S'PORE OPENS FACILITY TO DETECT HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

By Zakaria Abdul Wahab

SINGAPORE, Jan 21 (Bernama) - Singapore today opened a new border inspection
facility at the Tuas Checkpoint that can detect hazardous materials such as
chemical or biological agents brought into the republic.

The $4 million facility which has a laboratory and decontamination unit was
opened by Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan
Seng.

Touted by the Singapore authority as the first border facility of its kind
in the world, the Tuas Protective and Analytical Facility would alert the
Immigration and Customs Authority (ICA) if it detects the release of hazardous
agents at the checkpoint cargo lanes.

The facility also has a decontamination unit for checkpoint officers to
swiftly wash themselves down in the event of a chemical spill or a deliberate
terrorist attack involving chemical or biological weapons.

Saying its borders were the first-line of defence, Wong said the facility
was critical to Singapore's security as hazardous materials like chemical and
biological agents could be smuggled into Singapore by terrorists.

Wong said the terrorist threat had evolved in sophistication and with
today's security climate plus the sheer volume of travellers entering the
republic, the policing of Singapore borders had become more challenging and
complex.

He said in a recession, there might be even more attempts to smuggle
contraband into the country.

The minister said there were about 38,600 smuggling cases detected at all
its border checkpoints last year, an increase of about two percent compared to
2007.

Wong said the ICA should treat all smuggling activities as a security
problem "because if one can smuggle cigarettes, one can smuggle terrorist
operatives or explosives into the country."
-- BERNAMA