Aiyah, just when you thought 2024 couldn't get more rojak, news breaks of that horrible Sydney mall attack. Six lives gone, just like that. At Bondi Junction of all places, where Singaporeans go for flat whites and sunburn, now stained red. Our heart aches for the victims, seriously.

Our new PM Lawrence Wong didn't play play. Before you could say kopi siew dai, he had MFA issuing statements condemning the violence as terrorism, full stop. Not gang fight, not mental health episode, not regular crime. Terrorism. Strong word, that one.

Now some uncles at my regular hawker stall asked me, why so fast to call terrorism ah? Wait for Aussie investigation finish lah. But see, there's method here. By naming it early, Singapore plants a flag, shows we stand with the West against extremism. Smart move considering our security partnerships. Also reminds regional friends Malaysia and Indonesia we don't chao kuan when threats appear.

But deeper down, got real human questions bubbling. The attacker Joel Cauchi had mental health issues, yes, but reports say he specifically targeted women. Meanwhile ISIS supporters online cheering like they just won TOTO. This blurry line between crazy and ideological makes everyone nervous.

What our neighbors want to know, quietly lah: Could Singapore witness something like this? Our social fabric is tighter than a new Bata shoe, but terrorism no respecter of harmony. Remember the JI arrests in 2001? Or that SGSecure app you ignore notifications from? Maybe time to pay attention, hor.

PM Wong's quick response isn't just wayang, this is the new leadership style. Unlike his predecessors who waited for formal confirmation, this generation acts first. Kinda like how you send condolences to a neighbor whose mum passed even before the wake starts. Human decency first, protocol later.

Australia may appreciate this gesture more than we realize. Remember how Canberra helped us during the COVID ventilator crisis, sending supplies when others hoarded? Friends help friends. And when terrorists attack, friends name the dragon together.

But ah, the hawker center aunties raise good point also. That day after news broke, I saw more police patrols around Orchard Road malls. Not that anyone panicked, Singaporeans still queuing for bubble tea like nothing happened. This resilience is our secret weapon. The moment we stop having kaya toast debates and start eyeing each other suspiciously, terrorists win.

Regional context matters too. Indonesia just had another church bomb threat last month. Southern Thailand's violence never really stopped. Remember the 2016 Jakarta attacks near Sarinah Mall? Southeast Asia knows this dance too well. Singapore's strong stance reminds everyone we haven't forgotten these shared wounds.

Here's the ketchup in the chicken rice. Our terrorism laws are tight, yes, but human hearts are harder to govern. Every time something like this happens abroad, it's a nudge to check our own social fabric. That Malay family upstairs you smile at in the elevator, the Filipino domestic helper in your WhatsApp group chat, that Indian trader beside your kopitiam table, these everyday connections are our real defense.

So what's the takeaway from PM Wong's statement? More than diplomatic niceties, it's about reaffirming who we are. Singapore doesn't wait for perfect information to show human solidarity. We name evil quickly but respond calmly. And maybe whisper a silent thank you that our multicultural tapestry remains our strongest armor.

Next time you see community patrol volunteers doing their rounds, give them a nod. Maybe even join one. Not because disaster is coming, but because being Singaporean means keeping the kopi steam rising for everyone. Today Sydney, tomorrow who knows. But our hawker spirit outlasts any extremist ideology. Just don't try telling that to my NS buddies still bitter about guard duty.