Is Singapore’s peace built to last? With Minister K Shanmugam
Singapore has enjoyed six decades of peace but peace was never automatic and it won’t continue by default. The question is: what does it really take to keep Singapore safe in a world that’s becoming more fractured, and where the most dangerous threats don’t arrive with sirens?
In the latest episode of Lens on Singapore by The Business Times, I sit down with Minister K. Shanmugam, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs, to examine the risks, the realities, and the resilience that underpin Singapore’s security.
This isn’t about fear. It’s about clarity. A chance to hear, firsthand, how Singapore is navigating a security landscape most of us don’t see.
Why this episode matters
- Invisible cyber breaches: How attacks we can’t see could upend daily life.
- Disinformation as a weapon: Why fake news and identity politics can devastate our nation as much as bombs.
- Foreign interference, unmasked: Real cases of attempts to sway Singapore’s politics and how they’re being countered.
- The Coordinating Minister’s role: What the job actually involves beyond defence and policing.
A conversation beyond headlines
Our discussion spans Asean’s role in regional security, how a generation raised in peace perceives risk, and why cyber and disinformation threats now sit at the heart of Singapore’s defences.
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Minister Shanmugam is clear: Singapore’s stability rests on four enduring pillars; a strong defence, smart diplomacy, economic resilience, and a united people. These foundations have kept us safe for 60 years and they’ll matter even more in the next 60.
Listen now to this SG60 special of Lens on Singapore because if we want to keep the peace we’ve had, we must first understand the risks we face.
For more episodes, visit bt.sg/podcasts. Got feedback or ideas? Write to us at btpodcasts@sph.com.sg.
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Podcast written and presented by: Claressa Monteiro (claremb@sph.com.sg)
With Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam
Post-production: Claressa Monteiro and Emily Liu
Coordinating producer: Chai Pei Chieh
Video production: Studio +65
A podcast by BT Podcasts, The Business Times, SPH Media
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