grassroots organisations have launched the second edition of the emergency preparedness guidebook, with updates on latest developments and threat perceptions, and how to react to these incidents.
Meanwhile, during the exercise at Woodlands, residents also got a better sense of what they must do when there is a shortage of water.
Ellen Lee, MP, Sembawang GRC, said: "Residents would be able to see how they could respond, especially in such a dramatic situation, emotions run high and it would be necessary for them to know that help will come in good time.
"In the meantime, there are certain things they could do and how to do them without putting themselves at risk.
"The grassroots leaders themselves have gone through such an exercise to know how to respond, and (for) such an exercise of this nature, they would have briefed the residents in advance to coordinate with the SCDF officers." - CNA/ms -
You pple see the subtle message shanmugam is sending there? When SMRT is world class, the govt claims singapore has the best transport service. When SMRT screws up, he tells profit driven organisations to buck up.
This is clearly a PR effort to distance the govt from smrt in a damage control exercise. SMRT is govt owned, even if they are listed. The same goes for Singtel.
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Ya. So moral of the story is vote the pap out to save our country
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Originally posted by Rock^Star:
You pple see the subtle message shanmugam is sending there? When SMRT is world class, the govt claims singapore has the best transport service. When SMRT screws up, he tells profit driven organisations to buck up.
This is clearly a PR effort to distance the govt from smrt in a damage control exercise. SMRT is govt owned, even if they are listed. The same goes for Singtel.
e govt owns them, but they dun run them as in micromange it's actual day to day ops. -
The way he talk is like not here not there. But I guess thats what politicians are paid for. To say something that doesn't really mean something.
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open mouth ma, who cannot lol.
