Singapore to cut off public servants from the internet

Government declares its systems will be 'air-gapped' to guard against cyber attack but some analysts warn hi-tech nation risks falling behind

Singapore is planning to cut off web access for public servants as a defence against potential cyber attack - a move closely watched by critics who say it marks a retreat for a technologically advanced city-state that has trademarked the term "smart nation".

Some security experts say the policy, due to be in place by May, risks damaging productivity among civil servants and those working at more than four dozen statutory boards, and cutting them off from the people they serve. It may only raise slightly the defensive walls against cyber attack, they say.