New Age Terrorists and Accidental Jihadist

The Malaysian newspaper The Star (Feb 28, 2009) had ran a story about a 23 years old student from Malacca who was final year UTM student recruited to carry out jihad attack against the Thai military.

His profile was shocking because he was not a Malay Kelantanese as most terrorists in South Thailand shared the same DNA as reported by The Star.

And this guy is a university undergrad! A final year mechanical engineering student.

We should be familiar with our lawyer turned self-taught terrorist, Abdul Basheer Abdul Kader, aged 28 in 2007.

Others that are professional include a guy who worked with the managing agent of a condominium.

I called these people "New Age Terrorists" because despite the fact that they are tertiary educated and IT savvy, some of them, like the "Accidental Jihadist" is still naive in believing that they can defeat the military with small arms (guns) and parangs while riding a motorbike - it's like going to a gun fight while armed with a parang - they were supposed to be the future leaders and professionals because of their perceived intellectual ability.

New Age Terrorists is a new and deadly security threat because they are highly educated, IT savvy - able to do serious researches and hold discussions online - forums, social websites, emails, online chats, Skype, etc, able to come up with potent counter-security measures and make smarter intelligence information gathering, stealth penetrations and smarter surveillance using high-tech gadgets and the ability to get insiders to infiltrate into sensitive areas to gather necessary details needed to launch their successful and perhaps the first terror attack in Singapore!

We have rogue traders (most are professionals) and rogue men in uniforms (including armed guards a.k.a. auxilliary police).

So are we waiting for the first successful terror attack here in Singapore and be sitting ducks or should we take smart preemptive measures?

Remember, a former neighboring country's Prime Minister once said, "There are 101 ways to skin a cat."

And I say, "It takes a crook to catch a crook." ;-)

Singapore Courts Prepare for Recession Crimes

Today's The Straits Times (Feb 28, 2009) carries an interesting headline, "Courts prepare for 'recession crimes'.

Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong expects more criminal and civil cases during this economic downturn.

"Recession brings many social and other difficulties and problems for people in their daily lives. We must therefore brace ourselves for an expected influx of cases this year and while the recession lasts." - CJ Chan Sek Keong

Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng had warned last month about a possible rise in crimes such as theft, vice and loan sharking.

Separately, Police Commissioner Khoo Boon Hui expressed worry about white collar crime.

Singaporeans - including those rich and wealthy, GLCs, GIC, Temasek Holdings, MNCs, SMEs, Profitable & Non-Profitable Organizations, Charity Foundations (Education, Medical Research, Elderly, etc), Associations, Societies and Clubs should not be stingy to reward the Security Experts (private security) whose contributions can save innocent lives and prevent properties and assets losses, loss of reputation, traumatic recovery process and the national grief for those who lost their lives unnecessarily when it could have been prevented in the first instance.

If bounty of USD$1, 000, 000 can be offered for a murder case in the USA, why not anything above S$1, 000, 000 for a Singaporean Security Expert?

Does Mas Selamat and Jemaah Islamiah Still Pose Serious Threats to Singapore

Yesterday's The Straits Times newspaper (Feb 27, 2009) had a two full page report about the escaped Jemaah Islamiah (JI) fugitive Mas Selamat, "Out of sight, out of mind?"

While the authorities and the media always remind the public to be vigilant and alert, the authorities and the public are unaware that there are lots of security loopholes that CAN still be exploited by terrorists and criminals, including white collar crimes.

Despite the heightened security measures like sharing security tips in terms of making the two Integrated Resorts (IRs) seemed "impenetrable" with its building facade and glass doors that are able to absorb powerful bomb blasts, video intelligent CCTV system installed at "trouble spots", highways and expressways, etc as well as with some of the Town Councils that took initiative to install CCTV cameras inside elevators (lifts) and void deck, especially if there is a Citizens' Corner at that particular HDB flat, strenghtening physical security, holding more talks on crime prevention, etc., yet there will ALWAYS be loopholes that can be fatal.

The recent announcement of the release of about 40 ex-ISA detainees - they were supposed to be "rehabilitated" means that they can go back to their old ways if there are right opportunities waiting for them to execute their suicide bombings, this time more determined and more precise, once they have succeeded in finding the "missing links" that thwarted their capability in their earlier failed missions to bomb their targets.

With global recession already looming, due to the USA's failed sub-prime mortgage, failures of banks and financial instituitions in the USA and part of Europe, more job lay-offs, shipping lines' crises, etc. There is nothing more challenging, especially for terrorists and criminals to strike while opportunities are abound.

One of the IR is scheduled to open end of 2009 and for those compulsive gamblers (remember a few guys holding senior positions that gambled millions of dollars away buying 4D?) and those eager to make money the easy way (entrance fee is a minor deterrant to some) will soon head for the IRs and triads may let their presence felt by offering illegal money lending services, collection of debts, etc.

Terrorists, organized crime syndicates and other criminals are always looking for security loopholes and they will certainly take advantage of any loopholes that they are able to make use of it to the maximum because once the loopholes are plugged (some by legislation) their chances of committing crimes and murders will be reduced to a lower probability.

Manpower Security Standards Still Lagging in Singapore

Despite Singapore's reputation as a developed country, hub for various activities, safe and secure city, etc. our nation's private security industry, especially in the manpower security (security services providers a.k.a. guard agencies) are still lagging in many areas.

I will not go in-depth as all of these will be revealed in my upcoming e-book on private security industry (manpower) in Singapore.

A forum writer, Mr. Jack Lee, has pointed out very accurately about another forum writer's comment that "Only Govt can help jobless PMETs", The Straits Times, February 25, 2009.

PMET means Professionals, Managers, Engineers and Techicians for those who don't know what it means.

I have watched Channel 8 news in Mandarin a couple of weeks ago when a middle-aged Chinese guy spoke out in Mandarin on his dissatisfaction about only being offered jobs such as landscape technician (garderner), security guard or cleaner.

Certainly any PMETs being offered a security guard or security supervisor's job is not glamorous because of the following factors:
1. Low basic pay (between S$450 to $500).

2. Low CPF rate contributions (few dollars a day - probe the CPF Board for more info - and yes, if you have to make your MP do it, just get it done).

3. 12 hours/6-days' week. Not only the guards and the supervisors are physically exhausted (especially for guards), they will also be mentally exhausted because if we were to factor in the commuting time to and from workplace to home, it can take up additional 30 minutes to another 2 hours depending on where they are staying.

4. As the writer Mr. Jack Lee has pointed out that the guard's take home pay "can double to S$1,100", there are various components in the forms of various allowances (meal, transport, laundry, shift or site allowance, etc) that made up to a gross salary of between S$1,500 to S$1,600. We all know that allowances don't attract CPF contributions, so even though the guards' gross salary is comparable to any administrative or clerical staff (entry level), but the reality is that the guards are deprived of their critical CPF contributions as the CPF accounts are meant to help them (don't fully rely on CPF) in their old age. Again perhaps the authorities can relook into these "loopholes".

Hong Kong, S.A.R. has better working hours (8 hours shift) and I believe their salary is quite reasonable too.

Yesterday, the Malaysian government announced that they will be reviewing the new salary structure for Malaysian guards in a move to hire more locals than foreigners. They have over 300,000 guards from Nepal and this figure exceeded the total numbers of their police and military personnel.

Don't call ourselves a "First World Country" when vital, essential and critical issues are not resolved.

Sadly, many of our retired and pensionable ex-uniformed officers are given the license to operate security services providers' business (guard agencies) but their professionalism, knowledge, ethics and conduct are still lacking.

New Highest Bidder Offer!

This offer supercede my previous S$1, 000, 000 dollars challenge.

Today, February 26, 2009, I have decided to make my Million Dollars Security Challenge to be offered to any:
1. Rich, wealthy, ultra wealthy, uber wealthy, High Networth Individuals;

2. Any businesses - MNCs, SMEs, Listed Companies, Privately Held Companies, Entrepreneurs;

3. Any GLCs, GIC or Temasek Holdings;

4. Any governmental ministries or departments or statutory boards;

5. Any foundations, profitable & non-profitable organizations.

Any genuine offers that is higher than S$1, 000, 000 (more than one million Singapore dollars) secures my Intellectual Property Right on the security loophole that can be exploited by terrorists and other criminals.

My Terms & Conditions remains the same - S$100, 000 (one hundred thousand Singapore dollars) in CASH and the balance by crossed cheque all to be handed over during our meeting in your lawyers' office.

Imagine our properties, assets (goods/stocks, machineries, sensitive data, etc), lives, reputation as developed nation, hub for education, medical, travel, sea port, airport, etc all devastated and in ruins.

Loss of innocent lives, price = can't equate life with monetary value.

Properties and assets = Billions of Singapore dollars.

Reputation as safe & secure city, various hubs, international trades, etc = Billions of Singapore (including future Foreign Direct Investments) and relegated back to a backward country focused on post terror attack, trauma, shock, awe and ardous nation rebuilding.

Terrorism and Other Security Threats Are Still Alive in Singapore!

Singapore's free newspaper (government owned) Today has an interesting headline: "Defusing the human bomb: Not easy to reform fanatics, but 40 out of 60 detainees have been released" dated February 25, 2009.

The Law Minister (also MP for Sembawang) Mr. K. Shanmugam, as quoted in the Today newspaper:
“If you have a human bomb, the only way you can defuse that is to first remove them from harm’s way ... internalise that the path they are on is wrong and change,” said Mr Shanmugam, who is also the Second Minister for Home Affairs. “You hope that with the right tools, psychological approach and religious approach, you achieve that”.

He was speaking at the closed-door International Conference on Terrorist Rehabilitation on February 24, 2009.

We all know that besides terrorism, other crimes such as organized crime syndicates, loan sharks, robbers, violent activists, cyber crimes, rioters, etc can still be lethal and potent to the law enforcers.

There are still many security loopholes or security lapses that can be freely exploited or taken advantage of by people who always innnovative, creative, courageous, action-oriented and smart.

Laws are always ammended to cover the loopholes - examples, the cash-back deals in property transactions and the Anti Money Laundering and Supression of Bombing Acts, which was enacted post 911 under the Patriot Act of USA.

I have another security loophole of which I will put up for sale. I have included some of Singapore's "security experts" views about it that can't be penetrated or ineffective. Asking price: S$1, 000, 000 (one million Singapore dollars) same Terms and Conditions as in my S$1 million challenge.

To prove to you how some professionals can be deadly (if they abuse their authority or expertise):
1. Architects - they conceptualize their blueprint that later when completed, become a house, or a building, or a warehouse, a bank building with strongroom or underground vault to store gold bars, etc. If the crooks were to collaborate with unethical architects viola! They hit the jackpot! How about the Prime Minister's residence, the Parliament House, etc?

2. Medical professionals such as Doctors, Pharmacists, Radiographers, Nurses, etc. Doctors can choose to renegade the Hippocrate's Oath. And if these professionals can be bribed with tons of money...

3. Attorneys or lawyers, they too can turn to crooks if circumstances like greed, financial problems, etc overrule their professional conduct and ethics...

4. Security consultants or security experts, they too can be deadly because they possessed intricate knowledge about your security set-up and the security staff. Security systems, technologies, etc can be breached easily. Think about stealth intruders, insiders' job, etc...

5. Accountants, they too could become crooks if circumstances like greed, dishonesty, financial problems, etc overcome them. They too, are human after all...

6. Engineers - including Professional Engineers (PE) as well as Project Managers can turn into crooks if situations like greed, debt, financial problems, etc overcome them. They too are humans too...

7. Even our men/women in uniformed groups too, can become crooks if situations like heavy debt, financial problems, impending bankruptcy, greed, etc overcome them. They are humans too...

Take the Singapore $1 Million Security Challenge!

I issue an open challenge to any Singaporeans, Permanent Residents, S-Pass Holders, Long-Term Visit Pass Holders, Expatriates and frequent long-term visitors AND

Any rich individuals, businessmen, entrepreneurs, business organizations and associations, foundations, MNCs, SMEs, GLCs, GIC and Temasek Holdings.

Pay me S$1,000,000 (one million Singapore dollars) if the security loophole I've discovered CAN and DOES work (it DOES work by the way!).

To accept my proven loophole that terrorism CAN still be carried out here in Singapore, RIGHT HERE and RIGHT NOW based on the following assumption:

1. The terrorists had already done their preparation homework (surveillance, intelligence, insider information, written plan, etc), what type of building establishement to attack and their exact locations, etc.

2. The terrorists already had their weapon arsenal (homemade bombs, Improvized Explosive Device, anthrax, cynide, etc) ready for immediate action.

3. The terrorists had chosen their mode of attack (vehicular, suicide bomber, parcel/package bomb, anthrax into ventilation system, etc).

And, as most of the able-bodied males had undergone National Service with either the Singapore Police Force (SPF), the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) or the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), we are considered ready and able to counter the terror attacks, theoritically on papers and based on simulated emergency drills and as for our SAF, their overseas trainings and the regular joint exercises with other armed forces.

Information kit in the form of a printed material was widely distributed to all Singaporeans, so for those who take the initiative to read and apply it (stock-up necessary and essential items), Singaporeans should be ready theoritically as we've yet to experience any real emergency crises.

Assuming that:

1. Our Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and it's Home Team and our SAF are ready for counter-strikes and to apprehend (or shoot-to-kill) the terrorists.

2. Our Home Team and SAF has done their surveillance, intelligence, trainings and excercises, simulated emergency drills, etc and is 100% ready for action.

3. Our NSmen and volunteers and the grassroot leaders are activated and ready for action.

The loophole that I have discovered CAN be exploited by terrorists with immediate effect!

So any individuals, business organizations, associations, corporations, government, etc who would like to STOP this insanity should give me S$1,000,000 (one million Singapore dollars) in exchange for that vital piece of information that can be exploited by the terrorists and criminals.

The S$1,000,000 is a small amount compared to the hundreds of millions, if not billions (depending on what are their targeted building facility) and the loss of innocent lives, reputation, financial and economic disasters, etc).

It is a fact that general insurers and re-insurers will not pay for any damages and losses to lives and properties arising from any terror attacks.

The loss of innocent lives, properties, assets, etc is as equal as Singapore's reputation as a safe and secure city, a hub for many activities, world class standard achiever in some sectors, etc.

Email me with confidence and your confidentiality is assured.

Terms & Conditions:
1. All transactions done at your lawyer's firm or your company/organization's lawyers' office.

2. Cash payment of S$100, 000 (one hundred thousand Singapore dollars only) upon my appearance at your appointed lawyer(s) firm.

3. Balance of S$900, 000 (nine hundred thousand Singapore dollars only) by crossed cheque during the same day appointment at your lawyers' office once I handed over to you the vital information.

4. You and your lawyers must be aware that my assistant will carry out discreet video and audio recording as assurance that you will honor your words and as per Serial Numbers 2 and 3 above.

5. Journalists (reporters) may be present at our scheduled meeting at your lawyers' firm.

6. Failure to comply to any of my Terms and Conditions thus make this deal not valid.

Paymasters and Stakeholders Are Responsible for Security Too!

Majority of the security services providers (guard agencies) has provided mediocre security guards, supervisors, chief security officers and Operations Executive that acts as a liaison officer between the security agency and their client.

This was despite the Security Industry Regulatory Department (SIRD), the licensing body and the Workforce Development Authority (WDA) as well as approved training centers for the earlier National Skills Recognition System (NSRS) security courses as well as its successor the Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ), supposedly "better" than its predecessor the NSRS and the tie-up with Temasek Polytechnic and Security Industry Institute, a collaboration between Temasek Poly and WDA, the standards and professionalism still has plenty of rooms to improve.

Most paymasters a.k.a. as security agency's clients and your organization's stakeholders, board of directors, share holders and senior management staff are ignorant that most security agencies can still provide them with mediocre security personnel.

As long as Mas Selamat is still on the run and as long as the terrorists still have the capability and intent to commit terror attack and as long as their ideology still remain pretty much the same - the terror threat still remain real and waiting for the terrorists to execute their plan and pattern of attack.

I have seen that even our Temasek/GIC/GLC organizations still pay up ignorantly to some of the substandard security services providers (guard agencies) and many remain ignorant of the probability of the terror atttack, oblivious to the false sense of safety and security because of the reputation of our SPF, SCDF and our SAF as well as Singapore being a safe city.

The "experts" have long forgotten that even the experts and professionals can become their enemy - architects, medical doctors and health professionals, engineers, security consultants, facility/building/complex managers, IT professionals, lawyers, etc have the capability to turn rogue should they want to, or if they feel that they are being forced to by circumstances, ideologies, etc.

As the saying goes, "Familiarity breeds contempt."

Terrorism in Singapore, Still Possible?

Singapore is rated as among one of the safest and secure country in the world.

The Jemaah Islamiah escaped fugitive Mas Selamat bin Kasturi is still on the run while there are still some JI members that are in detention center undergoing rehabilitation while there are also others that are released conditionally as they are deemed as "rehabilitated" on their terror ideology.

Most of Singapore's able-bodied men have undergone National Service stint with either the SPF, SCDF or the SAF and there are some who are proactive by volunteering to help monitor the whereabouts of Mas Selamat and keep the police and other Homeland Security agencies of his whereabouts.

Our national security policy and procedures are strong enough to deter would-be terrorists but yet there are still many security loopholes that can still be exploited by terrorists, organized crime syndicates, criminals, etc.

Despite our vigilance and security situational awareness, terror attack is still possible!

What the terrorists lacked (not the intelligence surveys, know-hows or bomb/weapon arsenals) but rather how to execute it perfectly!

New Security Landscape in Singapore in the 21st Century

Welcome to Security Unlimited Blog.

This blog is open to general insurers, re-insurers, security professionals, law & enforcement agencies, stakeholders, board of directors, key management staff, senior management staff, professionals such as architects, engineers, facility managers, managing agents and YOU, if you are concerned about the safety and security of your loved ones and your workplace.

This blog is dedicated to private security industry in Singapore and will cover several areas of security, namely:
1. Manpower security.

2. Security systems (a.k.a. security technology).

3. Physical and facility security.

4. Security risk management.

5. Building management system.

6. Security survey (a.k.a. security audit).

7. Security in the office.

8. Security for non-security staff.

9. Security for stakeholders, board of directors and key management staff.

10. Employee theft.

11. IT security and cyber crime.

12. Transport & distribution (logistics) security.

13. Various emergencies.

14. Counter-terrorism.

15. Fraud detection, scams and identity theft.

16. Security protection for staff based overseas.

Keep on reading as I will update this blog regularly.