Comment: How did Singapore manage the fallout from the stabbing of St Joseph’s Church priest?

FAST, CLEAR AND CONSISTENT COMMUNICATION

The attack underscores the importance of how different stakeholders respond in the immediate aftermath of a crisis.

The stabbing occurred around 6.30pm and within hours, political officeholders and the Singapore Police Force (SPF) took to social media to clarify salient details about the attack in a bid to curb speculation, rumors and possible misinformation and disinformation.

Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam and SPF posted on Facebook: attacker He was a Sinhalese from Singapore who had previously declared himself a Christian. a history of causing serious injury and drug offenses.

It was stated that the attacker was believed to have acted alone and that there was no suspicion of terrorism.

Minister of Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong issued a statement condemning the attack, saying “this type of violence, in any form or for any reason, has absolutely no place in Singapore, let alone a place of worship.”

SPF held a media briefing just after midnight to provide all information available at the time.

Relevant stakeholders also emphasized that: Father Lee’s injuries When he was taken to the hospital, it was learned that his life was not in danger, he was conscious and his condition was stable.

Some may say that these efforts may have been seen as excessive, given the scant details available at the time, and question why a more cautious approach could not have been taken in releasing information about the attack.

But the tragic violence in the UK earlier this year underlines why extreme caution when it comes to sharing information may not be the best option.