SINGAPORE, Nov 21: Asian countries were urged on Wednesday to review their security policies and cooperate on a regional and international level following the September attacks in the United States.

Experts also told delegates to a three-day forum on security that apart from tighter national measures, commercial enterprises will also have to review their existing security policies.

Every country needs to review and develop the right solutions to maintain a secure and safe environment for the well-being of their citizens and their economic prosperity, Singapore’s Minister of State for Home Affairs Ho Peng Kee said in an opening speech.

Businesses also need to review their security and safety measures and adopt new solutions to meet increased threats so as to provide a safe environment for their employees as well as their customers, he said.

According to Singapore’s CISCO security service provider, there has been a sharp rise in demand for security surveillance from the corporate world since the attacks in New York and Washington.

Especially since the unfortunate incident in September, we have seen an increase in demand for security systems as well as security consultancy services, Francisco Celio, a general manager with CISCO’s consultancy division, told AFP.

Many companies have actually put into place a review program of previous plans, he said.

The terror attacks was more than just a wake-up call on the importance of security, said Celio.

It was a reminder of the new kind of threats faced by everyone, he said.

The September 11, (incident) signalled a different level of threat, Celio said.

And when there is a change in threats, obviously one has to look at their plans and put in the appropriate measures.

Singapore’s Police Commissioner, Khoo Boon Hui, warned the Internet and modern technology cannot be overlooked in the formulation of security measures.

Investigations into the 911 (September 11) perpetrators have revealed how extensively they depended on modern technology, including Internet, to successfully launch their attacks without warning, said Khoo.

While the Internet promotes knowledge-based industries and commerce, it also facilitates terrorists and criminals in their illicit intents surreptitiously, he said.

Apart from giving terrorists the leeway to hide their identities, the Internet provides a fertile ground to recruit new followers into the terror network, said Khoo.

He said the Internet can be used to garner support for destructive causes or as a medium to launch terrorist actions against legitimate public and private organizations.

Globalization and the burgeoning use of the Internet and advanced technologies have shrunk our world in a way we have never imagined possible, said Khoo.—AFP