Singaporeans Come Together to Prepare for Disruptions in Commemoration of Total Defence

The second edition of Exercise SG Ready was officially kicked off by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Gan Kim Yong, at the Total Defence Day Commemoration Event (TDDCE) held at the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) Center this afternoon. In his Total Defence Day message, DPM Gan highlighted how Singaporeans need to be prepared for emerging threats that can disrupt our daily lives and emphasised the important role everyone has to play in Total Defence. He said, “As the challenges we face are becoming more complex, it is even more important that we strengthen our whole-of-nation response, Economic, Social, Civil, Digital, Psychological, and Military, to be vigilant, to be prepared when disruptions happen, and to support one another so that we can stay united and recover faster and stronger”

At the TDDCE, DPM Gan previewed some of the highlights of this year’s Exercise SG Ready which included a phishing exercise co-led by Nexus and the SBF[1], and displays by Total Defence partners such as Singapore Civil Defence Force, SP Group and SFA-SATS to showcase capabilities that can be deployed during power disruptions. This year’s exercise is co-led by MINDEF and the Energy Market Authority (EMA), with a focus on strengthening Singaporeans’ preparedness for power disruptions. During the event, Senior Minister of State for Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), Mr Heng Chee How also witnessed the exchanging of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Nexus, MINDEF and SBF to strengthen business organisations’ resilience against cyberthreats.

Exercise SG Ready will be held at various locations from 15 February to 28 February 2025 as part of the Total Defence campaign. Some key activities this weekend include mobilisation exercises by the Singapore Army and the Republic of Singapore Air Force, a counterterrorism and emergency preparedness exercise by the Singapore Police Force, community events at SAFRA Choa Chu Kang for members of the community to learn what to do during a disruption, including a Cyber Safety Quest for volunteers from Keat Hong Grassroots Organisation, as well as the switching off of façade lights for over 30 prominent buildings to simulate a power disruption caused by cyberattack[1]. Beyond this weekend, there are also other exercise activities involving different communities, such as mass CPR, AED certification and psychological first aid training for Team Nila sport volunteers. Schools at the primary, secondary and pre-university levels were also encouraged to participate in Exercise SG Ready, through a simulation of power, food or water disruptions which result from a prolonged power outage. About 200 businesses will also be participating in a phishing exercise to strengthen cyber resilience and review their business continuity plans.  

More than 1,000 organisations comprising schools, communities, businesses and government agencies will carry out different disruption or preparedness activities across the two-week exercise period to strengthen their business continuity plans for power disruptions or phishing attacks. The aim of this exercise is to get individuals, communities and businesses to reflect on the question: "Are you ready for disruptions?", and put Total Defence into action through contingency plans for disruptions.

Singaporeans may find out more about the timings and locations involved in the exercise by accessing the SGReadyGoWhere website. The public can key in a postal code, street or building name to get information on the location, timing, and type of activity taking place. 

About Total Defence Day:

Total Defence Day is commemorated on 15 February each year – the same day that Singapore fell to the Japanese in 1942 during World War II. It serves as a reminder to Singaporeans of our collective responsibility to defend our nation and strengthen our resolve to keep Singapore safe and sovereign.

About Exercise SG Ready 2025:

Co-led by MINDEF and EMA, Exercise SG Ready (ESR) will return for its second edition, which will be held from 15 February to 28 February at various locations on different dates across the island. Over 1,000 organisations, schools and units from educational, community, businesses and government sectors will carry out different disruption or preparedness activities across the two-week exercise period to strengthen their business continuity plans for power disruptions or phishing attacks. As a signature event of SG60, ESR 2025 invites Singaporeans to reflect on the crises and disruptions that we have gone through in the last 60 years, and what we are likely to face going forward. It is an opportunity for Singaporeans to show care for others in times of such crises and disruptions. The aim of Exercise SG Ready is to encourage individuals, communities and businesses to reflect on the question: "Are you ready for disruptions?” and put Total Defence into action through contingency plans. More information on the exercise is found on the SGReadyGoWhere website.

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