Bloggers, moderators can help ease public fears in crises
By Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 18 April 2009 1714 hrs

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SINGAPORE: The Internet has made possible the rapid spread of fear in a crisis, said Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng.

But he said bloggers and website moderators can help ease public concerns should a terrorist attack occur.

Radio deejays, too, have a role to play as they are the public's first source of information, comfort and advice in uncertain times.

Since October 2007, 75 of them have visited the Home Team Academy and the Civil Defence Academy to get an understanding of emergency preparedness and counter-terrorism activities.

On the ground, Mr Wong said grassroots networks are also important. Their roles include ensuring adequate emergency response plans within each constituency and training community leaders to cope with crises.

Terrorist experts have spoken of the need to engage youths to avoid the spread of radical ideas. Over the past year, special efforts have been made in Singapore to facilitate this through school camps, ambassador programmes and a student journalist club.

Mr Wong said: "We will not know for certain if all that we have done or are doing will work in a real crisis. We may well fail.

"But we must do our best to work out practical response plans and exercise them in a realistic way with the players who will be the mobilisers and participants in a real situation. If we do not, we will fail."


- CNA/so