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Managing fear

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In the aftermath of the September 11 strikes, Singapore beefed up its internal security. Gun-toting troops were deployed to patrol the corridors of Changi International Airport, extra safety precautions were adopted at oil installations and a new government agency was created to enhance officials' co-ordination.

After the Bali bombings in October, that level of preparedness was raised a notch further. Come to the Lion City these days and you will notice traffic barriers cordoning off some popular nightspots, and a heightened sense of vigilance among bar and restaurant managers.

The more recent wave of changes is most apparent at locations favoured by expatriates. Both Boat Quay, a row of bars that stretches along the Singapore River, and Holland Village, a suburban patch of shops and restaurants that attracts a disproportionate numbers of Westerners, have seen security greatly intensified.

In truth, the most recent batch of precautions has merely built upon the steps taken last December. A year ago, Singaporean security services claimed to have foiled an Islamist plot hatched by the al Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiah to target Western diplomatic premises, social clubs and businesses.

The top-notch American Club boasted its own contingent of military guards for months. Fearful of car-bomb attacks, nearby parking slots remain cordoned off. All these moves are designed to thwart any would-be attackers and offer a sense of reassurance to those on their night out. But, perhaps understandably, they have also induced among some the opposite effect.

The atmosphere has also dented trade in the neon-lit nightspots as some punters prefer to go elsewhere for their night-time pasta, or choose instead to stay at home.

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