Graffiti on train – latest in series of security breaches?

The graffiti sprayed on a SMRT train on 3 November might be the work of “disgruntled workers or vendors”, says the Straits Times on Tuesday.
The graffiti at the Bishan train depot is the fourth such case to take place since 2010, and is the third vandalism incident.
In 2011, vandals apparently cut a hole in the Bishan depot fence and the words “Jet Setter’s” were spray-painted on a train.
And in 2010, two vandals cut through the fence at the SMRT’s Changi depot and sprayed graffiti on a train.
And similar to the last one in May, the graffiti over the weekend spanned two train doors.
The SMRT is investigating the latest incident and has not confirmed if it was an “inside job”, which was suggested because there does not seem to have been a breach of the 6.5km security fence around the depot.
After the security breaches in May and earlier, the authorities promised to up security measures at depots such as installing motion sensors along its perimeter fencing, installing more cameras and lights, and deploying guards from third-party vendors.
The apparent security breaches or intrusions into the train depots parallel that of other security breaches in other areas in recent times.
On 19 August this year, three Caucasians entered Singapore illegally from Malaysia in a catamaran, after having landed at the Raffles Marina.

The breach prompted the Home Affairs Minister, Teo Chee Hean, to inform Parliament that more barriers will be erected around Singapore’s shores and a review of the current maritime security regime will be undertaken to deter and prevent illegal entry.
On 8 March 2014, Malaysian Tan Chu Seng, 64, drove a gold-colored Mercedes Benz sedan through the Woodlands checkpoint in the second security breach of the year to happen at the Causeway.

The incident followed that of the one in January where another Malaysian motorist breached Singapore’s border security.
The motorist, a woman, eluded police for three days before being arrested while trespassing the foreign ministry headquarters, in what officials described as a serious security lapse.

Mr Teo told Parliament in February that the security lapse was “not acceptable” and that it was a “serious error of judgement” on the part of the ground officers.
The series of security lapses this year and in previous years may renew the call for higher-ups to take responsibility for them, as the threat of terrorism remains in the spotlight following events around the world.