PUBLISHED ONSeptember 05, 2026 5:00 AMBYSean LerAbout 60 years ago, a little known outfit — established within the then-Ministry of Interior and Defence to provide geopolitical analysis — was formed.
Today, as the Security and Intelligence Division (SID) marks 60 years of safeguarding Singapore's security and interests, it is a key, trusted national security agency that delivers critical information and insights to the government.
And it is this continued search for people with the right calling that SID has launched its official LinkedIn page along with its public website.
These platforms serve to enhance public understanding of the SID career, and better connect with Singaporeans with the values and skills to contribute towards its mission, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said.
Describing the agency's value in his speech at a closed-door commemoration event on Friday (Sept 4), Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said its contributions are unique.
"Over the past 60 years, SID has played important roles at critical junctures in Singapore’s history," he said, adding that while much of its work cannot be publicly discussed, the agency has helped successive generations of Singapore leaders to see the world more clearly.
These have, in turn, allowed Singapore's leaders to identify threats early, understand the intentions of others, and make difficult decisions with greater confidence, the prime minister added.
PM Wong noted that Singapore now faces a changed external environment, which makes SID's work "more demanding, and more important".
This, as the boundaries between security, economics and technology become less distinct, he highlighted.
"Trade, investment, supply chains and access to technology are increasingly being used as instruments of statecraft.
"Economic dependencies can create strategic vulnerabilities; commercial decisions can have national security consequences."
And in order for Singapore to understand not just what countries are saying and doing politically, but also, how they may use all sorts of different levers, economically and technological levers to advance their interests, SID must continue to be able to understand these shifts early and assess what they mean for Singapore, he said.
The prime minister acknowledged that all these makes SID's work "more complex, more demanding", emphasising that the "most fundamental factor" to SID's success will be its people.
"SID must continue to attract and retain people with sharp minds, sound judgment, deep expertise, and a strong sense of mission for Singapore," he said.
They must be able to build deep tradecraft and regional expertise, work confidently with technology, think independently and give unvarnished assessments, PM Wong added.
SID will also need people with integrity, courage and resilience — who understand the hard realities of the world, but never lose sight of what they are working to protect, the prime minister said.
"The work demands dedication and discretion. Officers must be prepared to serve without public recognition. Finding such people will never be easy. But we must keep making the effort. I am glad we have many of them in SID."
MINDEF said in a factsheet on Saturday morning that this commitment fosters a dynamic environment designed to attract people with a heart and talent to contribute to its mission across five broad disciplines: analysis, corporate, international partnerships, operations and technology.
In an interview with the media on Aug 13, former SID chief Eddie Teo, who led the agency between 1979 and 1994, acknowledged that his position then required personal sacrifices.
He spoke about how he had to give up time with his family, but that they understood it allowed him to protect Singapore from threats beyond its borders.
Teo was awarded one of Singapore's highest civilian honour — the Order of Temasek (With Distinction) — in this year's National Day Awards.
Former SID chief-of-staff Kevin Santa Maria, now retired, said of the work: “Intelligence operations are fundamentally built on the dedication and sacrifices of our people, who receive little public recognition for the efforts they undertake. But every one of us is profoundly aware that working in SID is not just a job – it is a calling.”
Rounding up his address, PM Wong said that for a small country like Singapore, the ability to anticipate, understand and act early is a vital source of strategic advantage.
"And you (SID officers) help contribute to this strategic advantage," he added.
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