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EXCLUSIVE: Singapore’s fight against bioterrorism and virus outbreaks with science and technology Part 1

This is the first article of a two-part series. Read Part 2 here.

Singapore is recognised as one of the safest countries in the world and has been holding that record for a long time. The nation topped the list for Gallup’s Global Law and Order Index for the year 2019, with an index score of 97 out of a possible 100. The Singapore Government has always been staying on top of all issues concerning the safety and security of the people.

With the ongoing COVID-19 situation, Singapore had shifted its Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) level from yellow to orange on Friday, 7 February. With the nation stepping up efforts to protect its citizens and businesses while fighting the spread of the virus, OpenGov looks to understand the measures taken by government agencies to handle such situations.

OpenGov had the opportunity to sit with Dr Lee Fook Kay, Chief Scientist at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), to obtain more insights into how MHA is harnessing science and technology (S&T) in viable and innovative ways to ensure that it is at the forefront of safety and security efforts.

Dr Lee Fook Kay, Chief Scientist. Ministry of Home Affairs

Dr Lee was appointed as the first Chief Scientist of MHA in April 2019. Prior to his appointment as Chief Scientist and since 2008, Dr Lee Fook Kay had been the Chief Science and Technology Officer at MHA.

In that role, he steered and led MHA’s development efforts in CBRNE (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosives), Forensics, Video Analytics, Biometrics, Profiling, Robotics, Automation, Artificial Intelligence and Human Factors, amongst others.

In particular, Dr Lee has had more than twenty years of experience in the CBRNE domain and has been instrumental in the strategic building and development of CBRNE capabilities in Singapore.

Today, he remains a key advisor in the National Advisory Board that oversees the strategic and policy issues in CBRNE. Dr Lee was also appointed as Singapore’s expert member in the IAEA Emergency Preparedness and Response Expert Group (EPREG) from 2012-2015.

Singapore’s technological capabilities for safety and security  

Dr Lee strongly believes that the Home Team is well-positioned in terms of its technological readiness and that it has the zest to develop cutting edge technologies, for the Home Team is in the heart of each of its scientists and engineers.

Dr Lee said that one of MHA’s strongest capabilities is its laboratory network within Singapore, which can analyse an entire range of security-sensitive materials (SSM). This includes CBRNE and narcotics. This is particularly useful at Singapore’s border checkpoints, where analyses can be quickly conducted to determine if SSM is being smuggled into the country, during detection of suspicious activities. Dr Lee believes that this capability is the first of its kind in the world.

Importance of taking citizens’ needs into consideration for technology development

Dr Lee noted that technology development efforts, in the safety and security arena, were previously tended to emphasise improvements in systems, over human performance. Besides looking at improving the human operation of machines, it is imperative for the Home Team to go one step further: Taking citizens’ needs into consideration. “We need the citizens, whom we are aiming to protect, to accept the technology serving them and use it,” said Dr Lee.

Dr Lee shared examples of such technologies being currently developed on. A prototype for an automated car clearance system, at the land checkpoints, is being trialled with passenger cars coming through. The user-friendliness and experiences of those going through the checkpoints by car are being assessed as well. An exoskeleton is also being developed for SCDF’s firefighters. A key consideration of this technology is that while it is primarily meant to protect the firefighters wearing it during their line of duty, the exoskeleton should also not inadvertently cause injuries to those whom the firefighters are trying to save.

Regarding the possibility of pushback from citizens on the introduction of new technologies, Dr Lee pointed out that where practical, feedback is collected from the public. For example, when new technologies are being tested at checkpoints, the public trying them out are also interviewed and asked for their feedback on the technologies.

MHA labs countering bioterrorism and virus outbreaks with science and technology

The threats of bioterrorism and virus outbreaks are becoming ever real, such as in the case of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, and countries are stepping up efforts to protect their citizens.

The Home Team CBRNE network of laboratories are located at Singapore’s land and sea checkpoints, to detect and analyse suspicious incoming items into Singapore. The laboratories, therefore, need to be able to detect any items that contain hazardous materials and also be on the lookout for major bioterrorism agents, such as anthrax.

Dr Lee noted that the CBRNE laboratories are well-equipped to receive and process such suspicious items and ensure that any hazardous substances could be detected and contained. He also said that it is critical that the staff receiving these samples are well protected from such hazardous materials. Laboratory officers use gloves with filters, such as chemical filters or hyper filters, as well as filters which have a protective capability against radiation.

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CTC Global Singapore, a premier end-to-end IT solutions provider, is a fully owned subsidiary of ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation (CTC) and ITOCHU Corporation.

Since 1972, CTC has established itself as one of the country’s top IT solutions providers. With 50 years of experience, headed by an experienced management team and staffed by over 200 qualified IT professionals, we support organizations with integrated IT solutions expertise in Autonomous IT, Cyber Security, Digital Transformation, Enterprise Cloud Infrastructure, Workplace Modernization and Professional Services.

Well-known for our strengths in system integration and consultation, CTC Global proves to be the preferred IT outsourcing destination for organizations all over Singapore today.

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Planview has one mission: to build the future of connected work. Our solutions enable organizations to connect the business from ideas to impact, empowering companies to accelerate the achievement of what matters most. Planview’s full spectrum of Portfolio Management and Work Management solutions creates an organizational focus on the strategic outcomes that matter and empowers teams to deliver their best work, no matter how they work. The comprehensive Planview platform and enterprise success model enables customers to deliver innovative, competitive products, services, and customer experiences. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, with locations around the world, Planview has more than 1,300 employees supporting 4,500 customers and 2.6 million users worldwide. For more information, visit www.planview.com.

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SIRIM is a premier industrial research and technology organisation in Malaysia, wholly-owned by the Minister​ of Finance Incorporated. With over forty years of experience and expertise, SIRIM is mandated as the machinery for research and technology development, and the national champion of quality. SIRIM has always played a major role in the development of the country’s private sector. By tapping into our expertise and knowledge base, we focus on developing new technologies and improvements in the manufacturing, technology and services sectors. We nurture Small Medium Enterprises (SME) growth with solutions for technology penetration and upgrading, making it an ideal technology partner for SMEs.

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HashiCorp provides infrastructure automation software for multi-cloud environments, enabling enterprises to unlock a common cloud operating model to provision, secure, connect, and run any application on any infrastructure. HashiCorp tools allow organizations to deliver applications faster by helping enterprises transition from manual processes and ITIL practices to self-service automation and DevOps practices. 

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IBM is a leading global hybrid cloud and AI, and business services provider. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Nearly 3,000 government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and business services deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s legendary commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service.

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