A bomb threat caused disruption at Xinmin Secondary School in the Hougang district of Singapore, leading to an urgent evacuation of students and staff. Police swiftly conducted a search but found no suspicious items, confirming it was a hoax. Authorities warned that offenders face severe penalties, including up to seven years imprisonment and fines up to 1.3 million baht, or both.
Chaos unfolded yesterday morning (13 August) at Xinmin Secondary School, located in Singapore's Hougang district, after the school received a "bomb threat" warning. This prompted the immediate evacuation of all students and staff from the school buildings.
The Singapore Police Force reported that they were alerted at approximately 08:20. Police officers, together with school personnel, conducted a thorough inspection of the entire school premises. The search found no suspicious objects or abnormalities, confirming that all students and staff were safe. They were subsequently allowed to return to their classes and resume normal school activities.
Mr. Tan Sun Hui, principal of Xinmin Secondary School, stated in a press release that upon learning of the threat, the school immediately coordinated with the police and swiftly evacuated all students and teachers to a designated assembly point on the school field in an orderly manner. The school will provide psychological support for students and staff and maintain strict emergency response measures moving forward.
A Secondary 4 student recalled that the principal announced over the school loudspeakers around 08:30, instructing everyone to evacuate to the field. The sudden announcement caused significant alarm, especially among students who were in the middle of exams.
The incident greatly alarmed parents, who received notifications through "Parents Gateway," the school's communication app, at about 10:00. Further updates were provided later in the afternoon via the WhatsApp application.
One parent revealed, "I was very shocked; I never imagined such an incident could happen at a Singapore school. However, I must acknowledge that the school handled the situation professionally and followed proper safety procedures. It was right for the school to ensure the situation was under control and confirm safety before informing parents, as panic among parents rushing to the school could have caused more chaos."
Singapore police stated they are currently investigating the case under the offense of "communicating false information regarding a harmful act." The perpetrator faces a maximum sentence of seven years imprisonment, a fine of up to SGD 50,000 (approximately 1.3 million baht), or both.
"The police take all security threats seriously and will not hesitate to take stringent legal action against anyone who deliberately spreads false information about bomb threats," the police statement said.
This false bomb threat incident at the school comes just four years after a similar case at Evergreen Secondary School in the Woodlands area. Although that was also a hoax, Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs and the news agency NewsGuard emphasized that all forms of security threats remain a serious concern requiring constant vigilance and response.