SINGAPORE, June 30 — Following the Istanbul attack, security agencies here immediately stepped up checks and patrols at checkpoints and key transport nodes, said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) yesterday (June 29).

This is similar to what was done in the wake of the Paris attacks in November last year, the Jakarta bombing in January, and the blasts in Brussels at the city’s airport and a metro station in March.

Responding to queries after suicide bombings killed 41 people at Ataturk Airport yesterday, an MHA spokesperson said its agencies stepped up checks and patrols at the air, land and sea checkpoints and at the key transport nodes.

"We will calibrate security measures according to the threat environment,” added the spokesperson. 

In a post on Facebook, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he was "shocked and saddened yet again” by another terror attack.

"Singapore strongly condemns this senseless attack, which as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said could have happened ‘at any airport in any city around the world’,” wrote Lee. "It is a grim reminder of the reality of the global menace of terrorism. Singapore must remain on guard, knowing that it is not a matter of if, but when, such an attack lands on our shores.”

Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam said the attack was clearly coordinated, and noted it took place during the holy month of Ramadan.

"This has shattered the peaceful Ramadan period, and brought grief to many Muslims and non-Muslims in Turkey and all around the globe. It is against the fundamentals of what Ramadan means,” he wrote in a post on Facebook. "Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims and their families.”

Following the spate of terror attacks in recent months, the authorities announced a re-organisation of police response forces, and also announced a SG Secure national movement to improve community response to terror attacks. New laws will also be introduced to require owners of premises and organisers of major events to put in place security measures.

Responding to queries on whether it had stepped up security measures after the Istanbul attack, Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) said that it was ready to deploy additional resources for operations, security and crowd control when necessary, among other measures. Sentosa Resilience Director Lee Cheow Hiang said all frontliners and island stakeholders are trained to look out for potential security and safety concerns, and drills were regularly conducted to respond swiftly in the event of incidents.

The MHA said anyone who sees any suspicious item or a person acting suspiciously should contact the police at 999 or the ISD Counter-Terrorism Centre at 1800-2626-473 (1800-2626-ISD) promptly. "All of us have an important role to play in keeping Singapore safe,” the ministry spokesperson said. ― TODAY