A bomb threat caused disruption at Xinmin Secondary School in the Hougang district of Singapore, prompting an urgent evacuation of students and staff. Police quickly conducted a search but found no suspicious items, confirming the threat was a hoax. Authorities warned that the offense carries severe penalties, including up to seven years' imprisonment, fines up to 1.3 million baht, or both.
Disorder occurred at Xinmin Secondary School, located in the Hougang area of Singapore, on the morning of 13 August when the school received a "bomb threat" alert. This led to the immediate evacuation of all students and staff from the school buildings.
The Singapore Police Force reported receiving the alert at about 08:20. Police officers, together with school personnel, conducted a thorough search of the entire school premises. No suspicious objects or irregularities were found, and all students and staff were confirmed safe before being allowed to return to their classrooms and resume normal lessons.
Tan Sun Hui, principal of Xinmin Secondary School, stated in a press release that upon learning of the threat, the school immediately coordinated with police and ordered the swift and orderly evacuation of all students and teachers to the designated assembly point on the field. The school will provide psychological support to students and staff and maintain strict emergency response protocols.
A Secondary 4 student described feeling shocked when the principal announced over the school loudspeaker around 08:30 that everyone must evacuate to the field. The sudden announcement caused considerable alarm, especially among some students who were taking exams at the time.
The incident greatly alarmed parents, who were notified of the situation at about 10:00 via "Parents Gateway," the school's official communication app, and received further updates through WhatsApp in the afternoon.
One parent revealed, "I was very shocked; I never thought such an incident would happen at a school in Singapore. However, I must acknowledge that the school managed the situation professionally and followed proper safety procedures. It was right for the school to control the situation and confirm safety before informing parents because if parents had panicked and rushed to the school, it might have caused even more chaos."
Singapore police said they are investigating the case under the charge of "making false statements about hazardous incidents." The offender faces a maximum penalty of seven years' imprisonment or a fine up to 50,000 Singapore dollars (around 1.3 million baht), or both.
"The police take all security threats seriously and will not hesitate to take strict legal action against anyone who deliberately makes false bomb threat reports," the police statement said.
This fake bomb threat at a school comes just four years after a similar hoax at Evergreen Secondary School in the Woodlands area. Although that case was also a hoax, Singapore’s Security and Intelligence Division and Ministry of Home Affairs have emphasized that all security threats must be monitored and addressed seriously at all times.