Ng Eng Hen commends Maritime Security Task Force
Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen yesterday commended the Maritime Security Task Force (MSTF), after they stepped up operations in recent months in response to several incidents.
After visiting Changi Naval Base, Dr Ng, in a Facebook post, noted that the MSTF has the capabilities to conduct round-the-clock surveillance of Singapore's territorial waters from air, land and sea.
He wrote: "In recent months, MSTF has stepped up operations in response to a number of incidents - the Batam terrorist cell, Trump-Kim summit and intrusions into the Singapore territorial waters at Tuas."
He added: "I commended and encouraged them to stay vigilant and professional at all times."
Dr Ng was accompanied by Senior Minister of State for Defence Heng Chee How, MPs Vikram Nair and Henry Kwek, who sit on the Government Parliamentary Committee for Defence and Foreign Affairs, and senior media editors.
Set up in 2009, the Republic of Singapore Navy's MSTF works with law enforcement and maritime agencies to safeguard Singapore's waters.
Among other things, the force conducts daily patrols as well as boarding and escort operations in the Singapore Strait and sea lines of communications - which are key maritime passageways that facilitate trade.
A half-minute video posted by Dr Ng showed him speaking on the phone with Lieutenant-Colonel Ye Yiming, the commanding officer of littoral mission vessel RSS Justice.
GOOD WORK
In his call made from the MSTF operations centre, the minister asked LTC Ye to "tell (his) crew to continue their good work".
Dr Ng added in his post that the MSTF works closely with national agencies - the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, Singapore Civil Defence Force, Singapore Customs and Singapore Police Force - to safeguard Singapore's territorial waters around the clock.
On Oct 25, Malaysia unilaterally extended the Johor Baru port limits such that they encroached on Singapore's territorial waters off Tuas.
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