Wanting to express his anti-government views, a safety officer hatched a plan to burn down a police station to draw the public's attention to his grouses.

Sivaprakash Mailravanan later decided to start a blaze outside Kallang Neighbourhood Police Post (NPP) instead and set fire to various items, including deodorant spray cans, causing 16 explosions between 11.13pm and 11.23pm on March 13 last year.

He also used an axe to smash glass panels at the police post, on the ground floor of Block 105 Towner Road, and spray-painted "ISIS" - an abbreviation for the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria terrorist group - on seven pillars in the vicinity.

The 31-year-old Singaporean was sentenced yesterday to 31/2 years in jail and nine strokes of the cane. He had earlier pleaded guilty to one count each of vandalism, causing mischief by fire and being in possession of a weapon.

No one was injured during the rampage, but a district court heard that his offences caused some $20,000 in damage to the area and a nearby car.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Marcus Foo said Sivaprakash developed an interest in social affairs some time in 2009.

Mr Foo said: "Over years, the accused developed the view that various government policies in Singapore were unfair, favoured the well-to-do, and he perceived the authorities to be overly restrictive. Over time, the accused developed a deep resentment against the Singapore Government."

The DPP added: "While he did not personally support the said terrorist group, the accused spray-painted 'ISIS' on the pillars of the HDB void deck knowing that this would create terror and alarm to those who witnessed this."

The police were notified of Sivaprakash's acts at 11.09pm that night. Police officers and firefighters from the Singapore Civil Defence Force arrived at the scene about 10 minutes later. The fire was extinguished after about 10 minutes and police arrested Sivaprakash, who was found sitting on the ground nearby.