S$1 billion will be set aside over the next three years to build up the government's cyber and data security capabilities, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat said on Tuesday, Feb. 18.

Singapore's cyber capabilities have strengthened

Delivering Singapore’s 2020 Budget Statement in Parliament, Heng said that Singapore must be prepared to deal with cyber threats as digitalisation becomes more pervasive.

Heng said that the country's cyber capabilities have been raised "significantly", with the setting up of the Cyber Security Agency (CSA) in 2015 and the passing of the Cybersecurity Act in 2018.

He stressed that everyone, including enterprises, individuals, and the government, must stay vigilant and strengthen their cyber and data security capabilities.

However, Heng did not elaborate how the S$1 billion would be used. Other Ministers, possibly Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam and Communications Minister S Iswaran may explain more during the upcoming Budget debates.

2012 Personal Data Protection Act protects citizens' data

Heng also reiterated that data security is a vital prerequisite of the country's digital economy, and is key to preserving trust in a digitally-connected world.

To do that, the government has enacted the Personal Data Protection Act in 2012, in addition to the "comprehensive measures" that the pubic service has adopted to secure and protect citizens' data.

Such enhancement of Singapore's cyber capabilities must be continued to realise the country's Smart Nation ambitions, he said.

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