Shanmugam: People's trust in Govt crucial for strong security agencies

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2 useful ideas to walk away with:
1) combating crime is not just about having a strong police force, but also ensuring that the causes of resorting to crime, are dealt with by the govt; i.e. effective governance in addressing people's discontentment such as employment, corruption in govt, lack of freedom and rights....
2) how the media influence our perception of reality, as in the case of the HK protests where the media unfairly demonised the police force and 'lionised' the protestors.....

Singapore's security agencies can only be as strong as the government in power, Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam said yesterday, as he spoke on how proper governance must underpin peace and order.

Singaporeans also have to trust that the political, economic and social systems are fair and will benefit them, so that they will support the police force

global risk consultancy Maplecroft, said it is estimated that nearly 40 per cent of the world's 195 countries will experience civil unrest this year

A police force can succeed only if it operates in a well-governed, functioning society, where people trust that the government will do what is best for them

government leaders must be attuned to people's needs and be accountable to the public, and they must also develop policies based on sound principles and create a fair and honest system.

if a significant section of your population believes that the system is fundamentally unfair... and that it is set up to benefit a few at the expense of the majority, at the expense of the many, then no amount of strict policing and strict laws, are going to keep people off the streets

the one-sided portrayal of the situation in the international media - with the depiction of police as brutal and protesters as champions of democracy - has not helped

Qn: Having a strong police force is the best way to prevent crime. Do you agree?