Ng Eng Hen
Singapore
“I think we try to keep this virtuous state of affairs as long as we can to make sure that we can invest steadily. Year-to-year fluctuations would occur, whether it is economic, not so much in COVID-19, but remember the Global Financial Crisis? Everybody needs to take a haircut. If you have to take a haircut, you have to take a haircut.”
“Mr Chairman, as the World around us becomes more unpredictable and changes, the more we need to keep the strongest commitment to strengthen our own defences and, if needed, we must be willing to do more. Singapore celebrates 60 years of Independence this year.”
“MINDEF will continue to work with partners to encourage Singaporeans to raise their digital literacy, develop and maintain good cybersecurity habits, protect sensitive data and guard against scams, fake news and disinformation so as to make the digital domain a safer and more secure space.”
“The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) conducts regular mobilisation exercises (MOBEX) of our National Service (NS) forces. In a silent mobilisation, NSmen are notified through their personal contact numbers. Open mobilisations include the broadcast of unit code-words through mass media.”
“In 2020, the Ministry of Defence replied to a Parliamentary Question on this matter that the relocation of Paya Lebar Air Base (PLAB) would likely occur around 2030 or beyond, after Changi Air Base and Tengah Air Base have been expanded to house the existing assets at PLAB.”
“When incidents or near-misses happen, as it did where one Hunter armoured fighting vehicle rear-ended another during Exercise Wallaby in Australia, thorough investigations are conducted and lessons learnt shared across the units.”
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“Mdm Speaker, MINDEF agrees with the Member of Parliament Mr Liang that it would be good, indeed ideal, if more Singaporeans could attend the NDP 2015 next year, in celebration of our 50th National Day. The Organising Committee is evaluating various options to achieve this. The Member has asked about extra shows. Let me just give some details on our current format. There are now four shows open prior to the actual NDP – three National Education Shows for school students and the NDP Preview itself. The Member has suggested and asked if another NDP Preview would be one way of increasing the attendance. We can explore the idea but adding another NDP Preview may tax participants too heavily, who would require some rest before Page: 14 the actual NDP Show. However, the Organising Committee is exploring other ideas to allow more Singaporeans to see the show "live", such as increasing the seating capacity at the Padang or creating satellite viewing platforms throughout the Marina Bay area during the Preview and NDP 2015. We are also working with the People's Association on activities to celebrate National Day in Heartland locations.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, may I seek your consent that the debate be now adjourned?”
“Permanent Residents (PRs) who fail to register or enlist for National Service have committed an offence under the Enlistment Act. They are NS defaulters and must answer for their NS offences. Under the Enlistment Act, NS defaulters shall be liable on conviction to a fine or to imprisonment. As previously stated, PRs who renounce their PR status before serving their NS liability also face serious adverse consequences when they subsequently apply for work and study. No such persons have been granted re-instatement of PR or citizenship in our records. For work and study, the policy has been progressively tightened such that no NS-liable PR who renounced his PR status in the last decade has been granted approval for work or study. In addition, for ex-PRs who fail to serve NS, any immediate or future applications for renewal of their parents' and immediate family members' Re-entry Permits may be adversely affected, including curtailment of the Re-entry Permit.”
“The National Day Parade (NDP) Executive Committee (EXCO) takes a strong stand against those who sell NDP tickets. As stated in the ticketing advisory, those found attempting to sell or who have sold their NDP tickets will be barred from the ticket balloting for three years. Page: 125 The NDP EXCO is constantly looking to improve the NDP ticketing system and are reviewing and considering heavier penalties against those found selling their NDP tickets. The current mode of admission is well established and has served us well in the past years. Proof of identity is required during ticket collection, but at the point of admission, the focus is on physical security checks to ensure the safety and security of all present. Introducing additional identification measures, such as proof of identity at the point of admission to the Parade, would unduly delay the seating of the audience. This is consistent with the practice at major ticketed events.”
“The results of SAF servicemen's physical fitness tests are not made public, in keeping with common practice amongst militaries. Instead, militaries benchmark their operational effectiveness with one another through actual operations and training exercises. In this regard, within this decade, the SAF has been commended for its professionalism and operational readiness during operations in Afghanistan, the Gulf of Aden, as well as humanitarian aid and disaster relief (HADR) missions in response to the Boxing Day Tsunami, the earthquake in Christchurch, and Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. The professionalism of the SAF, with the majority as NSFs and NSmen, continues to be held in high regard by our foreign counterparts during bilateral and multilateral exercises.”
“The company that the land was leased to was Government-owned until 2000 and, therefore, not required to pay rent as the goods and services it provided were solely in support of the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Even after the company was privatised in 2000 till the present date, the majority of its business is still in providing goods and services to MINDEF, with a smaller portion of its revenue from other commercial activities. It would, therefore, be difficult to compute exact savings from the nominal rent, as the land it leased was not solely for commercial use. Nevertheless, MINDEF proceeded to regularise the rents based on market value on an imputed portion of land used for commercial business. To effect this, MINDEF had to work with Public Utilities Board (PUB) to update the changes in land size and rental rates of its lease as the land area had changed over time. This was to ensure that our sub-licence to the contractor was consistent Page: 109 with the main licence agreement with PUB. MINDEF and PUB agree with the Auditor-General report that this process should have been settled expeditiously. We apologise for this lapse. MINDEF and PUB have recently finalised the main licence agreement in June 2014, following which the land was leased to the company based on market value. In addition, MINDEF is reviewing other sub-lease contracts to ensure compliance with good governance.”
“Madam, I beg to move that the debate be now adjourned. [(proc text) Resolved, (proc text)] [(proc text) That the debate be now adjourned. – [Dr Ng Eng Hen]. (proc text)]”
“Under the Enlistment Act, all male Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents are called up to perform their National Service (NS) within the SAF, SCDF or SPF. This requirement, applied to all without exception, is fair and necessary to maintain strong support for NS. Only a small number are exempted for medical reasons based on professional assessment by an independent panel. Allowing individuals to opt out or choose alternative forms of NS because of moral or religious reasons will weaken support for NS itself. In the past 10 years, about a dozen National Servicemen were court-martialled and sentenced to detention each year for refusing to serve NS on religious grounds. There has been no increasing trend of such cases. Page: 98”
“National Servicemen are deployed to various vocations based on the SAF's operational needs and the individual's factors, such as educational qualifications, skills, physical attributes and aptitude, to adequately perform the requisite tasks and responsibilities. All vocations within the SAF contribute to and collectively strengthen the defence and security of Singapore. The ethnic composition of servicemen in the SAF corresponds broadly to the ethnic profile of our population, with major ethnic groups represented in each Service. In the Army, where the bulk of full-time National Servicemen are deployed, the ethnic compositions of the combat vocations (which include Infantry, Guards and Armour) and the support vocations (which include Signals, Engineers and Logistics) are again similar to that in the general population. Due to operational security considerations, MINDEF does not release detailed data within each specific vocation. The selection of commanders (which include Officers, Warrant Officers, Specialists and Military Experts) is based on similar criteria for deployment into vocations and merit. The ethnic composition of commanders is similar to that in the general population.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, can I request that we adjourn now and proceed with the Bill tomorrow?”
“Madam, the Member asked a number of questions related to Permanent Residents (PRs) who serve or do not serve NS and he based his question on the total number of PRs in 2013. In my reply, let me first say that the total number of PRs in Singapore in 2013 or in any year, is not the appropriate population to base the query or the answers on, for the simple reason that that number includes individuals who are not liable for NS. For example, they include female PRs and first generation PRs. It also includes male PRs who have already completed their NS and/or those who have not reached the age of 18 years to serve full-time NS. But I understand what the query is, so I will give the answer to them. The majority of NS-liable PRs serve NS. Over the past five years, about 7,200 males who had become PRs under the sponsorship of their parents, what we term as second generation PRs who are liable for NS, were enlisted for and served NS. So, over the last five years, 7,200 males. Over the same five-year period, about 2,600 second generation PR males renounced their PR status, prior to serving NS. As MINDEF has cautioned, these ex-PRs who have not served their NS, will face serious adverse consequences when they subsequently apply to study or work in Singapore Page: 36”
“We will have to work on the administrative aspects of the skills certification, or accreditation for skills that they pick up. First of all, we want to plug it into the national grid so that the skills accreditation is portable beyond NS. So, we have to reach a certain rigour and we have to comply with certain requirements that WSQ requires. WSQ does not differentiate whether it is skills picked up in NS or civilian life. It is a common standard. We will strive for it. I know that Mr Pritam Singh has talked about drivers. Certainly, that is one of the areas that we think will be useful. I would say that the centre of gravity for the WSQ is, indeed, as I have said, for ITE and Polytechnic graduates. There are specific skillsets, for example, in the IT industry, engineering capacities because some of them can be trained for maintenance and logistics, which, again, are portable and directly, if you like, relevant to the next job that they apply to after NS. There is also another set of leadership skills. We believe that the SAF trains good leaders. Leadership skills will be a premium that companies want – initiative, able to lead projects, able to do things, which is what you do in NS. So, I think the Committee members were excited by this. So is the SAF, and they are working in partnership with WDA and the economic agencies to see what value you can give. The idea is that we will add value to NS even as you do your NS.”
“None of us in this House wants this, or has called for it, nor do all my Malay soldiers and commanders who have earned their positions on sheer merit alone. Many of these senior Malay commanders have been asked to profile themselves by the Malay community. The Malay community is proud of them. They want to erase some misconceptions, and they say, "We want to profile you." But the Malay commanders tell me, they replied, "Why should I do so? Why should I push myself out? In the SAF, I have been promoted because of what I have accomplished and am capable of, not because I am Malay. As a commander, I lead my men, not Malay, Chinese or Indian men, but all my men. And I am not their Malay, Chinese or Indian commander but just their commander. No one purposely draws attention to my race within the SAF." These Malay senior commanders want to keep it that way. I think these words from Malay senior commanders, spoken in private, are the most eloquent public statement of how far we have come, and how we must continue to progress. We will continue to expand the opportunities for all Singaporeans, regardless of race and religion. This is one of the main recommendations of the Committee to Strengthen National Servicemen, to empower every Singaporean to do more through National Service. Singapore needs it and the SAF wants it. Thank you. [Applause.]”
“Mdm Speaker, before I conclude, let me also address what Members have brought up regarding Malays in the SAF. First, I am glad that all Members here acknowledge that there has been progress. We are in a very different and much better position than 20 to 30 years ago, or even 10 years ago. Today, Malays are, indeed, in all Services of the SAF. Mr Pritam Singh shared how he personally witnessed Malay NSmen in a Combat Engineer Unit. Defence Ministers before me have informed this House and I will do so again today: deployments of soldiers into vocations and their promotions are based on merit, capability and aptitude, as well as their commitment to the SAF and Singapore, regardless of race or religion. Over the years, Malays have made significant strides in skills and educational attainment. So, we now have Malays in all Services, whether as pilots in the Air Force, as Commandos, Combat Engineers, Artillery Men in the Army, and in the Navy, which hon Page: 37 Member Dr Intan Mokhtar shared about. The SAF has been doing this quietly and progressively without fanfare, applying the principles of merit and aptitude. Which means that every Malay soldier who is posted to any vocation or unit got there on his own merit. Some of you may ask – because some of you have said there is a perception out there – so, why not do it with great publicity, greater fanfare? There is a simple reason. I have many senior Malay commanders within the SAF. I meet them from time to time, not because they are Malays, but because I meet senior commanders. To take any actions based on race, even if it is an affirmative action, puts us onto the path of tokenism.”
“We are adding a $6,000 Medisave component because the Page: 36 Committee thought that the Medisave contributions to provide medical coverage will be timely with the proposed introduction of MediShield Life. Even as we do this, benefits for NS must never dilute the spirit of service, that is, for duty, honour and country. The recommendations require a significant commitment of resources on the part of the Government. We have costed it. It will cost us about $4.5 billion over the next decade. This is a significant investment. However, the Committee believes that this set of recommendations strikes the right balance in responding to the needs of National Servicemen and allowing them to contribute more as National Servicemen and volunteers. The Committee, therefore, recommends that the Government accept and fully support these recommendations, and I hope Members of this House will endorse it. At the same time, community and employers can also provide stronger support to NSmen through the restructured Accord (Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence) – which some of you sit on, including Members from both parties – to deepen engagement with NS stakeholders, such as employers and businesses, education institutions as well as family and community. When these initiatives are fully implemented, the benefits to our National Servicemen and more importantly, Singapore, will be substantial. If we do this well, we will continue to nurture another generation of National Servicemen who know what they are fighting for, and are able and committed to defend Singapore. It will be a stronger National Service system and a stronger SAF for the next generation – a strong defence that provides us the confidence and assurance of a secure future.”
“The Singapore Police Force and the SCDF have operated the Volunteer Special Constabulary and Civil Defence Auxiliary Unit respectively for a much longer time. The SAF was actually cheered on by the fact that they had positive experiences and boosted our confidence that we could do something. Their volunteers work alongside Regulars and National Servicemen and perform similar duties. You might have encounters with them not knowing that they are volunteers. So, just like the SPF and the SCDF, I believe that the SAF Volunteer Corps can make a similar impact. We recognise the increasing pressures of work and studies for operationally-ready National Servicemen and will provide them more time to prepare for their IPPT and ease travel restrictions. At the same time, we must maintain acceptable standards of fitness and will encourage this through better incentives for NSmen to do well in their IPPT. On recognition for NSmen, many Singaporeans have expressed their concerns that too many benefits for NSmen would dilute what it means to serve the country. We agree that the benefits we give must reflect the right values of service to the country. The Committee, therefore, proposed to revamp the existing NS Recognition Award (NSRA) into the NS HOME (Housing, Medical and Education) Awards to reflect a stake in this home that NSmen defend that, in turn, helps them in building a life here. The HOME Awards will have a substantial Medisave grant – an additional $6,000 to the existing $9,000; or $10,500 for commanders. The $9,000 and $10,500 currently can be used for housing and education.”
“"And feel privileged and proud to serve 20 years in the SAF, alongside its men and women, seeing first-hand why Singapore needs a strong defence. On reflection, I count my years as a volunteer in the SAF to be a most fulfilling and important part of my life." She continues, "The added bonus was that, as a mother, I could relate to what my three sons were going through," she must have had another one after she volunteered, "when they enlisted into full-time NS, and when they served their in-camp training. They were encouraged by the fact that I had voluntarily undergone the training and sacrifice, and they understood that at the heart of their onerous training and sacrifice, is the essence of NS as Page: 35 a duty and an honour for the country. "It is worth noting that people who eventually decide to join the Volunteer Corps are not compelled to by law. Neither will they be doing it because they are asked to. They will be doing it because they want to. There will be a select group of people with such commitment and this scheme will provide them the opportunity to serve the nation in their own meaningful way," Dr Luisa Lee. Dr Lee told me during one of our Committee meetings that now her grandchildren will be going to NS. Just imagine the scene, the grandchildren come back and say, "I am doing NS." Grandma says, "Not a big deal. Just do it." We need that kind of inclusion for people who do not have the liabilities and yet say, "I want to do my part for Singapore's defence". And I say do not judge it prematurely. Let it evolve because it can be very, very positive for Singapore, for our families. The volunteers will be trained and meaningfully deployed.”
“We will also accredit skills under the Workforce Skills Qualification or WSQ Framework that National Servicemen pick up in areas, such as leadership, technical and specialist vocations, so that if they pick up skills within NS and they are WSQ-certified, it will enhance their employability after NS. This is particularly so for ITE and Polytechnic graduates. MINDEF will also work with MOE, tertiary institutions and economic agencies to facilitate a smoother and shorter transition to work and studies after NS. National Servicemen were saying they have to wait again after they finish NS, whether it is to work or, for many of them, to University. We will work with the agencies. This is a much more difficult piece because there are many pieces that we have to consider, but we want to commit to shortening that period and facilitating their transition to work and studies. The SAF Volunteer Corps was another big idea. It will allow women, our first generation PRs, and new citizens to serve alongside our National Servicemen. The IPS survey showed widespread support – 80% for this recommendation. I am glad that many Members in this House – Mr Sitoh Yih Pin, Mr Pritam Singh – have voiced their approval for this recommendation. However, others have said that the SAF Volunteer Corps can never match the commitment and contributions of National Servicemen. It may be so. But we ought to let this scheme evolve and not judge it prematurely. One of our Committee members felt compelled to respond, on her own accord, when this was being discussed in public. This is Dr Luisa Lee. She is a medical doctor. She is on the CSNS. Let me quote for you her letter, "I volunteered as a medical officer, as a 30-year-old and mother of two sons then." She was 30 years old. She had two sons.”
“We will still require full-time National Servicemen to be trainers but those who are trainers will have the benefit of learning and working alongside experienced Regulars amongst them. For this core of Regular trainers, this will be their core expertise – they will train batch after batch, learn from it. We have recommended 1,100 more for SAF, 230 for the Home Team. We expect that more Regular trainers and the use of technology-enabled instruction will translate to better and faster learning, and shorter training periods eventually. At the same time, more NSFs can become commanders – an increase in the proportion of officers and specialists from 30% to 40% because our Third Generation SAF, our SPF, our SCDF is more nimble and requires its sub-units and commanders to act accordingly. We are using more technology. We are asking commanders and units to respond quicker. Such appointments will be based on qualifications and merit. For the first time, we will ask NSFs, full-time National Servicemen, to indicate their preferred vocations, "Where would you like to go?" This is another headache which my SAF Page: 34 commanders are grappling with; similarly, SPF and SCDF. Because anytime you give choice to everyone, not all will get their first or even second choice. That is what happens for our schools. But should we say "No choice, we decide"? The Committee deliberated on this and said, "Even though some, not all, will get their first or second choice, this shouldn't deter us." Giving choice will better match aptitudes to vocations and allow people who want to contribute in areas that they think they have strengths in to do so.”
“The SAF has studied this recommendation. As I said, it is one with a huge administrative impact because we are dealing with about 20,000 National Servicemen every year. The SAF, SPF and SCDF have studied these recommendations carefully and, if accepted by the Government, this will be implemented as early as the middle of next year. The usual June and September intakes will be brought forward to May and August respectively, which are mainly Polytechnic graduates. Enlisting them earlier will mean that they will get into the workforce faster because they will complete it earlier. It also means that Polytechnic students, enlisted previously in September and bound for local Universities in August, will not need to be disrupted. Previously, it was two years and they had to be disrupted before they finished. If we bring it earlier, they will now be able to complete their NS before they go to the Universities. ITE students will also benefit from a shorter waiting time. Similarly, "A" Level graduates will be enlisted a month earlier, starting December next year. I say this very quickly but I will tell you that my SAF commanders are sweating over this because they are juggling it. Each batch is about five, six, seven thousand and they are wondering, "How do we do this?" But they have studied it and they are confident that they can do it. We give them the full support. If Government accepts it, we will see some changes. We will have a larger Regular instructor core to train and lead our full-time National Servicemen. This will strengthen the transmission of values and the effectiveness of our NS training.”
“Overall, the response has been positive and the Committee is thankful for this. Some have said that we struck the right tone by capturing the wide range of sentiments and ideas from focus group participants. Indeed, we reproduced some of their direct feedback in our report because we wanted to capture the essence of what they said and their main points. The Committee was careful not only to recommend the actions that were easy to implement. On the contrary, recommendations like shorter NS waiting times or matching aptitudes to vocations have huge administrative impact. Others commended the Committee for also explaining why suggestions were not taken up, for example, priority places in Primary schools and other aspects. Because we could have easily said yes, but if you give priority to all NSmen, then nobody gets priority. And housing. That was a suggestion. I want to thank many Members of Parliament who have spoken out in support of the Committee's recommendations – Mr Sitoh Yih Pin, Mr Alex Yam, Mr Pritam Singh, Ms Ellen Lee and Assoc Prof Eugene Tan. If adopted by the Government, how will the recommendations strengthen NS? Well, pre-enlistees can look forward to shorter waiting times before enlistment. The Committee has set a limit of six months that the SAF should impose on itself, and for 90% of pre-enlistees to start NS within four months of finishing their post-Secondary education. It is double the current 45%. In other words, under the current system, 45% of pre-enlistees are called up Page: 33 after they finish their post-Secondary education, that is, ITE, Polytechnic, or "A" Levels. The Committee says double this to 90%; so, 90% to be called up within four months and set the absolute cap at six months – reduce the waiting time.”
“Leaner staff-manning in companies, more responsibilities, more travel, tighter work schedules and deadlines were all feedback that we listen to carefully. Therefore, motivating National Servicemen will also have to change, especially when this new generation of National Servicemen have no direct experience of our early struggles. The Committee, therefore, took in views from over 40,000 who participated in our focus group discussions, town hall session, web chat and dialogue sessions in the NS units. I want to thank Members of my Committee and the sub-committees who were working very hard and reaching out, spending time speaking to not only National Servicemen but also members of the public. Many others provide us suggestions through email, letters and our website. We have presented our report and recommendations to hon Members and the public. You would have received a copy. With your permission, Mdm Speaker, I have asked the Clerk to distribute an abridged version of all our recommendations.”
“Members would know which countries these are, I do not have to name them specifically. But many of the leaders of these countries that have done so – given up their national service – lament privately that they know it was a mistake, they knew it was a mistake, but could not stop it. So, what explains Singaporeans' public support for NS? I believe, first and foremost, NS support has been built on the service of 900,000 National Servicemen who have discharged their NS duties. Everyone faithfully, dutifully, did his duties. Here, we want to place on record the appreciation of this House for all National Servicemen who have served, and recognise their contributions. To keep NS support strong, we must continuously maintain an open system that enforces NS duties equitably and never undermine the key principle that all male Singaporean citizens and second generation PRs must perform their duties, regardless of race, religion or social background. Why did we form the CSNS when public support was so high – 98%? The simple answer is that this would be the best time to conduct the review to ensure that NS remains responsive and relevant to a new generation of Millennial National Servicemen who will defend Singapore. Better to hear them now and adjust policies, rather than wait and assume previous policies will work even when circumstances have changed. And circumstances have, indeed, changed. Family size is smaller, which means that the burden on National Servicemen to support their dependants is greater, whether their own families or their parents. Page: 32 The proportion of National Servicemen seeking higher education has gone up considerably. Work life has also changed.”
“So, when the Committee to Strengthen National Service (CSNS) was formed, we wanted to carefully assess the level of public support for National Service (NS). We commissioned the Institute of Policy Studies to conduct a rigorous and objective survey. The results were gratifying. Let me share some main findings. Ninety-eight percent of respondents agree that NS is crucial for national defence and for securing Singapore's peace and prosperity; 97% feel that NS instills discipline; 94% acknowledge that NS provides opportunities to learn something useful. When they presented to me these figures, I said, "Too good to be true. It must be selection bias, or the time you called, the households you went to." The researcher was fairly taken aback. He said, "No, this is very rigorous. We looked at it. No different from other Page: 31 studies we did. This will stand up to scrutiny and scientific rigour, objective survey across the population." These are remarkably high support levels for any national issue, let alone NS. Is support for national conscription the norm for other countries? On the contrary, Singapore remains one of very few countries able to sustain an NS system. When we started NS 47 years ago, many other countries across the world had similar conscript systems. It has now dwindled to very few countries that have been able to maintain an NS of meaningful periods, or are capable of having a conscript military force. Many countries, particularly European countries, abolished their national service, some in response to the end of the Cold War to reap the peace dividend. Others have basically dismantled their NS system, not because their threats have disappeared but because public support waned.”
“Mdm Speaker, I support the Motion of Thanks to the President. Nearly 50 years after Independence, the President said, the world has changed on us. So, too, the transformation of the SAF has been nothing short of dramatic. When the SAF was formed, very few believed that it could robustly defend this island. You look at our island – there is no strategic depth and we have limited resources. This dim prognosis on our defence capabilities was not unwarranted, considering that when the SAF started out, we had very basic capabilities. Today, you are used to our C2 – Command and Control – systems but when the SAF started out, our C2 system was six high-frequency radio sets which we did not even buy but took over from the 4th Malaysian Signals Squadron. We had two wooden hull boats for our Navy and no aircraft to speak of. Today, the SAF is a widely respected professional military force capable of deterring would-be aggressors and responding to an array of security challenges. Jane's Defence Weekly, a respected military journal, commented recently that "the SAF has consistently evolved during its four decades in existence to become one of Asia's most modern fighting forces". Our defence capabilities have, indeed, come a long way. Critical to the success of building up a credible SAF is National Service, and for a simple reason. National Servicemen form the bulk of the SAF. If there is a need to mobilise the SAF to defend Singapore for whatever reason, there is no standby force that we can activate first before calling on our National Servicemen, and our National Servicemen know this. Our National Servicemen are our first and main responders.”
“Madam, before I answer specifically, we treat psychiatric conditions similar to other medical conditions, with regard to whether the serviceman can be re-deployed or exempted from National Service altogether. The SAF makes no distinction between private and public medical specialists who have seen the serviceman and alert us to either the condition or if the condition has worsened. But the final decision on deployment and exemption or continuing of NS is made by a Specialist Board. We have a number of these Specialist Medical Boards. Rather than one person doing it, we draw them from both private and public sectors – as I had mentioned. We have a Psychiatrist Board that consists of specialists drawn from both private and public sectors, and they help us to assess any particular individual's condition. Page: 12 Our subsidy and treatment regimes fall under the general healthcare framework. If there are issues in terms of financial assistance, we have separate schemes but no, we do not have any particular scheme that addresses medical subsidies for National Servicemen with medical health conditions.”
“MINDEF and the SAF will continue to periodically review and strengthen the mental health system, in consultation with the Psychiatry Specialist Advisory Board, to ensure that all National Servicemen with medical conditions receive good care during NS. Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef (Marine Parade): I thank the Minister for the response. Just two short supplementary questions. First, pertaining to fitness to perform, for example, if the recruit or NSman has already been diagnosed or is getting consultation from a private psychiatrist, is that also acceptable to the SAF? Secondly, in the decision to downgrade for fitness to perform during National Service or in the SAF, is it required that a psychiatrist in a restructured hospital is consulted, or is it just the SAF psychiatrist who can make a decision? Also, for medication for the psychiatric conditions, which can be quite expensive for some, are there subsidies that these people can tap?”
“Any time there is doubt whether the National Servicemen can perform his duties or about safety risks, the individual is again assessed by the psychiatrist and could be redeployed to a more suitable vocation or excused from his NS duties. I have spoken about a specific regime which the Member has asked for. But in addition to this specific regime for those with known mental health disorders, the SAF also educates trainees in Officer Cadet School and Specialist Cadet School. We give them basic counselling and mental health awareness programmes. This is to help our Commanders better identify fellow soldiers with mental health issues. Soldiers with mental health issues can be referred Page: 11 to the Psychological Care Centre. The Member also asked what other avenues there are. There is also a 24-hour SAF Counselling Hotline, which soldiers can call – whether they themselves or others for them – whenever they need help. Our approach towards national servicemen with mental health disorders ensures that they are not discriminated against or stigmatised if they are able to perform NS safely. They are treated similarly with national servicemen who have other physical health disorders, where risks are also managed accordingly based on guidelines, again, developed by our Specialist Medical Boards. The risks from their medical conditions, whether physical or mental, will exist even when they are not performing NS. Under our present regime, there have been many national servicemen with mental health disorders who have completed their NS duties well.”
“Mdm Speaker, the spectrum of mental health disorders within any given population can vary considerably in severity, and because our National Servicemen are drawn from the general population, this is also true for National Servicemen with mental health disorders. Further, for the affected individual, his condition may not be static and could worsen or improve over time. So, MINDEF's approach for National Servicemen with mental health disorders takes into account this variability; variability of conditions across different individuals, the variability of an individual who has the condition over time. And only those who are assessed professionally to be able to perform his National Service (NS) duties are enlisted. Before enlistment, all pre-enlistees are screened by Medical Officers for psychiatric, behavioural and adjustment problems. The screening guidelines are established by the SAF Psychiatry Specialist Advisory Board, and this comprises senior psychiatrists drawn from private practice and public hospitals. Pre-enlistees with severe mental illnesses who are unable to perform NS duties are exempted from NS. And in the last three years, about 500 were exempted from NS because they had this condition, annually, due to mental health problems. Five hundred annually. For those enlisted, we want to ensure that national servicemen with mental health disorders pose no risk to themselves and those around them. They are monitored while they are serving NS. To protect their medical confidentiality, only the Commanders and Medical Officers who monitor their progress are notified about their conditions. Should they require closer observation, these National Servicemen are seen regularly by psychiatrists at the Psychological Care Centre.”
“Mdm Speaker, may I seek your consent to move that the debate be now adjourned?”
“Madam, may I seek your consent and the general assent of Members present to move that the proceedings on the item under discussion be exempted from the provisions of Standing Order No 48(8) to remove the time limit in respect of the Prime Minister's speech?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, may I seek your consent to move that the debate be now adjourned.”
“As every Singaporean has a part to play in Singapore's defence, we will also continue with our Total Defence efforts to strengthen national resilience and cohesion among Singaporeans, to allow us to overcome future crises. Singapore will continue to work closely with friends and partners to enhance regional stability and deal with common security challenges. To enable militaries to respond effectively to natural disasters in our region, the SAF will host a Regional Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Coordination Centre (RHCC). We will continue to strengthen and expand our network of bilateral partnerships, which also helps secure the SAF's access to overseas training areas and advanced defence technology. As an open and robust regional security architecture is key to enhancing strategic trust and regional cooperation, we will continue to work with partners to grow the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM), ADMM-Plus and other multilateral platforms for strategic dialogue and practical cooperation. No one can underwrite our security except ourselves. With the support and partnership of all Singaporeans, MINDEF and the SAF will continue to provide a strong defence to ensure our nation's peace and prosperity. Page: 27”
“There will also be an increase in the incentives to recognise National Servicemen's achievements in IPPT. To increase convenience for National Servicemen while still providing information critical for manpower and operational planning, there will be changes to the reporting requirements for the MINDEF Notification Centre and the Home Team Overseas Notification Centre, such that notification need not be given for Page: 26 overseas trips of two weeks or less. We also want to recognise National Servicemen by supporting their healthcare, housing and education needs. The NS Recognition Award will be revamped to the NS HOME (HOusing, Medical and Education) Awards, which will include a Medisave grant and more flexibility to use the award for National Servicemen's housing and education needs. We will also provide coverage for life and personal accident insurance for NSFs and National Servicemen during their in-camp training. To strengthen the broader community's support for defence and NS, we will restructure the Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence (ACCORD) to establish three councils – the Employer and Business Council, the Educational Institutions Council and the Family and Community Council. We also want to encourage employers and businesses to better support their National Servicemen employees by establishing a scheme to recognise organisations which have gone the extra mile to support National Servicemen. An SAF Volunteer Corps will be established to encourage women, new citizens and first-generation Permanent Residents to come forward and contribute to national defence.”
“We will also continue to support National Servicemen in balancing their NS responsibilities with their work, educational and family commitments. The Committee to Strengthen National Service has announced its recommendations to strengthen the NS system and sustain public support for NS. To better achieve the SAF's mission and fulfil our servicemen's aspirations, SAF, SPF and SCDF will recruit about 1,300 more regulars to improve training and inculcate values more effectively. More opportunities will be given to National Servicemen to hold leadership positions as the SAF will expand the proportion of officers and specialists from 30% up to 40% to meet new operational needs. We will also make better use of the skills of our full-time National Servicemen (NSFs) by matching them to vocations during NS. We will also encourage National Servicemen to volunteer their civilian expertise in national defence. At the same time, we will continue to be good stewards of the time that our National Servicemen commit to serving Singapore. Wait time before enlistment will be reduced, to enable 90% of pre-enlistees to be enlisted within four months after post-Secondary studies. This will enable more NSFs, who proceed for work after NS, to do so earlier. Fewer NSFs will need to be disrupted from NS for local University studies. We will also facilitate NSFs' transition to work and studies after NS. We will ease administrative restrictions and work towards delivering a more positive NS experience. We will partner National Servicemen to maintain their fitness by giving them more time and flexibility to meet their Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT), IPPT Preparatory Training (IPT) and Remedial Training (RT) requirements, and offer more convenient venues for fitness training.”
“We will upgrade our F-16s and acquire A330 Multi-role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft, two Type-218SG submarines and two more Sikorsky S-70B Naval Helicopters over the next five years. We will put in place a multi-layered air defence with the deployment of SPYDER and ASTER-30 Surface-to-Air Missile systems. We will also acquire more Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicles and link these to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and work towards doubling the number of units operating on wheeled or tracked platforms. We will also continue our steady investments in defence science and technology, particularly in our indigenous research and development capability, which contributes to the SAF's strategic edge. In parallel, we will hone and validate our fighting capabilities through tough and realistic training, even as we continue to strengthen our training safety and medical systems to ensure our soldiers' safety and well-being. The SAF will also continue to contribute to homeland security, working with other national agencies to defend Singapore against Page: 25 terrorism, maritime threats and other contingencies. The strong and capable SAF that we have today is made possible by our steady and prudent investments in defence over the years. We will continue to be good stewards of the funds, land and other public resources allocated to defence, upholding the confidence and trust that have been placed in MINDEF and the SAF. Our National Servicemen are our most important resource and the backbone of our fighting force. We have, therefore, invested significant effort into strengthening the National Service (NS) training system to meet the SAF's new operational needs and ensuring that we recognise and optimise the contributions of our National Servicemen.”
“The global security landscape has experienced increased turbulence and instability in recent years. Against the backdrop of changing geopolitical dynamics brought about by the rise of Asia, regional militaries are rapidly modernising. Countries have also become increasingly assertive over regional territorial disputes, as overlapping claims intersect with historical animosities and domestic nationalism. Recent events in Ukraine and tensions closer to home in Asia Pacific underscore the continued importance of a strong defence in safeguarding Singapore's independence and sovereignty. The SAF is the ultimate guarantor of Singapore's sovereignty and independence, and underpins our continued peace and prosperity. A strong security force also complements our diplomatic efforts to safeguard Singapore's interests abroad, build cooperation with other countries and enlarge our international space. We are, therefore, committed to investing resources to maintain a strong and capable SAF. Our 3rd Generation transformation efforts have sharpened the SAF's capability edge with information superiority and precision strike. The SAF's operational readiness has been validated by our deployments in support of regional and international security efforts, such as our deployments to Afghanistan, the Gulf of Aden and for disaster relief. In the next bound of our 3rd Generation transformation, we will continue to invest in advanced technologies and new fighting concepts to build a more effective SAF that is more efficient in the use of our manpower resources to effectively deal with a wide spectrum of threats and mission scenarios.”
“The RSAF has a robust air defence system to monitor our skies and protect the sovereignty of Singapore’s airspace. Working closely with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, the RSAF detects and identifies aircraft before they enter our airspace through its suite of radars. If an aircraft veers off its flight path, a series of preventive measures will be triggered. First, air traffic controllers will communicate with the aircraft to verify its reason for veering off its flight path. If there are doubts regarding the intent of the aircraft or the aircraft does not adhere to air traffic control directions, RSAF fighter aircraft will be activated to intercept the aircraft. Ground-based air defence systems will also be activated. On past occasions, the RSAF had responded swiftly to suspicious aircraft approaching our airspace. For instance, in 2008 when an unknown aircraft was detected heading towards Singapore, the RSAF activated our F-16 fighters to intercept and identify the aircraft, and the fighters escorted it till it landed.”
“This House, therefore, urges all of us together – Government, Members of Parliament and our people – to commit ourselves to the task of improving the lives of all Singaporeans in the remainder of the term. Mdm Speaker, on behalf of the House, our thanks go to the staff of the Secretariat for their support, assistance and cooperation rendered to the House over the two weeks of Budget sittings. We express our deep and special thanks to you and your Deputies for ably and patiently presiding over the debates and ensuring that the Budget proceedings went smoothly and completed within the allotted time. We are thankful that your guillotine was sparingly used and that we have survived this Budget and COS under your firm hands with head and limbs intact. Thank you very much. [Applause.]”
“There were also perennial passions of our Members – an education system, including pre-school, to better prepare our children in today's world, less stress and emphasis on examinations, more programmes to foster creativity, imbue skills to learn, inculcate values and resilience through arts, sports and a love for our history, culture and environment. And, as necessary, calls for more to be done to bring the disabled, special, different, marginalised and vulnerable into the mainstream life of our society. All in all, this year's Budget and COS reflect a House holding true to the course which the President set when Parliament began in 2011: "To build on our strong foundation together, to give all Singaporeans a better life and brighter tomorrow". In this task, many Members have cautioned that we must not become insular, not to become the proverbial frog in the well, staring only at our piece of the sky, thinking that it is the entire universe. It was opportune that the crisis in Ukraine served to affirm Members' caution and served as a salutary, if grim, reminder of how small countries can be treated if they cannot protect their own sovereignty. Mdm Speaker, we have come to the end of the debates on the Budget for FY 2014/2015. It has been an intensive nine days, with sittings lasting about eight, sometimes nine, hours each day to give sufficient time for full discussions on the Estimates. I want to thank Members for maintaining high standards in this Parliament during the Budget and COS, in their debates as well as in civility Page: 57 and decorum. Mdm Speaker, if we have completed the first half of the match, the more crucial second half begins when Parliament re-opens after prorogation. We still have much to do.”
“By doing so, this Government has set a virtuous precedent of not making grand promises for subsequent Governments to bear the cost. This is something that few, if any, governments around the world have done or can do. Members were also pleased that the housing problem has been decisively tackled. The results speak for themselves. Shorter waiting times, lower costs Page: 56 and greater affordability of housing pushed MND off the hot seat, to the relief of Minister Khaw's eyebags. The honour of hot seats instead went to MOH, MOT and MOM. They received the most cuts and, together, took up nearly a third of our Committee of Supply time. In all, Members filed 452 amendments, 6% less than last year. For MOH, the attention was expected, given our concerns with a rapidly ageing population and many Members wanting to give inputs for MediShield Life. For Transport and Manpower, the added attention reflected work-in-progress on areas that the Government will need to improve on over the next few years. Members were happy that bus travel had improved, but train rides had not yet turned the corner to win approval. For wages, Members noted that median wages have risen but wanted an economy that provided even better jobs and higher wages, especially for low-wage and older workers. Members here have rightly recognised that the key to both aspirations was more innovation and higher productivity, and urged economic agencies to redouble efforts to help, especially our small and medium-sized enterprises, in the face of Singapore's economic restructuring.”
“Mdm Speaker, if I can make some comments on the roundup of this year's Budget and Committee of Supply (COS) before we hear some words from you. This year's Budget and COS sit midway in the Government's electoral term – assuming a five-year term. In sporting parlance, we are at half-time. And at half-time, it is an appropriate juncture for the Government and this House to take stock of how we have performed and what else needs to be done to finish the job and deliver on our promises to Singaporeans. If we compare hon Members' speeches when the Twelfth Parliament first opened in 2011 and during the past two Budgets with their speeches this year, some conclusions can be gleaned. Then, Members asked if we were doing enough for the poor, for older Singaporeans, for the disabled, for PMETs and lower-skilled workers. Then, Members pushed the Government to find ways to narrow the wealth gap. Then, Members echoed residents' dissatisfaction with housing, the transport system and healthcare affordability. Members were also not pleased with our over-reliance on foreign labour and called on the Government to slow down immigration and improve productivity. From this year's speeches, it would be fair to say that there have been significant improvements in some areas as the Government rolled out measures to deal with the issues that Members raised in previous years. This Budget's $8 billion Pioneer Generation Package (PGP) won universal support from all Members in this House and the general public – both old and young alike. PGP could easily have been called "Peace-of-Mind and Gratitude Package" for Singapore's Pioneers. Many Members in this House have also noted that what was extraordinary was not only the Package but that it could be funded entirely.”
“Madam, that is an excellent question because that is exactly how we have to approach our defence plan over one decade and beyond. There is a level of certainty in which we decide based on security requirements that we can plan. But always at the back of your mind, there is a significant degree of uncertainty that you have to be able to adapt your forces to respond. I mentioned that within the last decade, whether it was 9-11 which no one predicted; whether Afghanistan or piracy or the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) efforts after the Indian Ocean tsunami, Typhoon Haiyan, Page: 40 so on and so forth, despite the uncertainties, we are able to configure our units to respond.”
“Mdm Chair, that is a tall order, but let me try to do it within as few phrases as possible. It is clear that we are better resourced. Thankful that over the last number of decades we have built up our defence capabilities. The trend, as I have described, a change in power dynamics in the Asia Pacific and the ongoing China's rise, economically and militarily, is a fact. We all have to adjust to it and countries are adjusting. It is also clear that countries within ASEAN, because their economies are doing well, will increase their military spending to modernise their militaries, whether it is Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and so on and so forth. It is a legitimate need and something Page: 39 which countries want to do and will do. I will not ex-ante say that increasing modernisation of militaries is an unstable factor. It is only unstable when there are inadequate platforms to resolve disputes or to conduct dialogues or increase cooperative measures, which is why we spend considerable time in ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meetings and the ADMM-Plus partners to find ways to do it. I mentioned the 18-nation military exercise. We will continue in these efforts and we will continue to make sure that, for SAF, as I have said, we build the best defence we can with resources available in a sustainable manner over a longer term. With that trajectory, I am fairly confident that we will have the means and the wherewithal to be able to defend Singapore for the next two or three decades.”
“As ex-Regulars with experience, they will help strengthen our system by imparting their knowledge and experiences to new and junior commanders. They will also complement the "external pair of eyes" from the inspectors beyond the unit. Madam, safety depends as much on robust system as our people's constant vigilance. There are inherent risks in all military operations and training. We can never eliminate all risks but we must certainly reduce everything to a minimum possible. We have to get it right, first time, every time and all the time. A momentary slip of concentration or ill-discipline can have fatal consequences on one's life and one's buddy's life. There were no training-related fatalities in 2013. This is not a sign that we have arrived. But this is a sign of how much we need to do and how intensely we need to focus our efforts to get things right and stay that way. In response to Mr Alex Yam's question, the number of training incidents is about the same between 2012 and 2013. The number of near misses reported has increased by about 60%. May I now invite Dr Maliki to speak on the CSNS efforts and initiatives arising from the "Recognition and Benefits for NS" Work Group, and the Total Defence Campaign.”
“For example, basic driver training is outsourced because we can tap on the civilian learner-driver market. However, vocational and combat driving is maintained under the core competencies of the SAF. All sub-contractors are subject to the necessary security and safety requirements. For example, the contractors working at the MMRC, where weapons and live ammunition are involved, would be subject to an even higher level of security clearance. All contracts have their respective series of performance indicators that contractors must meet. Mdm Chair, let me now update Members of the House on the SAF's training safety system. Last year, Dr Ng announced the formation of the Safety and Systems Review Directorate to conduct safety and systemic reviews on MINDEF and SAF. This Directorate has been established since June last year with a mix of ex-military and civilian officers. The Directorate has also convened an External Review Panel for SAF Safety since October 2013, comprising experts from outside the SAF. The panel has since reviewed the safety practices at the Basic Military Training Centre (BMTC), Page: 33 Officer Cadet School (OCS) and Specialist Cadet School (SCS). They have found the SAF safety system to be robust. They have also made useful recommendations to help check our blind spots. For example, they have recommended that as much attention be paid to the psychological well-being of our soldiers as to their physical safety. They will continue to review the safety systems and practices of more units in the coming year. We will constantly and continually ensure that we stay vigilant and make sure that we continue to check our blind spots. We have also commenced the deployment of Unit Safety Officers in every unit.”
“Now we take the same time to do everything that was done previously, plus many more things like refresher training – all within the same time budget. MINDEF will continue to refine our processes and leverage on IT to optimise the use of our NSmen's time, without compromising safety and operational effectiveness. The Multi-Mission Range Complex (MMRC) that the Minister talked about is another investment that MINDEF has made to maximise our NSmen's Page: 32 training time and also to optimise our land use, as suggested by Dr Lim Wee Kiak. We combined seven ranges into one single complex. What used to take almost two days and two nights for a 500-men unit, can now be done in slightly just under a day. In addition, new training proficiencies, like shooting under different environment conditions – day or night, urban or jungle terrain, or different operational scenarios – can now all be done faster and with better and more immediate feedback. MINDEF will soon launch the Murai Urban Live Fire Facility to strengthen our units' live fire competencies in an urban environment. Previously, we could only allow up to a section of seven men to conduct urban live fire training. In the future, we will be able to train a company size force of more than 100 men in an urban live fire environment, operating in an integrated manner with support fires from tanks and armoured personnel carriers or infantry fighting vehicles and all these done with facilities to provide immediate feedback to help our soldiers and units improve their performance. Ms Sylvia Lim asked about the benefits of outsourcing and security controls. MINDEF outsources certain non-operational roles selectively to free up manpower for critical operational roles.”
“MINDEF will also want to strengthen our qualification system for employers to better appreciate the skills and leadership qualities of our NSmen. This will not only help NSmen in their job market, but also provide meaningful recognition for their efforts during NS. Mdm Chair, Mr Gerald Giam asked about the prudent use of our NSmen resources. MINDEF appreciates that we are stewards of our nation's most important resource and, that is, our NSmen. We have spoken about optimising the talent and contribution of our NSmen above. Let me now touch on optimisation of training time, which we recognise is a premium for all of us. Take, for example, call-ups and in-processing for In-Camp Training (ICT). MINDEF has, over the years, refined the call-up system according to operational needs. Only NSmen needed for a specific set of duties are called up for that specific timeframe that they are needed, and no more. For example, for planning of ICTs and Mobilisation Exercises, only relevant Commanders are called up prior to ensure the smooth planning and execution before the main body comes in for training. For Mr Giam's information, this system has been in place for many years. On the day of the in-processing, what used to take half a day or more, will now require less than an hour to complete. Many NSmen have given feedback that, in the past, they would come in and have about half a day just to adjust to the new environment before training commenced. Nowadays, they would have in-processed, completed their unit route march with full battle order before lunch time. I am not sure if this is a compliment or complaint. Last year, at the Committee of Supply 2013, I shared with Members of the House how we used to conduct mobilisation and equipping over the entire day or night.”
“Others who wish to serve in other military functions, like Protection of Installations or Access Control as part of our Island Defence, could be trained as necessary for these operations. MINDEF will also look into developing basic modules to impart relevant basic military skills and values to all volunteers. Specific training will then be conducted according to operational needs. In order for meaningful contributions to be made, volunteers could commit to performing various operational duties for a certain period of time. Madam, when I speak to NSmen, they often tell me that they are not afraid of hard work or more work. They want, more than anything else, meaningful work. In fact, many of them would want their potential to be fully realised. We can take pride that we have come a long way since the early days of NS, where one might be advised by concerned parents to do the minimum necessary and never to volunteer for more. MINDEF will look into this feedback to see how we can increase the leadership opportunities for our people to do more, in more meaningful ways, and to do justice to the potential of our people. Indeed, the operational demands of the SAF have evolved. Increasingly, operations are now much more decentralised, necessitating stronger small unit leadership. More advance technology also requires better trained operators and leaders. These are opportunities for us to better match each serviceman's background potential and interests with the operational needs of the SAF. A system that allows us to build on the potential of our soldiers will certainly be Page: 31 stronger than a system that deconstruct and then reconstruct them.”
“The commitment of the previous generation defined the SAF of today. The commitment of this generation will define the SAF of the future. To strengthen community support for NS, we will look into restructuring the Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence, or ACCORD, as we call it. MINDEF intends to strengthen ACCORD's outreach with various groups, especially with employers or businesses, schools, families and the community at large. For partnership with employers and businesses, we desire to work closely with trade associations and business chambers in the different sectors to find specific ideas to better support NSmen in balancing their work commitments and their duties to our nation. We will also review the Total Defence Awards to recognise organisations which have gone the extra mile to demonstrate their support for NS. These will Page: 30 include employers, businesses, schools and community organisations. During the CSNS discussions, it was heartening to hear much feedback and many ideas on how MINDEF can provide more avenues for more Singaporeans to come forth and serve our defence needs. MINDEF is seriously working on the proposal for a new SAF Volunteer Corps. This will allow the broader community – in particular, women, new citizens and first generation PRs – to better understand and contribute to our defence. The proposed SAF Volunteer Corps should harness the different skills of the volunteers to complement our defence capabilities. Volunteers with expertise in specific areas, like healthcare, communications and psychology, could be given opportunities to serve in their respective specialist areas.”