Terrorism threat lurks behind, Goh warns

Terrorism threat lurks behind, Goh warns

The Jakarta Post/
Asia News Network (ANN)
Singapore

Singapore and countries in the region remain vulnerable to
attacks from international terrorist groups even if there has not
been any evidence of an imminent threat, Prime Minister Goh Chok
Tong says.

The prime targets, if and when they launched their attacks,
would likely be American interests in the region, Goh said during
a meeting with executives of the Asia News Network on Tuesday.

"I don't think there is an imminent threat, but the danger
lurks behind.

"We believe that there is a real alternative that things may
go wrong somewhere, sometime in the region, in primarily in
American interests, perhaps in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Australia."

Singapore government has made several arrests of people
believed to be connected with the Al Qaeda group.

Fears that Al Qaeda may shift its activities to Southeast Asia
after its base in Afghanistan was bombed by the United States has
prompted countries in the region, including Singapore, to arrest
people suspected to have links with the group.

Although there has been no single attack since the alarm was
raised in September, Goh believes countries in the region should
not let their guards down.

"(There has been) no evidence of any real immediate danger but
we believe the danger is there," he said.

Singapore intelligence has monitored the activities of members
of the Jemaah Islamiyah, a network of groups with aspirations to
turn countries in the region into an Islamic states.

"They went to Thailand and then made their way to Indonesia.
After that, we don't know where they are," he said.

Diplomatic row broke out between Indonesia and Singapore in
February when Senior Prime Minister Lee Kwan Yew said that
terrorist leaders were roaming free in Indonesia.

The two countries have since patched up ties and struck an
understanding to join forces in fighting terrorism.

Recognizing the challenges Indonesia faces in clamping down
extremist groups operating in the country, Goh cautioned against
alienating Muslims in the fight against terrorism.

"You must never alienate the majority of Muslims by creating
the wrong impression that we are against Islam. If you do that,
then the battle is lost.

"We've got to be very clear that this is not against Islam,
not against Muslims, but we're targeting the extremists."

But he echoed U.S concerns that al Qaeda or other terrorist
groups may take advantage of the situation in Indonesia.

"If that international network can have influence over the
Indonesian network, Indonesia will become involved, then it will
be used by outsiders against Indonesian interest or against
regional interest for this international terrorist network
objectives."

During the meeting with the Asia News Network -- which groups
primarily English-language media in the region -- Goh talked at
length about the development, or the lack thereof, within the
Association of Southeast Asia (ASEAN).

Goh stressed the need for Asia to forge economic cooperation
in view of the ongoing process of economic integrations in Europe
and North America.

ASEAN must take the initiative lest it become marginalized, he
said.

China, Japan and South Korea were quite content to let ASEAN
lead as attested by these countries' offer to engage in free
trade arrangements. India would also join in this process, he
added.

Goh defended Singapore's decision to go it alone in engaging
in free trade with the United States, stressing that it was
acting in the interests of the region too.

"What we would like to see is ASEAN linking up with other
regional blocs .. because we believe that is in the interest of
Asean.

"If we do it alone, and then we show the way how it's done,
then we encourage other countries to follow us ... And if we get
an advantage in the short term, I hope others will be active.
And then they say: How is that Singapore is getting all the
advantage? And there are benefits; then they want to join you."

Goh proposed that ASEAN leaders meet more frequently and in a
far less formal setting to exchange ideas and chart where the
region's role in the world and where it is heading.

"We should all be sitting down together as to what are you
doing to recover Singapore of recession and I'll tell you what
I'm doing and you tell me what you are doing.

"Unfortunately, we are not at this stage where we can just sit
down, without coat, without tie and just exchange views. If we
can do that, ASEAN will be seen by people, and the leaders are
themselves working closely together; they're not just leaders and
good friends, they are facing common problems, they are sharing
experiences."

Goh said the informal annual meeting of ASEAN leaders, had
lately became "formal."

ASEAN had also lost its "natural leader" since Indonesia's
strongman Soeharto stepped down from power in 1998. This, Goh
says, was part of the problem facing the regional group.

In Soeharto's place, Goh proposed that four or five countries
collectively give ASEAN the leadership it needed.

"I would think the four countries now which have less domestic
priorities: Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand. Philippines is a
possibility. Indonesia, of course, you got to be (in)."

On his own political future, amidst speculation that he would
resign, Goh has this to say:

"I must give sufficient time to my successor to prepare
himself for the next election (due in 2007). If I give him one
year, I think it's insufficient time, it's not fair. So the
minimum I want to give him is two years, which is 2005.

If I can give him more time, even better. And the best time to
give is when the economy recovers, when it is strong; part of
this recovery is going to be led by the potential or the next
Prime Minister, then he rides on this, it consolidates his
background, he fights the next election, the party wins, that is
best.

"So early next year is too early."