Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen,
1. I am honoured to be part of this special occasion, celebrating the creativity and talent of our aspiring and very talented filmmakers.
2. I know we have many friends, families and mentors of dear Caleb, Xinyi as well as Rebcca here with us, and we are here to support them.
3. I would like to extend my heartiest congratulations to Caleb, Xinyi and Rebecca and thank their mentors, families and friends who are here to support them.
4. This year’s Youth Film Programme received a total of 36 submissions, which showcase the enthusiasm of our youth in actively discussing social cohesion and shaping the future of our community through the medium of films.
Importance of Social Cohesion During Peacetime and Major Crises
5. We know that in peacetime, social cohesion is fostered by a sense of unity, trust and mutual respect among the different communities in Singapore and it is the invisible thread binding us together, creating a society where individuals feel connected to one another.
6. The strength of this “thread” however – our collective spirit – can be tested during a crisis such as a terror attack.
7. It is in such difficult times that the crucial bonds of solidarity and understanding forged during peacetime, will enable us to face adversity with resilience and support one another, so that we can emerge from any crisis stronger together.
Importance of Storytelling
8. As storytellers, you have the power to foster dialogues and deepen connections with your networks and support the growth of your communities.
9. You can help build bridges between people; you reinforce the social fabric of our country through your films.
10. Through your stories, you can inspire fellow youths to engage fellow Singaporeans who have diverse perspectives and cultures with empathy, and to actively work towards a more inclusive society and a more understanding one.
Importance of Engaging Youths
11. The latest Singapore Terrorism Threat Assessment Report published in July this year highlighted youth radicalisation as an area of particular concern.
12. You may have read the news that a few weeks ago, the Internal Security Department (ISD) had announced that they had detained a 17-year-old Singaporean youth under the Internal Security Act.
13. The youth had planned to conduct an attack near Tampines West Community Centre during the September school holidays and he had practised stabbing motions with a pair of scissors.
14. It was very fortunate that the ISD had arrested him in time as this was one of the plans that came closest to being carried out.
15. Since 2015, 14 out of the 53 self-radicalised individuals in Singapore dealt with under the Internal Security Act were aged 20 or younger.
16. The youngest is a 14-year-old and he was issued a Restriction Order in June this year.
17. He had been radicalised online within a few months and he wanted to fight and die for the Black Flag Army (BFA), which was a prophesised Muslim Army, which he believed would emerge in Afghanistan.
18. He was even willing to conduct attacks in Singapore on the BFA’s instruction, if he could not travel to join them. He also tried, unsuccessfully, to influence some of his schoolmates with his views.
19. It is thus important that we engage young people through meaningful platforms and open dialogues.
20. By doing so, we can tap on their energy and creativity to strengthen community bonds and foster a more united society.
21. The Government has been actively engaging young people – we’re keen to hear your views on how we can do this better, because we want to be able to better equip ourselves to counter terrorism and extremism.
22. Examples include Counter-radicalisation workshops jointly organised by the ISD and the Ministry of Education for staff at the Junior Colleges and Secondary Schools as well as for student leaders at the pre-university level.
23. The ISD also conducts workshops for student leaders and staff at the Institutes of Higher Learning.
24. Our students also learn about the negative impact of extreme ideas, prejudice and stereotypes, and how these can be countered, as part of their Social Studies and Secondary History curriculum.
25. Some of you may have seen posters or banners around talking about our SGSecure movement’s latest slogan, which is “What’s Your Role?”, which encourages Singaporeans to deepen social cohesion and play an active role in countering terrorism and extremism.
26. The SGSecure Programme Office has also augmented its digital outreach efforts by starting an SGSecure Instagram account.
Conclusion
27. Today, we are gathered because we are here to celebrate the winners of our youth film programme.
28. Congratulations as well to the organisers for promoting this initiative.
29. We hope that this will help to reinforce the messages of social cohesion and the need to cherish the racial and religious harmony that we have in Singapore, and which has been painstakingly built up over the years.
30. I hope you have all enjoyed the films that you have watched today, enjoyed the dialogues, understood more about what went behind the creative thinking and also forging stronger bonds through the process.
31. Thank you very much.
