Teo Chee Hean
Singapore
“The second point first, Mr Speaker. Certainly, it could have been a factor. But to the Panel which reviewed the thing, it was not an acceptable excuse or reason. The agencies still have to be responsible for what they are doing, whatever season of the year it is.”
“On the balance in ACRA, I would not say it is a conflict, but you have to strike the right balance between the functions that ACRA is meant to provide, which is to have a registry which promotes corporate transparency, and you have to balance that against how you protect personal data.”
“That means, if you do find a bug or you do find a way in which you can penetrate a Government system, you let us know, and there is a bounty for it. And this is evergreen. But we also do, from time to time, have a hunting season. So, for certain of our systems, we invite white hatters to attack those systems.”
“Then, he asked when the political office holders got involved in the public communications on the Bizfile portal issue. They got involved, I think, almost as soon as it became apparent that there was public anxiety. Next question about paragraph 40 and the email to senior officers, yes, the July 2024 CM was emailed to officers.”
“In fact, we monitor the dark web for a variety of things, including this, and we have not seen any sale of NRIC numbers as such. On the question of collection and use of NRIC numbers, actually, in the communication with the Government agencies, I think it is important to know who you are communicating with.”
“So, you actually make your email address available to others. But for authentication purposes, it is quite different. You do not tell your password to others. That is something which you keep for yourself and your email service provider knows. So, there is a difference between an identifier and an authentication.”
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“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made further progress on the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 2005/2006, and ask leave to sit again on Monday, 7th March 2005.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, yes, they are. Defence Technology and Industry”
“MINDEF therefore constantly aims to strike the right balance between training realism and safety. The SAF takes all the safety precautions and measures feasible to minimise risks. We expect the highest level of professionalism from our officers and men when they conduct training. Sir, parents entrust their sons to the SAF to prepare and train them to perform a national duty in the defence of Singapore. This is a heavy responsibility that MINDEF and the SAF do not take lightly. Sir, I wish to assure all Members that we will not compromise on safety.”
“And also if we recall them back for ICTs and they become injured, they are also unable to complete their ICTs if they are unable to recover from their injuries in time. To improve its safety management system, the Army sent the General Staff Inspectorate (GSI) to visit the UK's Army Land Accident Prevention and Investigation Team to benchmark against its safety practices. The GSI will shortly also be visiting the Australian Army's safety establishment. Such exchanges help raise the awareness and professionalism of our safety practitioners. Dr Warren Lee has asked about whether the training, posting, risks and opportunities during National Service are the same for everyone, regardless of his family background. Mr Chairman, this is indeed so, and there can be no other way of doing this in our SAF. The SAF is our army, it is a citizen army, and the training, posting, risks and opportunities for NS soldiers are there for everyone to see. There is nothing to hide and you cannot hide it. The commanders see it, their colleagues and their peers see it, and their subordinates see it. If the system was not fair, open and above board, and meritocratic, support for National Service would soon evaporate and would have long evaporated. That support for NS remains high even after more than three decades is proof itself that the integrity of the system has been maintained. Sir, it is important to remember that the SAF has to train our people as they will fight. We will not let up on hard and realistic training, for the harder and more realistically we train our men, the more likely they are to fight well and survive on the battlefield. The training must also be conducted professionally and safely.”
“The SAF closely tracks all matters related to training injuries. I give you an example, say, from heat injury. Whenever there is a hot spell, G6-Army will send out a Training Instruction to all units to remind ground commanders to be more vigilant for heat injury symptoms and to follow the hydration regime closely. The higher awareness of heat disorders and knowledge of measures to prevent them led to a marked reduction of SAF heat injury cases in the first half of work year 2004/2005 compared to the corresponding period in the previous work year. The number of cases went down from 25 to nine. The Army has also carried out a series of benchmarking exercises to compare and learn from the best practices of its sister services and foreign armed forces. For example, the Army has been looking at physical fitness training and how to make physical fitness training more progressive for many, many years. The latest of these efforts - the Army sent a study team which visited the US Army Physical Fitness School last year and they found that their programme for raising the physical fitness of their recruits was progressive, scientific and holistic. The Army used this as a basis to conduct a three-month trial in 3SIR and found it effective in lowering training injuries while maintaining a high physical fitness standard for our recruits. The PT for recruits has since been modified along these lines. And as Mr Tan and others have pointed out, this is very important because we do not have very many people. And if we lose people to injuries, we also lose them for training and we are unable to develop them and train them as well as we can during the short period of full-time national service that we have.”
“We had 1,200 men and women operating on the ground, in the air and at sea, often in challenging conditions and at a high operational tempo, mounting quite complex operations. I am glad to say that there was a strong safety culture at work and no one sustained an injury more serious than a dislocated shoulder and none of our vehicles, ships or aircraft was involved in any accident. Sir, I had reported last March that the SAF had stepped up senior commander visits and audits by the service inspectorates, and that the Army, Navy and Air Force would also be reinforcing their inspectorates and safety sections with more staff. I also told Members that the SAF would benchmark its safety standards against those of other armed forces and look into engaging external safety auditors to further improve training safety. I would like to update Members on developments in these areas. The SAF has brought more staff into the service inspectorate teams, and these teams now conduct more frequent audits on units all year round and they do include surprise checks. There is now more timely identification of trends and prompt intervention and analysis, and the lessons learnt are proliferated across SAF formations, through seminars, briefings, publications and so forth. SAF formations have also been boosted with the introduction of Formation Safety Warrant Officers, who have vast training experience and can share their knowledge of safety and risk management with younger ground commanders. This also gives Formation Commanders more capacity to raise the level of training audits and conduct more inspections of ground units. Sir, Dr Warren Lee has asked about whether we use scientific methods for injury prevention and for making sure that our training is progressive.”
“Sir, the views and concerns expressed by Dr Warren Lee, Mr Tan Soo Khoon and Dr Ong Chit Chung on training safety are well placed, and I wholeheartedly agree with them, given that every Singaporean has a close relative or a friend who is a National Serviceman in the SAF. I would like to reiterate the assurance I gave Parliament last year. The SAF will train our servicemen hard and train them realistically for the defence of Singapore, but we will never compromise on safety nor risk the lives of our servicemen during training. 6.15 pm I had reported at the Committee of Supply debate last March that the SAF had completed a full review of its training safety system. The review affirmed that we had a strong system to support training in terms of robust safety structures, processes and procedures. But we also recognised that a strong safety culture is very important if the safety system is to be effective. Hence, a key focus area of the SAF's efforts to improve training safety has been to foster a safety culture, with an emphasis on openness and command responsibility. Safety hotlines have been installed in all three services to encourage feedback, as Mr Tan Soo Khoon has reminded us. We also thoroughly investigate not only accidents but also near-accidents. The requirement to report and analyse all such incidents - actual accidents and near-accidents - sustains safety awareness and fosters the safety culture we want in the SAF. It is an ingrained safety consciousness that we want to develop in all our commanders and men. It has to go beyond merely complying with safety regulations and doing safety checks. Sir, we spoke about Operation Flying Eagle earlier. The SAF was deployed for over two months.”
“Sir, I must say that I really like those instincts. Those people who feel that way have the right instincts that we are always watchful and careful, that we should take care of our own defence. I can assure them that when we deployed these particular assets for the humanitarian relief mission, we were mindful that we could take care of any other contingencies that might arise in Singapore. Training Safety”
“Sir, the total incremental cost of the deployment of the SAF for the missions, both in Indonesia as well as in Thailand, and several other ancillary activities that we carried out, including ferrying supplies from Jakarta to Medan and Banda Aceh, was about $20 million. The SAF learnt many lessons from this operation. We are digesting them and seeing how best we can transmit them to the rest of the SAF. Certainly, some of our skills were honed. New skills, which we have not had a chance to practise in many situations before, such as working with many of the humanitarian assistance NGOs, in Aceh particularly, and I must say that there were very many of them, each with a very different way of working. It was a very enriching experience for our people on the ground. This was a new experience and this is something which our people have taken away with them. Certainly, it has also given the SAF soldiers who took part in the operation a great deal of confidence in their own capabilities and the capabilities of their equipment and in the capabilities of their commanders. And this sense of confidence has also flowed into the rest of the SAF.”
“Sir, my apologies to Dr Ong for not having addressed that question. Sir, each of the countries in Southeast Asia provides for its own defence, and we subscribe certainly to this concept of national resilience for the purpose of regional resilience. This is a concept which is most ably espoused by Indonesia. We do not believe that there is an arms race in progress. Each of the countries in Southeast Asia provides sufficient capability for its own defence, and I think that every country continues to intend to do so. This is good for stability.”
“Sir, the SAF, as with other agencies which have sent people for the tsunami relief effort, is making a recommendation to have medals and other awards for this purpose which will be awarded to the people who took part in this operation.”
“The sustained attention to operational readiness and capability development for the long term, the ongoing build-up of our network of defence relations - these must continue to be the focus of MINDEF and the SAF. Beyond these current requirements, the long term planning and force structuring are just as important if we are to have a defence capability to ensure Singapore's security into the future and continue to give our people and foreign investors confidence. We must always make sure that our investments in defence and the SAF give us the capabilities to respond swiftly and decisively against any threat to Singapore's peace and security. 6.00 pm”
“From a purely numerical point of view, an analysis of the numbers along the lines that Prof. Png has requested is not difficult to do. All one needs is a calculator and a copy of The Military Balance - an annual publication of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. The bald numbers are there. But the point is that such numerical comparisons on their own are not particularly useful. These countries are a diverse lot. Some have not faced any serious threat or conflict for decades, others live in constant fear of invasion; some have mountains or large tracts of land to buffer them, others have little or no strategic depth; some believe in being self-sufficient and providing for their own defence, others have decided to place their defence and, hence, the fate of their countries in the hands of others. So there are many different strategies and approaches that different countries take to their defence needs and how they provide for them. So a bald comparison of the numbers really is not particularly instructive. There are many pertinent factors to consider, including history, geography, demography. What is important for us to know is that we have decided that we must provide for our defence, for if we are not prepared to defend ourselves, we cannot expect anyone else to do so on our behalf. This is a bitter lesson that our fathers and grandfathers learned in the past. Providing for our own defence allows us to chart our own course as an independent sovereign nation, without having to buckle under pressure from larger states, or to become subservient to their strategic imperatives. Sir, the SAF's work in Operation Flying Eagle demonstrated its operational readiness and its ability to respond effectively when the need arises.”
“For example, we now have a separate group, called the Future Systems Directorate, to challenge the conventional wisdom, and to study and test new operational concepts and systems that will give the 3G SAF a quantum improvement in capability to operate in a completely different way. The 3G SAF will involve a fundamental and far-reaching transformation of the SAF in the coming decade, and building the 3G SAF is the major focus of our defence expenditure in the coming years. Meanwhile, we will continue to ensure that we extract the best value for money for our ongoing programmes. Dr Ong asked about the progress of the Next Fighter Replacement Programme. Some Members of the House might have read in the last day or so, reports in the media about how some of the suppliers found Singapore's tender one of the hardest that they have had to work on. This shows how, as is MINDEF's usual practice, we are very thorough with our evaluation and how we make sure that the aircraft that is eventually selected will give the RSAF an edge, and delivers the most combat power for money over the aircraft's life cycle. There have been some media reports, also, that we have delayed the programme. This is incorrect. But our robust and thorough evaluation means that we have not awarded the contract as quickly as some might have hoped for. We are not in a hurry. We are coming to a final decision over the next few months. I would, therefore, like to assure Mr Chay and Prof. Png that MINDEF places heavy emphasis on cost effectiveness and maximising our defence capability from each defence dollar, not just in the immediate timeframe, but also in the long term. Prof. Png has also asked for comparisons between Singapore's defence expenditure and those of a range of similarly sized countries.”
“Ivan Png asked how MINDEF would change its expenditure should the budget be raised or cut by 5%. MINDEF takes a very careful and considered approach in drawing up the defence budget and we would not spend more money just because money is available. Similarly, we would not cut spending hastily so that the capabilities and operational readiness of the SAF are compromised. MINDEF's budget is drawn up based on what is needed to enable the SAF to carry out its core mission of defending our nation in the current situation and, also, in the years to come. MINDEF's budget is put through a rigorous process and scrutiny every year. Priorities are established by the joint staff in conjunction with the services in a process where the different planning agencies test their plans and ideas against each other. So, there is always a contest of ideas, and this 5% up or 5% down question is continually being asked, not just on the total defence budget but parts of the defence budget. The budget plans and priorities are again scrutinised by MINDEF staff before they are approved each year. But beyond assessing the question of what MINDEF would do with the budget at the margin - 5% more or 5% less - at least once every five years, MINDEF carries out a thorough review and reassessment of our long-term force structure needs. So it is more than a 5% either way kind of assessment, but a fundamental rethink of what we would need for our defence in the future. The transformation to the 3G SAF is the outcome of the most recent such review. To actualise the 3G SAF, MINDEF has created various structures and processes to ensure that we are able to explore new ideas and concepts and are not trapped in conventional thinking that may no longer be relevant.”
“The 3G SAF soldier will also be developed to be professionally and technically competent to operate and exploit the full capabilities of the new weapons and systems. Dr Ong has asked whether our soldiers, especially our National Servicemen, are capable of doing this. We are fortunate that we have a technically literate population, both of National Servicemen and operationally ready National Servicemen, and they are very highly motivated to learn new things. We have no difficulty with them. Overall, the development of the 3G SAF soldier is a key component of the transformation of the SAF. Sir, the Government has been unwavering in giving defence expenditure the highest priority. We have given our commitment that MINDEF can spend up to 6% of our GDP each year on defence. We have been spending between 4.5% and 5% over the past few years. This steadfast and prudent approach has served us well. We are able to take a long-term view of our defence needs and force planning and build a defence capability that gives us the best value for the resources that we have invested. As a result, we have a defence force capable of meeting its mission, which is to deter aggression and to secure a swift and decisive victory should deterrence and diplomacy fail. On a technical matter, Mr Chay Wai Chuen asked why our operating expenditure has gone up. I should explain that the operating expenditure reflected in the Budget book reflects the total expenditure on the SAF which includes, what you normally call, "operating expenditure", but it also includes things like training, pay and emoluments for SAF servicemen and reservists, as well as capital expenditure on the SAF. So it is not just all operating expenditure. Prof.”
“The UAV was able to provide live video of the opposing force to our troops on the ground so that troops at the lowest tactical level could see clearly how the enemy was deployed and track their movement in real time. With this significant advantage, our force's decision cycles were shortened and simulated weapons were delivered to the targets in a timely manner and with great accuracy. In the same exercise, the SAF adapted commercial off-the-shelf wireless technology to allow the operational headquarters, which is usually a large and unwieldy collection of people, vehicles and communications, to be dispersed. Headquarters, as Members know, are high value assets and by dispersing the HQ over a large area, we could reduce its signature and vulnerability to enemy detection and attack and, also, speed up the rate at which it can be redeployed. We have deployed some of the 3G SAF capabilities in actual operations. In the operation in Aceh, the SAF deployed high bandwidth communications in the different locations in Aceh. These systems were adapted from the Defence Science and Technology Agency and industry at short notice. The high bandwidth satellite communications significantly enhance the SAF's command and control capability. Operational discussions were conducted through video conferencing in real time, and this enabled the SAF to respond quickly to the operational requirements. While the 3G SAF will be a more formidable and operationally ready force that is enhanced by technology, it will always be the soldier, sailor and airman who will ultimately make the difference. Fundamental to the 3G SAF soldiers are the values that are imbued in generations of the SAF - loyalty, commitment, courage, professionalism.”
“I look forward to discussing with my counterpart there on how we can expand our cooperation further. Sir, MINDEF and the SAF will continue to place a premium on maintaining a high state of operational readiness and expanding our international ties through defence diplomacy. The evolving security environment and changing nature of warfare demand that we develop our other capabilities that leverage on technology so that we remain prepared and will continue to have high operational readiness in the years ahead - 5, 10, 15 or 20 years. More than ever before, we need to equip ourselves with military capabilities that can respond to a complex and unpredictable security environment with flexibility and innovation. To prepare for the future, MINDEF and the SAF are on a journey to transform our military forces into the third generation (3G) SAF. Dr Ong, Dr Warren Lee and Mr Leong Horn Kee have asked about these transformation efforts. This journey has many dimensions. These include developing new operating concepts, reshaping the force structure and developing our people. MINDEF has developed a blueprint and action schedule for the development of the 3G SAF. This includes the sorts of capabilities that Dr Warren Lee asked about, for dealing with urban warfare, terrorism and asymmetric warfare. As we crystallise the developmental framework for the 3G SAF, we are conducting parallel efforts to experiment with new technologies and test prototype systems in field exercises. For example, during a recent SAF exercise conducted in Australia, we deployed a prototype lightweight unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV, which DSO National Laboratories had developed.”
“Last year, the SAF conducted about 70 exercises with over 20 armed forces, that is, an average of nearly 1.4 exercises per week with other countries. They are both bilateral and multilateral exercises. All three SAF services - the Army, Navy and Air Force - exercise with their foreign counterparts. The overseas exercises allow the SAF to train in a wide variety of challenging and realistic operating environments, as well as to benchmark itself against other armed forces. And as some Members asked, the SAF generally does do quite well. Such exposure helps sharpen our professional skills and operational readiness. For the SAF, the training access that has been offered by so many of our friends has been of great value, given our land and airspace limitations. Today, the SAF trains in almost a dozen countries on a regular basis. Defence diplomacy has also helped us to secure defence technology collaboration with a number of countries with advanced defence technology, including the US, France, Israel and Sweden. MINDEF and the SAF will continue to work on expanding our circle of friends while strengthening each valuable relationship that we have. In my recent travels, I found considerable interest in engaging Singapore and the SAF. In Japan, for instance, I had a substantive dialogue with Japanese leaders on several security issues which reflected considerable common perspectives and a potential for more interactions and deeper engagement. I was recently in Bahrain, and there was also an interest in increasing defence interactions with Singapore. I shall be going to India shortly, in two weeks' time. Singapore and India signed a defence cooperation agreement in 2003 to underscore the commitment of both sides to strengthen defence cooperation.”
“Our recent experience in Aceh highlighted two things - military assets and military personnel are highly flexible and indeed can be used in humanitarian missions. Our LSTs, transport planes, heavy-lift helicopters and heavy machinery were of high value when they were the only things that could access the disaster zone speedily and quickly. Our search and rescue teams, combat engineers, naval divers and pilots were of high value when the tasks required their professional skills and when no one else could do them. But they are also not always the best for such missions nor should they be designed to be so. Once the emergency relief phase was over, international organisations such as the United Nations and NGOs, such as the Red Cross and our own Mercy Relief, had more relevant skills and experience. We should appreciate and understand this and, in fact, we should welcome this. Sir, Mr Ravindran has raised the point about defence diplomacy. It has long been the focus of MINDEF to build friendship and generally develop a network of good relations with our ASEAN partners and friends further afield, for this enhances our security. The mutual understanding that grows out of increased interactions reduces the risk of misconceptions and miscalculations and enables more substantive and effective cooperation when that is called for. The friendship that the SAF has cultivated with the TNI over the years greatly enhanced the effectiveness of the SAF's disaster relief mission in Aceh. The cooperation and collaboration that follow from defence diplomacy are other tangible payouts that both sides can reap. 5.45 pm The SAF benefits greatly from its exercises with friendly armed forces. The training tempo is high. Members may not realise how frequently we train with other countries.”
“That means the SAF has to be structured and developed primarily to meet the range of potential threats to our security - from an assault on our sovereignty and territorial integrity, to dealing with low-intensity conflicts, to fighting terrorism. While the SAF safeguards our national security, we are also conscious of our obligations as a responsible member of the international community and as a good neighbour and friend. Hence, we have made our contributions where SAF's capabilities could be useful, eg, humanitarian assistance disaster relief missions. These have included disaster relief operations following earthquakes in Indonesia, India and other regional countries. The SAF has also participated in UN and other peacekeeping operations, contributing about 1,500 SAF personnel to 14 missions over the years. Members will recall that the SAF participated in three successive multi-national missions in East Timor with combat peacekeepers, not just logistics and medical support. We also had medical teams, of course, and headquarters staff, and an SAF officer, BG Tan Huck Gim, who was Force Commander of UNMISET. The UN knows that Singapore is unable to contribute large numbers of troops, but they do appreciate that we contribute in areas where we have niche capabilities and that we do well. The UN's appointment of an SAF officer to lead the peacekeeping force in East Timor was testimony to the regard that the UN has for the SAF's professionalism. The Singapore Government will continue to contribute towards such international operations and disaster relief efforts where we find that the SAF's capabilities could be useful and where it is appropriate for the SAF to play a role.”
“The effective execution of this mission demonstrated how far the SAF has come in its development as a joint force. It also demonstrated the effectiveness of our system-wide response, by which I mean not just the combined effort of the SAF men and women deployed in theatre, but also the technology and support groups in MINDEF, our industry partners and civil resource partners. All these components were tied together by a rigorous planning process and a tight decision-making loop. The mission also demonstrated that the current training of our officers does equip them to work with international agencies, NGOs and the media. But we learnt some lessons as well, and the SAF will take the lessons learnt in these areas to further improve the training of our officers. This was the point that was raised by Dr Warren Lee. Operation Flying Eagle was a good test of our response system. The results affirmed that the resources and effort we have put into enhancing the SAF's operational readiness and enhancing our integration as a joint tri-service force have been the right investments. Mr Chay Wai Chuen, Mr Leong Horn Kee, Mr Sin Boon Ann and Ms Irene Ng have asked whether the SAF should now redesign itself so that it can respond more quickly for humanitarian missions and whether the SAF should extend its capabilities to conduct non-military international operations such as peacekeeping; in other words, to refocus the SAF. Sir, let me state quite clearly that the primary mission of the SAF must be to defend Singapore and enhance Singapore's security. Our security is the top priority. It is the reason why we have the SAF. It always has been, and it will long be so, given our particular strategic circumstances. And that is the mission that the SAF must focus on.”
“Over a period of three weeks after the tsunamis, the SAF deployed to Indonesia three helicopter landing ships, which meant that 100% of our helicopter landing ships were deployed, because the fourth is currently still in the Gulf protecting the oil terminal there just off Iraq, six Chinook helicopters, two Super Pumas, two field hospitals, two engineer teams with heavy equipment, two air traffic control coordination teams, a mobile air traffic control tower, and a C-130 transport plane to ferry supplies to Indonesia. Altogether, about 1,200 servicemen and servicewomen were deployed in what turned out to be largest mission that the SAF had ever undertaken. The SAF had the right equipment for this mission but, most importantly, we had the right men for the mission - men and women with the professional competence, adaptability and dedication. The rigorous training they had undertaken over the years kicked in to produce a very fine execution of the mission. In a dynamic situation where information was often inadequate, our people were able to adapt quickly and frequently, so that they produced the results to make the mission a resounding success. And among those people were some National Servicemen - NSFs, NSmen and volunteers - who brought credit to the SAF with their professionalism and hard work. While our servicemen and women did us proud, at the individual level, the sum proved to be even more than the parts. The medic in the Banda Aceh field hospital or the Chinook pilot in the air over Medan, or the naval diver on a helicopter landing ship on the coast of Meulaboh were physically far apart - hundreds of miles apart, and hundreds of miles from Singapore - but they operated as part of an integrated tri-service force.”
“The SAF is structured and trained such that any call to action will be met with an immediate and effective response. The SAF's operational readiness was put to a real test most recently after the Boxing Day earthquake and tsunamis hit our region. The SAF's reaction was a swift one, once we realised that we could make a useful contribution to the disaster relief efforts. Members have asked for an assessment of how we did. I think we did very well. Almost immediately, plans were drawn up and preparations underway to conduct a disaster relief mission and, in a way which would be most useful and effective. The SAF could respond so quickly and effectively because we had suitable capabilities and we were operationally ready. Within 24 hours, the SAF had standby teams ready for deployment. In less than 48 hours, we had sent a C-130 transport plane with relief and medical supplies to Medan, and also a team to consult with the Indonesian authorities on how the SAF could most usefully focus its assistance. The next day, on 29th December, an advance medical team and two Chinook helicopters were deployed to Medan. On day four, we sent two Super Puma medium-lift helicopters and the rest of the medical team. Another team of two Chinook and two Super Puma helicopters and SAF personnel was deployed to a second theatre in Phuket, Thailand. On day five, just 72 hours after they were activated, the first of three helicopter landing ships, the RSS Endurance, left for Sumatra, bringing with it 470 personnel in a specially assembled disaster relief team of medical, engineering, naval and communications elements, and supplies and heavy equipment.”
“Operation Flying Eagle, our relief mission after the Boxing Day disaster, was part of the high readiness core in action. Beyond this core, the SAF can call up large numbers of NS units and personnel if the situation warrants it. These NS units are well trained and operationally ready. Some components can be mobilised for action in a matter of hours while others may take a couple of days. The SAF has designed a system to mobilise manpower, weapons, logistics supplies and civil resources at short notice. Singaporeans are, by now, familiar with the little green man that flashes away with our regular mobilisation exercises, which continually test and sharpen the system. It is testimony to the commitment of our National Servicemen that the mobilisation response rate is consistently high - 95% or higher. In all our mobilisation exercises, the called-up units were ready for action and deployment within a few hours of being activated. We know that when the time comes to fight, the SAF may not have a second chance of a victory. That drives the rigour and realism of the SAF's training. It is not unusual for National Servicemen responding to mobilisation calls to find themselves almost immediately thrown into some kind of battle exercise. Our National Servicemen know that they will be in the frontline should the SAF ever have to go to war when that little green man ever flashes for real. We match our national service units in exercises against active units and put them through the same strenuous and demanding training and evaluation. It says a lot for the spirit and commitment of our National Servicemen that they often perform just as well and, at times, even better than active units in these exercises.”
“The trilateral coordinated patrols have also shown some early successes, although we have not been able to completely stop piracy incidents. But the number of piracy incidents has fallen. 5.30 pm Piracy is a century-old enterprise, I might say, which will not be easily eradicated. Maritime terrorism is a more recent scourge. Making the seas safe for both will require the combined efforts of many countries, and Singapore is firmly committed to this. We have been playing an active role in multi-lateral forums to enhance maritime security, and we will continue to do so. At the same time, we will continue to enhance the safety and security of our own port and territorial waters from terrorist threats, building on such efforts as the Container Security Initiative and the recently announced ASSet ship escort teams. Dealing with maritime security continues to be a work-in-progress, and we will continue our efforts. Sir, I note the many comments and queries on the operational readiness of the SAF. This has been raised by Mr Ravindran, Dr Ong Chit Chung, Dr Warren Lee, Mr Hawazi and Mr Leong Horn Kee. I would like to assure Members that the operational readiness of the SAF is a key priority. Singapore's geo-strategic situation makes us more vulnerable than most countries. Our small size means that we have no manoeuvring space and no strategic depth to fall back on. We cannot afford to sit back and absorb an attack. Besides having a good early warning system, it is imperative that our defence force must maintain high operational readiness. The SAF structures its forces in a concept of tiered readiness. There is a high readiness core which is ready to react at very short notice to contingencies such as a terrorist attack and humanitarian assistance.”
“We have made considerable progress since the discussion intensified approximately a year ago. The Malacca and Singapore Straits has been one focus area. Initiatives have been undertaken in a number of multilateral arrangements. Singapore has just co-hosted, just a couple of days ago, together with the US, a confidence-building measure (CBM) conference on Regional Cooperation in Maritime Security under the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)-CBM concept. This brought together 170 maritime security experts from military, enforcement, port and shipping and policy agencies of the 22 ASEAN Regional Forum member countries, to discuss ways to enhance maritime security. The Five Power Defence Arrangements (or FPDA) has also recently expanded its focus to deal with non-conventional threats, with particular emphasis on the maritime domain. The first maritime security exercise was conducted last year as part of the annual major maritime security exercise. The 22 navies of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium have also initiated substantive professional exchanges on maritime security issues and will conduct a maritime security exercise this May. All these are very positive developments which enhance confidence and build capacity. They also create a framework of inter-operability that can be useful for any future contingencies. At sea, we have the trilateral coordinated patrols conducted by the Indonesian, Malaysian and Singapore navies in our respective territorial waters, as well as the Singapore-Indonesia coordinated patrols, also in our respective territorial waters. The Singapore-Indonesia coordinated patrols have largely wiped out piracy incidents in the area of operations covered by these coordinated patrols since they were launched more than a decade ago.”
“One example includes building up a chemical, biological, radiological and explosive (CBRE) defence group to consolidate all relevant operational expertise in explosives, bomb disposal, and dealing with unconventional weapons under one roof. So we go beyond just dealing with things which might have already happened, but with things which might yet happen in the future. Our laboratories in our defence research institutions also have the capability to quickly test for and identify chemical and biological agents, as was demonstrated by the role they played in our fight against SARS just two years ago. Mr Ravindran has asked about Total Defence. I think several Members - as I looked at the subjects being raised by them - have also asked about Total Defence, and we will address that point later on. Dr Ong Chit Chung asked about maritime security, and so did Mr Sin Boon Ann. The complex nature of the new security environment is really very well reflected in the area of maritime security, particularly maritime security in the Malacca Straits. This is a matter of great concern for Singapore and the other littoral states - Malaysia and Indonesia - as well as for the user states, whose economic interests depend on secure sea lanes in this vital waterway. The user states, too, are important stakeholders and have a say. Other interested parties, such as the International Maritime Organisation and the shipping community, have also begun to focus on how security in the Malacca Straits could be enhanced. There has been significant progress in that there is now clear agreement among regional countries and other stakeholders that maritime threats are very real and that we all need to work together to deal with them.”
“Beyond that, the SAF must also be able to deal with low-intensity conflict situations and terrorism. The threat of terrorism continues to be real and immediate. It will not go away any time soon, as terrorist groups are unwavering in their determination to wreak havoc and destruction, Singapore continues to remain a prime target. Countering this threat requires a multiplicity of effort - by governments acting alone, and in cooperation with one another, and, as Mr Ravindran and Dr Ong Chit Chung have pointed out, by multiple national agencies bringing together the many capabilities needed to deal with the terrorists and the variety of weapons and in the various domains of land, sea and air. Mr Leong Horn Kee has asked whether the SAF has coordinated with other agencies, such as MHA. Indeed, we have, and this is the reason why the Prime Minister has appointed Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Tony Tan, as the Coordinating Minister for Security and Defence. His main focus is actually to coordinate the various Ministries, not just MINDEF and the Ministry of Home Affairs, but also the Economic Ministries, the Ministry of Health and other Ministries, in order to make sure that Singapore is well coordinated to deal with this threat of terrorism. Dr Ong Chit Chung has asked whether we have contingency plans for air-hijacking. Indeed, we do. I will not go into the details on what precisely we would do, but, indeed, we do have such plans, and our air defence systems are stood up, to deal with them. We will continue to have to invest in enhancing our counter-terrorism capabilities and measures.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, first of all, I would like to thank Members for their pertinent comments and timely questions on Singapore's defence and security, and for their endorsements of confidence in the Singapore Armed Forces. In the 40 years since our independence, Singapore has made steady progress as a nation. We have been able to focus on our socio-economic development. This has brought Singaporeans a comfortable standard of living and given Singapore a certain standing in the world community. Our unity as a society, and as a nation, has been enhanced. All this has been possible because we have peace and security. That is the absolute essential foundation for our growth and progress as a nation. The peace and security we have enjoyed is not to be taken for granted. It is also not something we can attribute to good fortune alone. Singapore has enjoyed peace and security over these 40 years because we have dedicated, year after year, much effort and resources to building the twin pillars of our defence, namely, deterrence and diplomacy, as Mr Ravindran has noted. Sir, as the remarks of some Members suggest, it is clear that our security environment has become much more complex in recent years, and the spectrum of potential threats has expanded. The uncertainties and potential instabilities will continue to be a feature of the regional landscape. We will always need to have a military capability which can defend Singapore's territorial integrity and sovereignty. Our defence capability must also give us the confidence to assert our rights as an independent sovereign nation. With the political space to take decisions which best serve Singapore's interests, we need not feel intimidated when the regional climate turns sour, as happens from time to time, as we all well know.”
“PSC is mindful of the fact that the disciplinary process should be efficient, especially in view of the possible financial strain faced by an interdicted public officer. Sometimes, the length of time is because of the investigation process by the various investigation agencies. Regular reviews are carried out to expedite the effective handling of disciplinary cases without compromising the impartiality and rigour of the system. We will continue to see how the process could be carried out more expeditiously. Role of a Member of Parliament”
“First, I would like to explain that under the Public Service (Disciplinary Proceedings) Regulations, the Public Service Commission can interdict a public officer from duty provided that criminal proceedings or disciplinary proceedings are being contemplated against him with a view to his dismissal or retirement in the public interest. Interdiction is, therefore, invoked only in cases where the offences are of a serious nature and the officer's continued presence in office either poses a serious risk to office security, hampers investigation into the case against him, compromises the safety of persons (for example, in the case of school students where the case involves molestation or other immoral behaviour by school staff), or undermines staff morale. As officers are interdicted only for serious offences and not required to report for work, some part of the officer's salary is withheld. In order not to cause undue financial hardship, only up to 50% of an officer's pay would be held back pending the outcome of the case against him. Only upon court conviction would he be put on no pay. If the disciplinary proceedings ultimately do not result in the officer's dismissal or retirement in the public interest or other punishment, he would be refunded the full amount of the emoluments which he would have received had he not been interdicted. I would like to assure Members that a decision to interdict an officer is taken only after very careful consideration. Over the last three years, of the 372 disciplinary cases completed by the PSC, only 72 were interdiction cases. 71 of these ended up in court conviction or dismissal or retirement in the public interest. Only in one case was the officer reinstated with back-payment of salaries withheld.”
“The service already has a re-employment policy for Ministries to employ retired officers or to extend the services of retiring officers if they are still fit and want to continue working. These officers could be re-employed under a range of flexible work and contract employment schemes. Over the past five years, more than 650 officers have been re-employed or have had their service extended beyond retirement age, either in full-time or part-time positions. These officers are employed in a diverse range of jobs, such as teachers, translators and officers running our juvenile homes. I will be happy to hear any suggestions from Mr Teo or any of the others, and also to see whether the suggestions that come out from the Tripartite Committee would be useful for the civil service. Mr Teo has also made a suggestion to improve the implementation of the Special Gratuity Scheme in the civil service. Mr Teo has explained what the Special Gratuity Scheme is all about. It allows eligible officers who do not have a good job fit and who have reached the ceiling in their careers to leave the organisation, if they so choose. The decision as to whether to take up the programme is entirely up to the officer. I do agree with Mr Teo that the programme should be implemented with some sensitivity. For this reason, the Public Service Division provides a forum for Ministries to discuss and share good practices. Ministries are also encouraged to communicate the intent of the programme clearly and explain the application process to their officers. Continuing feedback from the unions and other stakeholders will be of benefit to us. Let me move on to disciplinary proceedings.”
“We do not set any quotas on the number of contract officers who are emplaced on the permanent establishment as this would depend on a number of factors such as the availability of suitable permanent jobs, the officer's employment track record and his suitability for a long-term career with the organisation. Although contract employment has become more prevalent in the job market, the majority of civil servants are employed in the permanent establishment. The percentage of contract officers in the civil service has remained fairly stable at about only 4% over the past three years. Although at the point of employment, the percentage of contract employees has gone up, many of them are eventually absorbed into the permanent establishment after several years. Mr Teo also spoke about the treatment of part-time officers in the service. Flexible work arrangements like part-time employment allow civil servants to balance their work and their family or other personal commitments. Over the past five years, about 1,000 civil servants have gone on part-time employment. The majority of them are female officers. Let me assure Mr Teo that officers working part-time are treated like their colleagues working full-time. They enjoy the same terms in salaries, benefits and bonuses except that these are pro-rated based on their individual work options. They are assessed no differently from full-time officers and their service is recognised for promotions and service benefits. Upon return to full-time employment, the officer's salary and benefits would be the same as those of similar full-time officers. On the extension of service beyond retirement, the civil service welcomes and values the contributions of older and retiring civil servants, given their wealth of experience and knowledge.”
“For instance, in the Management Executive Scheme of Service which recruits graduate officers into a variety of jobs in the Ministries, about one third of recruits in 2004 were mid-career officers from the private sector, compared to about 13% in 2000. This trend confirms that the Government is still competitive in attracting good officers, including top talent from the private sector. I would turn now to the points that Mr Teo has raised. To position itself as an attractive employer, the civil service has also introduced a range of employment options such as contract and part-time employment. Contract employment provides the service with greater flexibility and responsiveness in its manpower management and recruitment strategies. It also provides the individual who seeks employment greater flexibility as well, because he could come in for a term of employment and then choose to do something else later on. This is attractive to many younger people especially. It also allows the ministries to tap on a wider pool of candidates, such as mid-career officers from the private sector, some of whom may prefer the flexibility offered by contract employment. Currently, Ministries could appoint an officer on contract terms for short-term projects or as a means to assess the suitability of the officer. There is no limit placed on the number of times a contract could be renewed. Contract officers generally enjoy similar salaries and benefits as those of any officer on the permanent establishment doing a similar job. Good officers are usually offered permanent positions after 1-2 years.”
“To ensure that the public service maintains service standards, Mystery Customer Audits have been implemented where public agencies are paired up to conduct incognito service checks on each other. Results of the (Mystery Customer) Audits and the service standards of the Government agencies involved are publicly available on the PS21 Internet website. Every public agency also has a Quality Service Manager to respond to customer concerns and feedback about service quality. Dr Magad also raised concerns about whether the budget cut would undermine the civil service's competitiveness in talent attraction. Let me assure him that attracting and retaining a fair share of talent has always been, and will always be, one of the service's top priorities. We believe in recruiting the best person for the job, and in getting the best out of him or her through timely rewards and recognition. Even with the budget cuts, the civil service will continue to ensure that it remains an attractive employer. For example, the Public Service Division regularly reviews the civil service's employment terms and conditions to ensure that its compensation and benefits packages are competitive and benchmarked to the private sector. This is to ensure that the Government is able to pay appropriate market salaries to attract top talent where they are needed. I should point out that in maintaining appropriate market salaries, the salaries do go up and down, with the market benchmarks. These efforts have led to a steady increase in the inflow of mid-career officers from the private sector in recent years.”
“Ministries are encouraged to review their functions and staffing levels and, where appropriate, streamline their processes and operations so that workload remains manageable. I can quote an example. The Singapore Police Force has outsourced its vehicle management function. This has led to substantial savings and, more importantly, freed up its manpower for core policing duties. The civil service is committed to serving the public. When the service moved to a five-day work week, it was promised that service levels to the public would not be affected and, indeed, they have not. Customer volumes at Government counters on Saturday are high, as it is a preferred day for many Singaporeans who do not work on that day, to visit Government public service counters. As such, Government agencies continue to provide counter services on Saturday, by giving staff the appropriate time off or by rostering staff on duty. The Government has also sought to raise the quality of service through innovation so that they are not just dependent on counters, but there are other service outlets as well. Today, more than 1,600 Government services are available on the Singapore Government Online portal. E-services deliver new value and, the way that our E-services are constructed today are that they are focused around what a citizen needs or wants in particular phases of his life, rather than on what the Ministries do. They allow public services to be delivered any time to customers anywhere while reaping cost savings. Citizens unfamiliar with accessing e-services could get help through the eCitizen Helper programme, which is available in more than 50 locations in Singapore.”
“This shows that Singaporeans are ready and keen to partner with the Government to create a better Singapore. The public service will continue to provide more channels to engage Singaporeans and actively incorporate their views, where constructive, into the policy formulation process. We also need good people in order to have a first class public service. To attract, develop and retain good people, the human resource management practices in the civil service must be progressive, responsive and flexible. Over the years, the Public Service Division (PSD) has empowered Ministries to give them more flexibility to decide on terms and conditions of employment. They, therefore, become responsible for their own employees. There is now greater emphasis on performance-related pay and career development. More recently, the civil service has led the way in promoting flexible work arrangements and a better work-life balance for its employees. Even as agencies are given more autonomy to meet customer needs, it is vital that Government agencies act in concert. A key responsibility of the Public Service Division is to develop a common ethos and understanding of the principles of governance so that the various agencies could function effectively together as a part of one networked government. Dr Ahmad Magad asked if the 3% budget cut would undermine the service quality of the public service. I would like to assure Dr Magad and Members of the House that the Government continually seeks new ways of doing more with less and without sacrificing service quality. The additional 3% cut in the budget of Government Ministries aims to encourage greater prudence and efficiency in the public service.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, I would like to thank Dr Ahmad Magad and Mr Teo Yock Ngee for taking an interest in issues related to the public service. A clean and efficient public service is the bedrock of good governance in Singapore. It has helped to ensure that policies are implemented effectively and in the national interest. It has helped us to keep taxes low because public services are delivered efficiently. It has helped us build trust between the Government and the people, because Singaporeans know that public servants are not corrupt. We have a first-class public service. But it is critical that the public service continues to reinvent itself in order that it can help the Government serve the people and enable Singaporeans to create and seize opportunities. An important new focus for the public sector is to put customers and citizens at the centre of policy regulation and service delivery. This means that public servants must have a systematic way of taking in the views of customers and citizens and actively find out what is happening in their area of responsibility and among the people whom they are supposed to be serving. 3.30 pm An example of good practice is the Pro-Enterprises Panel, which includes not just top public servants but also representatives from the private sector, to ensure that rules and regulations do not unnecessarily hinder business. There have also been concerted efforts to raise the level of public consultation to ensure that the voices of Singaporeans are heard in the policy making process. Since the launch of the Feedback Unit's online consultation portal in 2003, more than 17,000 submissions from the public have been received through its various online feedback channels.”