PDF (7.80MB) - Challenge Online

adding a potential ‘business’ dimension –
whereby MHA serves as a professional
training provider.”
Various schools under the Home Team
Academy (HTA) already have courses that
are open to international participants.
Over the past few years, MHA has also
been providing training and consultancy
services to the Qatari Ministry of Interior.
This has led other Middle Eastern
countries to request for training and
consultancy services, too.
“There have been some spin-offs for
our local security industry as well,” says
Mr Lim. “Our partners have been able to
secure contracts not only with
government bodies, but also with private
sector partners overseas. This bodes
well for the growth of our domestic
security industry and our reputation as
an expert hub.”
This reputation sometimes translates
into speaker and trainer requests from
international organisations. For instance,
in 2008, the Singapore Police Force (SPF)
worked with Interpol to provide speakers
and trainers for their Cybercrime
Investigation Workshop.
Extending Singapore’s reach as a hub
also means a lot of pro-active marketing.
To that end, MHA participated in the
Milipol Qatar Exhibition.
The three-day event was the biggest
international
exhibition in the
Middle East
dedicated to internal
security. MHA
adopted a Singapore
Pavilion approach
and led the
Singapore Home
Mr Jackson Lim
Team booth. By
many counts, this
exhibition was a
successful effort, and MHA plans to
participate in a couple more in the
upcoming years.
Perhaps the best advertisement to the
credibility of Singapore’s expertise in the
security arena is October 2008’s election
of Singapore’s Chief of Police (CP) as
President of Interpol.
“This really underlines the international
recognition of Singapore’s competency
and enhances our global branding,”
says Mr Lim.
Threats and opportunities
Indeed, the current global fi nancial and
economic crises offer opportunities for
Singapore to reinforce its hub status. For
example, the premium on trust has
increased. The fi nancial crisis and China’s
milk contamination are only two of the
more recent examples, which clearly
demonstrate the defi cit of trust in the world
today. Singapore’s status as a trusted
reference is now more valuable than before.
“Through World•Singapore, we should
strive to fi nd more ways to build on our
advantages as a hub, and secure
Singapore’s position as a central node in
the new networks that may emerge,”
says Mr Ho. “That we operate in a much
larger strategic, political and economic
space reminds us that it is going to be a
constant struggle to maintain our position
and to stay ahead… we must re-invent
and reposition ourselves, and stay ahead
of the competition.”