SINGAPORE: A Reddit user asked if ministers in Singapore have security personnel with them all the time, adding that they had seen many events where even former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was “mixing around with regular people and no security personnel in sight.”
In a July 7 post on r/askSingapore, one Redditor added that even if security personnel were around, it seemed that Mr Lee was “way too close with ordinary people.”
They then went on to ask whether this is unique to Singapore, as they had never seen Russian President Vladimir Putin or United States’ President Joseph Biden “just mixing around with ordinary folks at some random small event.”
Instead, they are often seen in public with “30+ security guards, some snipers on a roof nearby, and a dozen bulletproof cars with hidden turrets and machine guns or something waiting by the roadside.”
Commenters on the post hastened to reassure him that ministers in Singapore have security details, but they are in plain clothes.
“The security is for the sake of the country, not the politicians,” added one.
The post author said that they had seen plainclothes security personnel around the ex-Prime Minister during big events, but on smaller ones such as HDB community events, there must be less security staff who do not seem to be “even near LHL.”
“If you compare this to other world leaders, it’s very obvious there’s like a dozen of undercover guards surrounding the leader,” they added.
Another chimed in that before Lawrence Wong became Prime Minister, he had always seen at least one security detail with him, and the same goes for Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong.
“I find it hard to imagine LHL will not have at least 2 bodyguards surrounding him at all times, even during community events. Perhaps you are not looking close enough or they are damn good at blending in,” the commenter added, saying that the security detail is not too hard to identify, as they are mostly middle-aged men with earpieces and faces looking “like you owed them money, very stoic and serious.”
Others pointed out that the fact that the plainclothes’ security details could hardly be seen by the post author means they’re doing a good job.
One commenter argued that the leaders of some European countries are hardly seen with security personnel either and are even photographed biking to work.
Another said that too many security personnel at community events would intimidate residents, which politicians would not want.
A Reddit user who had experience being in events where Mr Lee had been present said that the people allowed to come near him had been vetted beforehand and that there were areas in the event venue that were off limits to others.
“Typically the normal ministers just have one officer following them day to day and the minister drives their own car etc. and the officer is just following to ensure basic protection.
The critical roles that may attract a higher threat (eg. President, PM, SM, Minister for defence, home affairs, finance) will have a team deployed with 1-2 SecCom vehicles following, etc,” explained one commenter. /TISG
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