Speech by SMS Zaqy at Association of Certified Security Agencies (ACSA) Security Industry Transformation Awards 2024

Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad

1. Good evening. 

• I am delighted to join you at this year’s Security Industry Transformation Awards ceremony to recognise and commend over 50 individuals, security agencies and security service buyers. 
• I would like to thank ACSA and the organising committee for this meaningful event to celebrate the successful transformation efforts in the security industry. 

Transformation of the Security Industry 

2. First, I would like to express my appreciation to the industry and everyone working in it for playing an integral role in keeping Singapore safe and secure. 

• However, just like almost every other industry, it is not immune to the long-term challenges of an ageing population and manpower constraints. 
• The Government is thus fully supportive of the efforts to transform the industry and ensure that our security agencies and officers continue to deliver top-notch security services even as we strive to be more efficient and productive.  
  
   

3. Together with tripartite partners, we launched the Security Industry Transformation Map in 2018. 

• It is a roadmap to transform the security industry from one that is manpower-reliant, to one that is more tech-enabled and productive. 
• Since then, the security industry has been innovating and leveraging more productive solutions that integrate manpower, technology and improved processes. 

4. At the heart of this transformation process is the reskilling and upskilling of our security officers. 

• To attract new entrants to join the security industry and ensure that security officers have the competencies needed to fulfil their roles, we work closely with our tripartite partners to uplift wages and skills, and provide a better working environment for our security officers.

5. The Security Progressive Wage Model, or PWM, is a tripartite effort that was launched in 2016 to provide career pathways, increase wages, and upskilling to improve the productivity of security officers. 

• The PWM benefits more than 40,000 resident security officers today  
• By 2028, a security officer’s PWM wage will increase to $3,530, up by 56% compared to 2022. 

6. For PWM to be sustainable, wage increases must grow in tandem with a rise in productivity. 

• This can only be achieved through the combined efforts of stakeholders in adopting technology and upskilling workers to transform the security industry.  

7. This is why security agencies must embrace transformation and leverage technology to supplement manpower needs and enhance productivity. 

• Triple ‘S’ Protection Pte Ltd, winner of the Platinum Award for Outstanding Security Agency, is a good example of how they have successfully used technology to increase the productivity of security officers.   

• This has reduced response time by more than 90%, as security officers can respond to the exact location with live feeds instead of searching the entire premises.
• This has also reduced the number of security officers needed at sites.
• More importantly, it has improved the working environment for security officers as they will only be deployed to the scene to investigate further if an abnormality is detected. 

• This will help to raise the productivity of the security industry, and allow wage increases under the PWM to be sustainable. 
• The training equips our security officers with the necessary skills to confidently deliver high-quality services to improve our security. 
• More importantly, this empowers security officers to take on higher value-added jobs and strengthens their employment resilience.

10. Leacov, winner of the Platinum Award for Security Training Organisation, is a good example of how training firms can leverage technology to make training more effective. 

• It is not viable to conduct a class at an actual event and "plant" a suspicious person in the crowd. 
• Hence, Leacov introduced Virtual Reality to provide simulated scenarios and bring realism to training, such as identifying suspicious persons in crowded areas. 
• They also use Augmented Reality in their training, for example to identify different types of fires and choose the right fire-fighting resources. 

11. The last piece of the  puzzle is service buyers. 

• We can make innovation and technology more pervasive in the industry only if more service buyers shift towards outcome-based contracting. 
• This will allow and in fact incentivise security agencies to press on with their efforts to achieve better security outcomes with less manpower. 
• This can  be a win-win, given our ageing population and stagnating workforce. 
  
  

Conclusion

 12. I am heartened to see how individuals, security agencies, and security service buyers have worked with us to create a vibrant, technologically advanced and competitive security industry that brings better security outcomes for Singapore and good career progression and prospects for our officers.

13. Once again, my heartiest congratulations to all the award recipients today for helping to transform and uplift the security industry.

• Let’s continue to work together for the safety and security of Singapore.
• Thank you and wishing everyone an enjoyable evening ahead!