Yeo Ning Hong
Singapore
“The SAF always reviews and enhances its training system to maximise the contributions of NSFs to national defence during their NSF stint. We will continue to ensure that the training syllabus is relevant to the defence needs of Singapore, and NSFs' time in the SAF used meaningfully and efficiently.”
“New recruits will find military training less onerous if they take on the personal responsibility of preparing themselves well physically before enlistment. AUCTION OF #03-06 PEK CHUAN BUILDING 6.”
“Sir, on a point of clarification. I believe Dr Ahmad Mattar had earlier on attributed some comments to me. I just want to clarify that I am not waiting for July to have my views on SBC made known to the Minister for Information and the Arts.”
“Sir, to encourage the new NSmen to maintain the same physical fitness that they have achieved while they were in full-time National Service, Mindef will increase the IPPT pass standards for new NSmen who ROD on or after 1st April to the same level that they attained when they were NSF.”
“Sir, I do not think Mr Chiam has any clue whatsoever about what is involved in basic military training. It is not fitness. It is the acquiring of basic military skills, to know how to fight, to know how to ensure that you do not get killed.”
“Sir, Mr Chiam would make a most popular Member of Parliament in Kuwait - if only they had a Parliament in Kuwait. That is exactly the sort of situation that had brought the Kuwaitis the disaster they had a year and a half ago, when people are only interested in having a better life and are not prepared to make the effort to ensure that th…”
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“New recruits will find military training less onerous if they take on the personal responsibility of preparing themselves well physically before enlistment. AUCTION OF #03-06 PEK CHUAN BUILDING 6. Mr Chia Shi Teck asked the Minister for Finance (a) what are the reasons that led to the decision of the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore to auction off the property at #03- 06 Pek Chuan Building at Lavender Street to recover property taxes due; (b) whether the auction price raised after deducting all expenses is enough to pay off the debts; and (c) whether further action will be instituted against the owner(s).”
“To be effective, military training has to be tough and rigorous. Soldiers must acquire combat skills and physical fitness in peace time to prepare them for the demands of war. The SAF has to ensure its training is effective in order to build up a credible defence force. The SAF recognises that many new NSF recruits are not in the best physical condition before enlistment. Training is therefore conducted progressively and with all possible safety measures. The progressive physical build up and safety measures help to minimise training accidents and injury. Nevertheless, occasional accidents including stress fractures do happen. Over the last 5 years, 0.13% of our NSF recruits were treated for stress fractures. This is a significant improvement over the rate of 3.5% in the mid-80s and reflects the results of medical research in the SAF. The SAF is constantly looking for ways to help soldiers to perform better and to reduce training injury. Some of the measures that have been introduced include: a. the 2-month pre-BMT Physical Training Phase to allow less fit recruits to gradually build up their level of physical fitness; b. appropriate rest periods scheduled into training programmes to allow recovery of strength and stamina; c. grouping recruits according to their levels of physical fitness to allow training to be conducted at a pace commensurate with their fitness levels; d. significant improvements to the combat boots through medical and ergonomic research (eg. the shock absorbent quality of the boots to better protect the feet of the soldiers). The SAF will continue to look for ways to reduce training injury even further.”
“It is the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence to provide a defence capability to safeguard the sovereignty and security of Singapore. To discharge its responsibility, the SAF must first and foremost have sufficient number of combat soldiers. They form the fighting edge of the SAF. Under our universal conscription, citizens who are physically and medically fit for combat are trained and deployed in combat units regardless of their educational qualifications. Those who are able and have leadership qualities would be trained and deployed as commanders and officers. The low national birth rate makes it even more critical for the SAF to deploy the available manpower resource to combat duties where they are most needed. The population of graduates in the SAF has been increasing over the years. This is a positive development. Increasing educational levels of our soldiers add to our defence capability, enabling the SAF to exploit science and technology to multiply its effectiveness. With higher education, our servicemen would be better able to operate new and sophisticated weapon systems as well as be trained in more complex operations. Non combat-fit servicemen would similarly be deployed in areas where they could still make a maximum contribution to support the SAF's fighting capability. Where appropriate and relevant, special skills and qualifications are used to augment and multiply our combat capability. FULL-TIME NATIONAL SERVICE (Stress fractures among recruits) 5. Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Defence, what is the yearly incidence of stress fractures among full-time National Servicemen from 1989 to 1993 and what steps have been taken to reduce the incidence.”
“The SAF is a military organisation training soldiers to deal with life and death situations in times of war. Therefore, discipline must be strict, and forceful language in strong tones is used on occasions to help recruits adjust to a military environment. The SAF's training programmes are rigorous and soldiers are prepared for them, mentally and physically with the help of their instructors. However, MINDEF does not condone the use of vulgar language. Neither has vulgarity a role in the training of national servicemen. Specialists and Warrant Officers are men of proven competence and experience, with educational background improving over the years, in parallel with the general rising education levels of our population. Many national servicemen of `A' level and above qualifications also hold such appointments. All Warrant Officers, Specialists and instructors are trained to impart military skills and positive social values to national servicemen as well as to be concerned with their well-being. They are also required to set high personal standards in their conduct, bearing and discipline for the trainees to emulate. It is a misconception that Specialists and Warrant Officers and instructors are using excessive vulgar language on national servicemen. If the Member could provide information on the use of excessive vulgar language, MINDEF will investigate into the matter and take action against the errant servicemen. FULL-TIME NATIONAL SERVICE (Utilisation of skills of graduates) 4. Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Defence, whether any special efforts are taken to utilize the technical and scientific skills of graduates while they are doing their full-time National Service.”
“In the case of an NSman who is posted for a long period overseas, he would be replaced by another suitable NSman to ensure that our defence capability is not affected. All NSmen are required to inform MINDEF of their overseas address whenever they leave Singapore for more than 24 hours. This allows the SAF to maintain its operational readiness at all times. Notwithstanding the need for regional economic expansion, NSmen should remember that deferment/disruption from NS comes with a price - to the NSman himself, to the SAF, and to the nation. Facilitating NSmen in their overseas work must not be at the expense of compromising the operational readiness of the SAF. Therefore, whilst MINDEF supports regionalisation, it needs to reconcile the defence of the nation with the economic aspirations of its NSmen. VULGAR LANGUAGE ON NATIONAL SERVICEMEN 3. Mr Chia Shi Teck asked the Minister for Defence whether he is aware that non- commissioned military officers and instructors are using excessive vulgar language on National Servicemen; whether this is part and parcel of the training programme and, if so, whether a stop will be put to such an uncivilised practice.”
“MINDEF supports Singapore's drive to expand its external economy. More Singaporeans can be expected to venture overseas, and participate in the economic development of the region. Many of our NSmen are spearheading this regional expansion and the number working abroad is increasing. For NSmen intending to work overseas, MINDEF excuses them from NS duties in two ways - deferment and disruption. NSmen whose overseas posting is of less than a year's duration can be deferred. However, as they are still under their units' strength, they are expected to do make-up training upon their return. To facilitate greater responsiveness in granting deferment to NSmen, the authority to defer them from ICT has been decentralised to unit commanders since the early 1980s. The unit commanding officers, who are NSmen themselves, are in the best position to decide whether the deferment request can be accommodated after considering the unit's operational training schedule. NSmen whose overseas posting is of 1 year or longer are disrupted for the period of the posting up to a maximum of 3 years at a time. The disruption can be extended, if justified. Upon their return, the NSmen will be required to continue their training from where they had left. Invariably, the disruption of increasing number of NSmen working overseas would affect the SAF. As of now, the numbers are not large enough to affect our defence capability adversely. In drawing up policies and guidelines on allowing NSmen to be absent from training, MINDEF takes into account operational considerations. To be an effective fighting force, NSmen must always train together in their own units throughout their NS cycle.”
“The SAF always reviews and enhances its training system to maximise the contributions of NSFs to national defence during their NSF stint. We will continue to ensure that the training syllabus is relevant to the defence needs of Singapore, and NSFs' time in the SAF used meaningfully and efficiently. If the Member could provide detailed information regarding the unit where the training in the last 6 to 9 months is "less challenging and wasteful", the SAF would carry out the appropriate investigations. OPERATIONALLY READY NATIONAL SERVICEMEN (Overseas postings) 2. Mr Chia Shi Teck asked the Minister for Defence (a) whether more of our operationally ready National Servicemen will be working overseas in view of regionalisation; (b) whether these NSmen will be exempted from their National Service training during their overseas postings; and (c) how their absence will affect our defence strength.”
“Contrary to the Member's misinformation, the last 6 to 9 months of our full-time National Service is not "less challenging and wasteful". Indeed, this period constitutes the high point of the unit's training syllabus. At this juncture, the unit proceeds for overseas training where the NSFs are trained in a totally new and unfamiliar environment. This phase of unit training is physically and mentally demanding. The primary challenge in this period is getting the unit to function as a cohesive and well-oiled combat force in contrast to the earlier period when learning personal skills is the main focus. Three months before the NSFs are released, the unit is required to undergo a Battalion proficiency test conducted by an independent evaluating team. The unit will be evaluated according to operational scenarios and high standards of training proficiency are demanded before it can be considered an operationally ready NS Battalion. If it fails to achieve the required standards, the unit will have to undergo corrective training and be re-evaluated. With the possibility of going through the demanding tests twice, it is the SAF's experience that NSFs make the extra effort to pass the test at the first trial. The last 6 to 9 months of NSF training are thus far from wasteful. But this is the period when the NSF stint is coming to an end. At this stage some NSFs begin to focus their attention on what they are going to do after their full-time NS, be it work or studies. Anticipating the prospects of life after full-time service, inevitably leads some NSFs to feel impatient about completing their service and dampens their interests for military training. But it would not be right to therefore conclude that their training at this stage is a waste of time.”
“Sir, on a point of clarification. I believe Dr Ahmad Mattar had earlier on attributed some comments to me. I just want to clarify that I am not waiting for July to have my views on SBC made known to the Minister for Information and the Arts. As a Cabinet Minister, I have made known very clearly on numerous occasions my views on SBC, as I have made known my views on a whole range of issues in other Ministries. In Cabinet, we discuss issues very vigorously. We share our different points of view, but we must expect, after all the discussions, the Minister who is responsible for the portfolio to take the policy decisions. I just want to clarify that. 2.15 pm”
“Sir, to encourage the new NSmen to maintain the same physical fitness that they have achieved while they were in full-time National Service, Mindef will increase the IPPT pass standards for new NSmen who ROD on or after 1st April to the same level that they attained when they were NSF. We will also be helping those NSmen who have difficulty in maintaining their physical fitness by replacing the residential training scheme with a new non-residential remedial training, beginning 1st April 1994. Sir, the new training system is another of Mindef's continuing efforts to help our servicemen improve their physical fitness and, in the process, enhance Singapore's defence capability.”
“Indeed, another 23% marginally failed only one test and that is the chin-up which Singaporeans, by and large, find great difficulty in passing. Only 2% of those who were considered less fit prior to the programme have not been able to pass the IPPT test itself. Sir, National Servicemen, previously referred to as reservists, are our front-line soldiers. They are the people who form the bulk of our defence force. It is, therefore, extremely important that their physical fitness be satisfactory. To encourage them to strive for higher levels of physical fitness, we recently introduced the IPPT monetary incentives. I am happy to report that since the introduction of these incentives, beginning 1st April 1993, there has been a general improvement in the physical fitness of the NSmen. Compared to work year 1992, the overall number of IPPT passes has increased by 2.4%. But the 2.4% covers a very sharp improvement because there is the improvement in quality, over and above that of the minimum standards required. Let me give the House some details. For example, the number of NSmen who have attained the gold standards, in other words, the highest level required, has more than doubled. For those who have attained the silver standards, it has increased by more than half, in other words, more than 50%. And the number of those who have passed, at what we refer to as special incentive standard, has increased by a quarter. So not only is there a total increase in the number of people passing, there is now a much fitter army of NSmen.”
“Sir, last year, in June, Mindef introduced the restructured Basic Military Training system where enlistees who are not sufficiently fit have got to attend a two-month physical training phase before they join those enlistees who are fit. Then together they go through a three-month common Basic Military Training programme. Sir, under the physical training phase, the enlistees who are less fit undergo a more focused physical conditioning programme designed specifically to help them attain the basic requirements of fitness so that they can start the military training proper. Since the implementation of this programme, the medical attrition for the recruits who are less fit has come down very sharply. Previously, the medical attrition of the less fit has been hovering around 13.4%. This has dropped by about a half to about 6.8%. In toto, if we include also the results for those who are fit, Mindef has reduced the overall medical attrition rate for each cohort from 14.2% under the old regime, where everybody goes in to do a 3-month Basic Military Training programme, to 5.7% under the present programme of the less fit taking a little more time. What this means is that each year, with an annual cohort of about 15,000 recruits, we are able to get 1,300 more recruits available for combat. These would be those who previously would have been medically attrited and hence not available for combat duties. Quite obviously, this is a very important contribution, given the progressively diminishing male citizens at the age of 18 available for national service. Physical fitness among the less fit has shown a very dramatic improvement. 75% of a thousand-odd enlistees who came in for this special programme passed the IPPT under the physical training phase.”
“We have been very fortunate in that, with the constraints that we experience, we have many countries which are generous in providing us with training facilities. The Singapore Government is grateful to these countries. Because of the availability of land overseas, we have been able to carry out large-scale, sophisticated and complicated manoeuvres that would otherwise not be possible if we were to do it in Singapore itself. As a result of the steps that we have taken, Sir, I am happy to assure the House that the Singapore Armed Forces' operational readiness and combat effectiveness have not in any way been undermined, despite the lack of training areas in Singapore. In fact, what we have done is to turn adversity into advantage. Because we have to send our servicemen overseas regularly with large amount of movement of equipment and weapon systems, we have been able to develop and sharpen our ability to deploy our forces quickly, notwithstanding the extremely large logistic tail that has got to follow the troops wherever they go. This, I have no doubt, will stand us in good stead in the event of an emergency. The SAF is fully capable of carrying out its mission of safeguarding Singapore's sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
“When a soldier is not carrying out his actions or his tactics properly, that lesson can very easily be brought home to him because he can be "shot" by a laser gun. And when he is shot, his system is deactivated and he knows that in real training, in a real battle, he would have been dead. With the laser system, we are able to get our soldiers to learn very realistically the correct moves that they have got to make tactically. Sir, to optimise also on limited space, we have developed baffled ranges. These are ranges which minimise the amount of land required around the range. This means that we squeeze the maximum amount of training value out of the land available to us. We also use various parts of Singapore using imaginative and innovative exercises on a large scale. For example, we use old HDB flats that have been designated or earmarked for demolition for our troops' training. When holding such exercises, particularly exercises near to built-up areas, the SAF makes every effort to minimise inconvenience to the public. We inform residents and members of the public of the areas of the exercise before we launch the exercise itself, so that residents will be forewarned and not be alarmed. We also establish hotlines for residents to call should they have queries on such exercises. However, and here I want to stress, even with the best of effort, because of some of these large-scale exercises, a certain amount of inconvenience to residents and to members of the public may be inevitable. And here I request Members to explain to their constituents the training constraints faced by the SAF and to seek their understanding. Sir, I touched briefly earlier on on the training of the Republic of Singapore Air Force in Australia.”
“The total land area available for training is now less than half the land available to the SAF in 1967. As Singapore develops, we can expect further encroachment on the training areas. Sir, we also face constraints in the air. When our Air Force jets take off, in less than a minute they are already out of Singapore airspace. That gives Members an idea of how small, how limited the airspace of Singapore is. But we cannot allow the lack of training area or the shortage of airspace to impede the training of the Singapore Armed Forces. We need to conduct regular and realistic training in order to hone the SAF into an effective and efficient fighting force, a force that is capable of fulfilling its task and mission of safeguarding the sovereignty of Singapore. So, wherever possible, we have applied technology to help us resolve and overcome the problems related to shortage of training space and training area. Hence, the SAF has made extensive use of simulators. After training on the simulators, when our troops go out for actual exercises, they are able to maximise, to make the best use of, the very limited space that is available to us. In this way, every exercise in the training area is optimised to give the best possible training to our Armed Forces. Sir, to provide realistic simulator training, we have gone extensively into laser technology, into systems that permit us to help the soldiers themselves have a good feel of what it would be like in actual battle. We use systems that are referred to as the Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement Systems (MILES). Such systems permit the SAF to engage in a whole variety of exercises with realism.”
“The permanent premises of the School are being built and should be completed this year, with the laying of the foundation stone of the building scheduled for later this month. Last year, we signed a defence cooperation and technology agreement with Australia to facilitate collaboration in defence research and technology. And in December, we signed another MOU allowing our armoured troops to exercise in Australian territory this year. We also conduct regular joint exercises with the Australian Defence Forces and these exercises have proved to be extremely valuable to the Singapore Armed Forces. Sir, our defence ties with the United States are also excellent. We see the United States as a special friend and we regard continued US engagement in the region as important for regional stability. Singapore is not alone in supporting continued US presence. Over the past two years, many other countries in the region have also expressed in one form or another their view that the presence of US forces in the region is still vital and necessary to the continuous stability and security of the region. The SAF has regular exercises with US forces, in particular with the US forces under the US-Pacific Command. These exercises are carried out in Singapore, in Hawaii, in continental US, and in Alaska. Our three services have benefitted immensely from our interactions with the US forces. Mindef will continue with its active defence diplomacy to strengthen existing relations and forge new relations. Sir, Dr Ho has touched upon the scarcity of training space in Singapore. This is indeed a serious problem for the SAF and a very severe constraint. Over the years, the availability of training areas in Singapore has shrunk.”
“Our Air Force, for example, exercises annually with the Indonesian Air Force and the Royal Thai Air Force, while our Navy has regular bilateral exercises with the Navies of Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Brunei. Our close ties with our ASEAN friends are also manifested in the training opportunities that they have granted to the SAF. Indonesia, Thailand and Brunei allow Singapore Armed Forces to carry out unilateral exercises in their countries. The Air Combat Manoeuvring Range in Sumatra which we develop jointly together with the Indonesian Air Force will be commissioned later this month. Last year, Thailand renewed the training arrangement for the SAF and the RSAF to train in Thailand itself. Sir, I now move on to the relations with the Five Power Defence Arrangement (FPDA) countries. The Five Power Defence Arrangement countries, namely, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Singapore form a key institution contributing to the security of the region. The FPDA has served us well over the past two decades. Its value as a political and psychological deterrent has not diminished. This arrangement remains relevant to the region. Cooperation between the FPDA partners is excellent. The regular air defence and naval exercises have been broadened and interaction between FPDA defence officials institutionalised. This year, Singapore will be hosting the second meeting of the FPDA Defence Ministers and the Chiefs of Defence Forces will also be meeting in Malaysia later on in the year. Sir, the House is aware of our increasing defence ties with Australia. Last year, we signed the MOU to shift the RSAF Flying Training School to Pearce in Western Australia. The School has already started operations and it is progressing well.”
“Sir, I will be responding to Prof. Lau and Dr Ho's points on defence cooperation and limitation of space for training. 2.00 pm Sir, Singapore's defence policy is based on a two-pronged approach of diplomacy and deterrence. We have built up a strong deterrence capability to deter threats to Singapore from surfacing. But deterrence alone is not enough. As a small nation, it is vital for Singapore to have good defence relations with as many countries as possible, especially with our neighbours in ASEAN. Hence, Mindef has an active policy of fostering good relations, building open and frank communications, enhancing common interests among our neighbours and other countries. Such relations will serve us in good stead and minimise the prospect of tension and instability in the future. Our efforts to establish close defence ties and strengthen relations with our neighbours and other armed forces have been successful. I will give a brief account of some of them. Mindef gives priority to maintaining close defence relations with our ASEAN partners. The SAF enjoys warm and cordial ties with the armed forces of the other ASEAN countries. These ties have been built up over the years and bilateral relations have been institutionalised. We hold regular bilateral exercises and annual bilateral games and facilitate regular exchange of visits. Our officers also attend each other's military academies and training institutions. The SAF now conducts regular bilateral exercises with all other ASEAN countries, the most recent country being the Philippines. We place great emphasis on such bilateral military exercises which have over the years grown both in scope and sophistication. The Air Forces and Navies of the ASEAN countries also hold regular bilateral exercises.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, time and tide wait for no man. Eight years have elapsed. In more than ten hours' time, on 1st September, Singaporeans will bid farewell to the present President. Eight years ago when Prime Minister Lee asked Mr Wee Kim Wee what he would do after the Presidency, and how he would adjust to life, Mr Wee's reply, at that time, was: `I have been "His Excellency" for over 10 years in Kuala Lumpur and in Tokyo. I have had no trouble becoming a private citizen again. I do not expect any problems after I cease to be President.' From the recent interviews with the press we learn that after his retirement, President Wee will write his private memoirs and lead his simple family life. We should respect President Wee's choice. But I feel that the community and charitable organisations should continue to maintain contacts with President Wee, and the Government should appropriately invite President Wee to some functions so that he would have the chance to meet the people whom he loves. I believe that every Member in this House, in fact, every Singapore citizen, will love and thank President Wee and his wife. Over the last eight years they have made great contributions to our country and our society. I wish him the best of health and the best of everything.”
“Because of his diplomatic experience, he has always been very natural in dealing with other Heads of State visiting Singapore. While observing protocol and decorum, he has also maintained the dignity of Singapore. Indeed, Mr Wee Kim Wee is a very competent President. More importantly, as the President, Mr Wee Kim Wee cares for the people. He is close to the people. At National Day receptions, at the Lunar New Year receptions and on many other occasions, President Wee has always been speaking very affectionately and closely with the guests. He has also maintained visits to the various charitable organisations and the Government Ministries, and has taken part in many activities in the community. His sincerity, humility and friendship and care from the bottom of his heart to the people, have moved Singaporeans. To the younger Singaporeans, President Wee is a kind and approachable elder. Many young people, in fact, call him a "Grand Papa". His character, his accumulated cultural heritage and his subdued moral influence are a model for the young Singaporeans. President Wee is an English-educated Straits-born Chinese, but he has been well received by people from all walks of life, regardless of race, religion, language and educational stream. He has strengthened the cohesion between the people and the country. He has also promoted harmony of the various ethnic groups. So he deserves the title of "People's President". His life and his attitude towards life have given two lessons to Singaporeans. First, in our society, even an ordinary person from a humble family can become Head of State. Second, wealth and success are not everything in life; one's values and virtue, and the dedication and commitment to serve the country and his people is more important than anything else.”
“We will continue to ensure that the nation's standing in the eyes of the world, particularly in our relations with our neighbours, will be enhanced. We hope your footsteps will be followed by those who enter this increasingly vital institution of the President, so that the stature of this institution will be maintained for all times, particularly in those three areas where I believe you have given us the strength to lead the people with vision and, most important of all, in terms of your concern for people, which has brought the people and the nation together. These will help us to attain further success in the future. We wish you, Mrs Wee and your family everlasting happiness. It is something you truly deserve. Dr Ow Chin Hock (Leng Kee)( In Mandarin): Sir, eight years ago, on 30th August 1985, the then Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, in moving the motion for the election of Mr Wee Kim Wee as President, said: `What Singapore needs in a President is a man of integrity and dignity. He is without affectations. His easy manner and his understanding of people will make a good Head of State.' In August 1989, Mr Lee Kuan Yew again nominated Mr Wee Kim Wee for a second term of office and he said: `Four years ago ... he was not well-known to Singaporeans. Today, Wee Kim Wee needs no introduction. Most Singaporeans have seen and many have met their President and like him. They speak of him with affection.' In his eight years of office as President, whether at the National Day Parade, whether in delivering his Presidential Address, whether in administering the oath of office of the Cabinet Ministers, or whether at the Investiture ceremony, President Wee has always been very serious and dignified in performing his duty as the Head of State.”
“And we remained stable following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the collapse of communism the following year. Secondly, I am confident that his call and his hope that we shall make Singapore a centre of excellence is being realised. He said, and I quote: `We can become a centre of excellence in fields such as education and health. Then the sacrifices and efforts we are making will be rewarded manifold. When the recession eventually ends, as it must, we would have made another great stride towards realising our vision of the nation of excellence.' That is the kind of man he is. And speaking of excellence, education and health, we shall pray that he and Mrs Wee shall always remain in good health and that he will continue to enjoy life in a meaningful way. For he has given meaning to our lives. With his attitude, he has given meaning to all of us. Finally, the third aspect, his concern for the people. I would like to ask: who among us who have met him have not felt the warmth in his firm handshake, often with both hands; the honesty in his smile; the sincerity in the shine in his eyes? Who among us have not felt the earnest concern he shows in in the education of his children? Who among us have not felt his love, particularly for the needy or the unfortunate, as in the examples given earlier? Who among us could forget his courage and his conscientiousness, when he continued to perform the duties of State even in times of poor health, as in the examples given by himself and Mrs Wee - the cancer and the arthritis? He and Mrs Wee will always remain in our hearts, because our interest and our nation's interest have always been in his heart. President Wee, Mrs Wee, we love you both. Your deeds will always be in our hearts. We will cherish the memories you left behind.”
“Our political and social structure remains intact, our tolerance and harmony preserved. Mr Speaker, in my observation, there are three important aspects about Mr Wee that I reckon make him a unique Head of State. Firstly, his positive attitude when we underwent economic recession. Secondly, how he urged upon us to create a nation of excellence. Thirdly, as mentioned by the Prime Minister and other colleagues, his concern for the people. I begin with the first. Perhaps having lived in a world that experienced two catastrophic events, ie, the First and the Second World Wars, followed by the Cold War, helped him and his Government to competently tackle the severe world-wide economic recession that we went through some years ago. I remember what he said, and everyone of us, the nation, the people, should scrutinise these words. I quote: `But the recession cannot be solved by the Government alone. These measures will only work if we have the full support of the people. This means that we must all hold and, if need be, reduce our standard of living for the time being. Employees will have less money in the CPF. Wage increment, which we have looked forward to, and even counted upon, will now be temporarily postponed. For the first time in many years things will not be better this year than the last.' He added, and I quote: `All this is painful, but it is also unavoidable. In the changed economic environment with US growth slowed, newly industrialising country (NIC) exports affected, and regional economies depressed by low commodity prices, this is the only way we can adjust. By acting now, we shall keep unemployment down, restore our competitiveness and avoid worse problems later. When conditions pick up, we shall be well-placed to grow again.' How right he was.”
“President Wee Kim Wee makes me feel proud to be a Singaporean, to share with this great but humble man the citizenship of Singapore. [Applause]. The Minister of State for Education (Encik Sidek bin Saniff)( In Malay): Mr Speaker, I rise to join the Hon. Prime Minister in expressing our deepest appreciation to a man who has done yeoman service to Singapore in the past eight years. Mr Speaker, as the Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew, then Prime Minister, aptly put it on 30th August 1985 when he proposed the appointment of Mr Wee Kim Wee as our President, and I quote: 'What Singapore needs in a President is a man of integrity and dignity. He is without affectations. His easy manner and understanding of people will make him a good Head of State.' And so, four years later, Mr Speaker, on 31st August 1989, when we elected him for the second term in this august House, we were unanimous that this President we love has lived up to every word of that description. And we accord him our respect and express our esteem for him with the epithet "People's President." Mr Speaker, if we liken ourselves to a family - the Singapore family - or to a house - the Singapore house - he would be an excellent father; his wife, an excellent mother. As a father, the Head of State, he exuded his fatherliness. As a wife, the First Lady displayed her motherliness. It was such that not a single person among her children felt unwanted or sidelined, all of us, Malays, Indians, Chinese, Eurasians and everyone else. In a multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-cultural nation, our survival lies in this respect, in appreciating our multi-racial, multi-religious make-up. Because of him, we do not just breathe, but we breathe a breath of fresh air and we breathe with satisfaction.”
“But few wish to be young again for the reason that the President has -- he wants to be 18 so that he can do national service. The President told me on many occasions that it is his one regret that he did not perform the highest service that any male citizen could do, namely, to bear arms in the defence of the nation. Sir, here is the man, the man in the highest office in the land, and he envies all the national servicemen and reservists, for he believes they have had a greater privilege and honour than he. And knowing the President, I know it is a conviction that comes from the bottom of his heart. Last year, to mark the 25th anniversary of national service, MINDEF decided to inaugurate an annual Istana reception for us to express our appreciation to all SAF and MINDEF personnel for their contributions to national defence. When the President heard of our plans, he asked to host the function so that he can meet the servicemen and reservists and personally convey to them his appreciation. It meant adding to the President's already heavy schedule of official SAF functions. The annual Presidential reception is now a fixture, a high point in SAF's calendar. It is an event that everyone in the SAF and MINDEF looks forward to because everybody in the SAF and MINDEF wants to meet the President face to face. Sir, my final tribute to President Wee Kim Wee is in my capacity as an ordinary citizen. I have the privilege of seeing the President at close range in many different circumstances, from standing tall and proud as the reviewing officer, to lying flat on his back recuperating from his operation. I shall always remember his ever-present smile, his ready word of encouragement and appreciation, his deep interest in people, his big heartedness, his intense love for Singapore.”
“He visited many of our camps and units to see for himself the training and living conditions of our servicemen and to meet them, to hear from them of their efforts in national defence. Many of these visits were without publicity or media coverage. Of course, the President's many official functions with the SAF are well known. Over the years, I have hosted the President when he was the reviewing officer at our Tri-Service Officers' Commissioning Parade in December. The President gave me and the Chief of Defence Force very clear instructions. If it should rain after the parade has commenced, he does not want to have an umbrella held over his head. "If the officer cadets can stand in the rain, so can I", the President said. "I may not be as young as they, but I can take the rain just as well." I remember clearly one parade - in December, of course. The officer cadets were formed up on the parade ground. Suddenly, dark clouds blew in from the north east. Then, as expected, the skies opened up. The rain came pouring down. The President was expected any moment. The parade had to go on. The presidential motorcade came roaring up the parade ground. Just as suddenly, the rain stopped as if a tap up there had been turned off. The outriders were drenched. But out stepped the President and the First Lady immaculately dressed. We held our collective breath for the next hour as the parade proceeded with dark clouds threatening from above. But the President's aura held the rain at bay. The SAF is always grateful for miracles. But we do not depend on them as a matter of routine planning. So beginning the very next year, the President reviewed the Tri-Service Commissioning Parade in June, no more in December. Sir, many men of Mr Wee's age wish they were 18 again. That is no surprise.”
“Sir, I rise to join my colleagues in a tribute to our President, Mr Wee Kim Wee. I want to pay tribute to the President from three different perspectives; firstly, as the former Minister for Communications and Information; secondly, as Minister for Defence; and, thirdly, as an ordinary Singaporean. In 1985, when I was appointed Minister for Communications and Information responsible for the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation, Mr Wee Kim Wee was the Chairman of SBC. I attended my first briefing on SBC at Caldecott Hill. After a brief word of welcome, Mr Wee got on to the business at hand. Operating cost at SBC at that time was going up much faster than revenue. This was due not to inefficiency but to major policy decisions by SBC in the national interest. SBC was then moving into the production of local drama in Mandarin. The cost of local drama is about 20-40 times that of an overseas programme. It is like comparing the cost of putting up a play and then filming it, with the cost of a video tape. Under Mr Wee's guidance, SBC persevered with its local drama productions despite the high cost, because local programmes were better able to reflect values which our viewers could relate to. Also, local dramas have story lines more relevant to our national development. This was the right decision. Since then, local drama has grown from strength to strength, testifying to the wisdom of Mr Wee's decision. Mr Wee had a clear vision of SBC's role in fostering national values and identity. He provided sterling leadership to the staff at SBC, tackling difficult problems without flinching. I was therefore especially pleased when he was appointed President later in the year. SBC's loss was the nation's gain. As President, Mr Wee had much to do with the Singapore Armed Forces.”
“But if the uncertainties which I mentioned earlier on should threaten to break out into an actual armed conflict spilling over into the region, then I want to assure the House that MINDEF will be back to this House in double quick time to ask for additional support. Sir, my colleague, Mr Yao, will respond to the other items mentioned by Members. Regarding the progress asked for by Dr Ho on the result of the change of the ungraduated BMT (three months for everybody) changed two years ago to a 3-month improved BMT for those who are fit and a slower 4-month BMT for those who are less fit, I would like, with your permission, Sir, to circulate a table (Cols. 1047 - 1048), which I think will give answers to that question. [Copies of table distributed to hon. Members]. table - COMPARISON OF MEDICAL ATTRITION RATES BEFORE AND AFTER THE INTRODUCTION OF GRADUATED BMT FOR THE FIT AND LESS FIT NS RECRUITS (Cols. 1047 - 1048) Sir, because we are short of time, I will not go into all the details except to point out that the programme has been going on well. If we look at the table and the figures for the total medical attrition of the ungraduated BMT, we used to experience about 14% of medical attrition. These are people who have to drop out of the BMT programme, either on a permanent basis or to be given time to rest and then join another BMT later. You will notice that by putting the fit into an improved three months' programme and the less fit into a four-month slower BMT programme, we have reduced the total medical attrition rate down to only 7%. We are currently examining all the details of that change and we hope to be able to make further fine-tuning to improve the programme for our national servicemen.”
“Such a system should ideally have links to broader international systems including that of the United Nations. At the moment, it is too early to tell what the final format or form or arrangement of such a grouping will eventually take. But one has got to be careful that we do not blindly follow models that may have evolved over the years for some other region, in totally different circumstances. We expect that such a security arrangement would take time for the entire Asia-Pacific to be comfortable with. The ASEAN PMC is a good start. The Ministers are talking. Over time, the dialogue will throw up more possibilities for Ministers to consider and it is likely that a new imaginative arrangement for security cooperation that is suited to our region will evolve. In the meantime, we have to continue with the existing bilateral relations and also with the existing multi-lateral relations that have worked for us. 2.00 pm Sir, I want to thank Mr Bernard Chen and Dr Ho for their concern regarding the adequacy of the defence budget and also for their call to continue to invest in our defence capabilities. The bulk of our defence expenditure goes into capital acquisition to give our servicemen and all Singaporeans the best possible protection, and for realistic training and exercises to keep the SAF fit and capable. Our defence budget allows us to develop a balanced military capability that is relevant to our needs. Of course, we will have to emphasise heavily on technology to enable us to overcome the severe limitations of our small population and our lack of geographical depth. The existing defence budget for the SAF is adequate to maintain our present level of deterrence.”
“But we have to remember that such arrangements should add to rather than replace existing tried and tested arrangements which have worked well for us, for example, the Five-Power Defence Arrangement which I mentioned earlier. This Arrangement brings together five countries, namely, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, and is relevant to our peace and stability. It has helped us ensure that the region is stable. It allows the three extra regional countries, namely, UK, Australia and New Zealand, to play an important role in enhancing the stability of the region. In ASEAN, we have already started paying greater attention to having more dialogues on security. Indeed, in January last year, at the ASEAN Summit meeting in Singapore, ASEAN leaders agreed to use the existing ASEAN post-ministerial conference as a forum to discuss security issues among ASEAN and our ASEAN dialogue partners. And the post-ministerial conference (PMC) in Manila has taken it one step further last July. They have endorsed the inclusion of regional security as a regular topic on the agenda of the PMC. So regional security will be discussed on a regular basis. All these discussions will eventually help ASEAN evolve a security arrangement that will contribute to our stability. Sir, Singapore's views are that the best means to maintaining peace and stability in the region is to develop an open system that engages all the key powers in the Asia-Pacific region and bring them together to play an important role in establishing the security of the region. Countries that will have to be involved will obviously be the six ASEAN countries as well as the key players such as the United States, China, Russia, Japan and Australia.”
“Sir, Mr Maidin asked about the Malaysia /Singapore relations. I am happy to inform the House that our defence relations with Malaysia are warm and positive. But being very close neighbours, misunderstanding and difficulties do arise from time to time. What we have done in both countries is to try to minimise the hiccups in our defence relations by establishing effective communication channels between MINDEF Singapore and MINDEF KL, so that any misinformation can be clarified very quickly, so that misunderstanding is not allowed to fester. Members will probably remember reading in the papers that the Malaysian Defence Minister, Dato Najib Razak, and other senior MAF commanders have publicly emphasised their commitment to maintaining good relations with Singapore. Singapore shares this commitment to good bilateral relations. Our two armed forces conduct regular bilateral exercises. There is an annual joint naval exercise also. Our two air forces exercise regularly, as frequently as four times a year. We do this under the auspices of the Five-Power Defence Arrangement (FPDA). In April last year, Malaysia hosted the bilateral land exercise codenamed "Semangat Bersatu". This was carried out in mainland Malaysia, in Negri Sembilan. Singapore will be hosting the next land exercise some time in April this year. Sir, Prof. Lau has touched briefly on the need for multi-lateral security arrangements. From time to time, there have been calls, both from Singaporeans as well as from people overseas, for the establishment of new formal regional defence arrangements. Singapore welcomes any form of cooperation that can contribute to regional peace and stability.”
“Our cooperation with ASEAN, indeed with every one of our ASEAN friends, has grown over the years. We continue to have regular exchanges of officers in each other's military academies. We have regular bilateral military exercises. In Singapore, we have exercises with practically every one of the other ASEAN countries. They include our closest neighbours, Malaysia and Indonesia. We have exercises also with Thailand and Brunei. These exercises have grown over the years, both in scope as well as in sophistication. In the case of the Philippines, we are working together at the moment to schedule a first joint land exercise in the Philippines. Our ASEAN neighbours have been very helpful to Singapore. They have helped us overcome our constraint as a result of shortage of land. So our forces have trained in Brunei, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. Sir, Mr Maidin mentioned the close cooperation between the Indonesian Armed Forces and the SAF. This is indeed true. Together, we have embarked on a number of joint development projects, the most important of which are the Air Weapons Range and the Air Combat Manoeuvring Range, both of them in Sumatra. Recently, the SAF and ABRI, the Indonesian Armed Forces, have also set up a joint coordination committee and we have been extremely successful in reducing the occurrence of sea robberies and piracy in our region. Besides all these areas of cooperation, we also participate actively in regular visits and exchanges among the senior members as well as other ranks. There is also regular exchange of visits by the political leadership in all the ASEAN countries. All these interactions at every level help us to develop mutual understanding and confidence and also to strengthen the relations that we have with each other.”
“These are problems that result from deep divisions and differences of race, language and religion. We saw what happened in Europe. These deep visceral differences can resurface with renewed vengeance and very quickly too. Up until now, one of the major factors that assists in maintaining the stability of the region has been the US presence in significant force. The contribution of the Americans to the stability of the region has been acknowledged by many other countries in the region besides Singapore. Unfortunately, as a result of her own domestic economic problems, the US is progressively reducing its presence. That makes for much greater uncertainty as we look into the next 5-10 years. We are not the only people who are concerned with the uncertainties ahead. Our neighbours in the region, ASEAN in particular, are also very, very conscious of the potential problems and all of them have started programmes to upgrade their defence and security capabilities. As Members have pointed out, Malaysia is acquiring better weapons and aircraft. Indonesia has been reported to have bought warships from Germany. Thailand is expanding its air force with the acquisition of another squadron of F-16s. And even the Philippines, which is currently grappling with its own domestic economic problems, is also sourcing for weapon systems to upgrade its military capabilities. In the midst of all these uncertainties, it is important for us in Singapore to continue to strengthen our defence relations with our friends in ASEAN and also with our friends beyond. The existing strong network of bilateral defence ties has helped immensely to enhance mutual confidence and security cooperation among the armed forces in ASEAN.”
“Sir, I want to thank Members for their contributions and comments on the geopolitical and security considerations in the region and also for the call to improve our defence relations with our ASEAN neighbours and countries beyond the region. Sir, let me touch very briefly on some of the uncertainties in the Asia-Pacific region because these uncertainties affect us most of all. With the cold war over, the US and the Western countries are enjoying their peace dividends, cutting back their defence budgets very sharply. Because these were the countries who were the direct antagonists of the Soviet empire. But for us in South East Asia, our problems are totally different. The end of the cold war has resulted in a much greater uncertainty for us. Some of the major changes currently taking place are likely to lead to greater instability. Members have touched upon some of them. China's economy is on the verge of take-off. That means China would be able to afford to become a significant global power with a very sizable military capability to back up its influence. Japan is also seeking to have a much greater international political role. The conflict in Cambodia is still festering away. Although elections are scheduled for May, there is little optimism that a peaceful resolution will result. Nearer to Singapore are the Spratly Islands which are claimed in toto by China, and claimed in part by at least five other countries. Three of them - Brunei, Philippines and Malaysia - are our ASEAN partners. Any discovery of oil, gas or other valuable minerals will almost certainly trigger off a regional conflict as these countries fight over resources. To add to that, there are also the ancient animosities and enmity in the region.”
“It shows he knows nothing about it about national service. That is the trouble with you. You have not made the effort. Sir, Mr Chiam has not made the effort to find out what is involved in national service.”
“Sir, I do not think Mr Chiam has any clue whatsoever about what is involved in basic military training. It is not fitness. It is the acquiring of basic military skills, to know how to fight, to know how to ensure that you do not get killed. And then later on, after having learned the individual skills to survive in war, soldiers have to learn how to fight as a group, as a platoon, as a company, as a battalion, as a division, to ensure that under enemy fire, the organisation, the entire unit, is able to hold together and to defend positions that are to be held. Sir, Mr Chiam talks about Germany and Switzerland, almost as if Singapore is identical to them in all aspects. That the Germans require a year and a half --- Mr Chiam See Tong rose.”
“Mr Chiam talks glibly about giving up on behalf of the nation, making sacrifices for the nation, and then he says that there is no need to do BMT.”
“Sir, Mr Chiam would make a most popular Member of Parliament in Kuwait - if only they had a Parliament in Kuwait. That is exactly the sort of situation that had brought the Kuwaitis the disaster they had a year and a half ago, when people are only interested in having a better life and are not prepared to make the effort to ensure that there is proper defence. That is the sort of situation --”
“The different Ministries participating in the total defence exercises have also reported similar support. We have had already many exercises: food rationing, water rationing, fuel rationing. These have all been carried out on many occasions, across a number of different constituencies. So a large number of Singaporeans have been involved. What is important is that the message gets through. When Singaporeans participate in total defence exercises, they appreciate the importance of ensuring that we have a credible defence deterrent because, without that, the very conditions that we are practising in an exercise may be the conditions that we have to live with for real. I want to express my appreciation to the many companies which have made their resources available to MINDEF for such exercises, be they vehicles, low loaders, three-tonners, tractors, aircraft, or ships. We have received tremendous support. In somecases, the companies, after having made available their civil resources to MINDEF, declined compensation which they are entitled to. And they tell us very, very simply that it is a part that they want to play. They are grateful that there is an SAF looking after the defence of Singapore, and they are very pleased to be able to make the resources available to us. Sir, with more and more people participating, our security is assured. And it is important because we are a small nation with a small population. If our people are complacent, then the lessons of Kuwait would be in vain. Sir, my Parliamentary Secretary will now take up the second part of the amendment.”
“Sir, I would like to assure the House that operational readiness is uppermost in the mind of MINDEF. We will not compromise our operational readiness in spite of the diminished manpower. I would also like to remind the House that it is important that MINDEF has its fair share of talent from the limited pool in Singapore. We must have our fair share, because we need to develop a core of professionals, regular soldiers and officers, who will develop training, develop our doctrines and develop our weapons. This way, we will be able to ensure that the efforts put in by national servicemen will not be in vain, because we have people with the ability, knowledge, and experience to impart to them those military skills that are so essential for the defence of Singapore. Sir, I will speak very briefly on the total defence programme in Singapore. Total defence forms the cornerstone of our defence strategy to get all Singaporeans involved in order to defend Singapore, because an attack on Singapore need not necessarily be by military means only. It could be a non-military form of aggression, e.g. economic or psychological. Therefore, every Singaporean has got to play his part in ensuring the total defence of Singapore. As with the training and upgrading of national servicemen, this message of the importance of total defence, is a continuous and on-going one, to bring home the message to our school children, to our business enterprises, to our statutory boards. Over the years, I have been pleased to note that whenever we conduct exercises of different sorts, we have always received tremendous support from members of the public, from the various commercial enterprises in Singapore and also from the statutory boards.”
“Fifthly, Sir, to ensure operational readiness with minimum manpower, we invested in better training techniques and the extensive use of simulators. We have been using training aids, computers and simulators for more than 10 years, and we have found them to be extremely effective in shortening the period required for soldiers to acquire a particular skill, be it gunnery, or repair of an electronic equipment. We have also been conducting our own medical research and development into the performance of soldiers; for example, the case that was reported in the newspapers recently, developing a new kind of boots that will minimise training injuries to the soldiers, and minimise the time lost as a result of such injuries. Sixthly, an area which I consider to be of the greatest importance, is the widespread application of advanced technology. Sir, this is one area where the potential is tremendous. Because our population is small, we must make every effort to provide the greatest amount of protection for them and to give them the maximum amount of fire power. That way, in spite of the small numbers, we enhance their effectiveness and strengthen our deterrence. Members, I am sure, must have watched over television last year, during the Gulf War, the application of high technology to modern warfare. There is no doubt at all about the effectiveness of application of technology in giving protection to soldiers in the field, and ensuring a swift and decisive victory without massive risks to soldiers on the ground. All these are areas that MINDEF and the SAF would continue to invest in because, as Members can see from the graph, for the next 13 or 14 years, the number of NS men available will continue to be low.”
“But because of the severe shortage in manpower, we have to look for a way in which we could help these obese recruits, shed out some of their fat, develop sufficient muscles and acquire the ability to undertake combat duties. This has worked out very well because about 80% of the obese recruits, after the longer and slower BMT, have been able to attain combat fitness. Indeed, some of them have done so well that they have been selected for Officer Cadet School. The third area where we trim demand for manpower is commercialisation. Any activity that is not required for field operation, we will farm it out, we will contract it out to the private sector to free national servicemen for the more important and more critical jobs. Fourthly, there is heavy emphasis on productivity to ensure that there is minimum wastage of time, minimum wastage of manpower, and minimum wastage of resources. We have been promoting productivity in MINDEF through two major schemes. Firstly, through work improvement teams where we encourage our national servicemen as well as other servicemen in the SAF and in MINDEF to get together in small groups to look at their own working environment, at what they do, and to develop new ways of doing whatever it is that they have to do, better, faster, and more effectively. There are more than 4,000 work improvement teams in the SAF. The second approach is through suggestion schemes. Last year, in 1991, we had a total of more than 120,000 suggestions, giving an average about 2.3 suggestions per employee in MINDEF. All these, to inculcate all in the SAF an attitude, a culture, of wanting to do their best, of wanting to minimise wastage.”
“Firstly, we reorganise the SAF. Based on our own training experience and doctrines, we have decided to restructure the Infantry Divisions into Combined Arms Divisions. What that means is that we bring the Infantry together with all the other Arms (e.g. Armour, Artillery, Engineer) into one central command. In this way, the division is smaller, leaner. But we top up by providing equipment and weapons so that there is no loss of effectiveness. Indeed, on the contrary, such Combined Arms Divisions are much more effective in achieving our objective. We have done the same with battalions also. They are smaller, but more effective fighting units, with the ability to deliver fire power. Secondly, we have also tried to help our national servicemen to adjust to national service more effectively. Last year, MINDEF introduced the concept of graduated training at Basic Military Training (BMT). Previously, we had a standard three-month BMT for all recruits. Last year, we started moving to an improved three-month BMT for those who are very fit, a four-month BMT for those who are less fit, and a five-month, very slow and gradual BMT for recruits who are obese. The data that we have got in hand show that the programme has worked out very well. The graduated BMT has resulted in a lower rate of medical attrition and a higher pass rate, as far as the military skills of the recruits are concerned at the end of the BMT period. So far, medical attrition has been reduced by 27% compared with the old scheme. The IPPT pass rate has been increased from 97% to 98%, and for standard obstacle course, the pass rate has improved from 88% to 93%. For the obese recruits, previously they were not available for combat service because they were channelled into non-combat vocations, clerical or technical.”
“Sir, I want to thank Mr Chen for his comments. The Member has raised three points: operational readiness and manpower shortage, total defence and the welfare of the reservists. I will touch briefly on the first two and then my colleague, Mr Matthias Yao, will respond to the third item. First of all, the mission of the SAF. The mission of the SAF is to ensure Singpore's peace and security. Should deterrence and diplomacy fail, then the SAF is to secure a swift and decisive victory over the aggressor. The key to the SAF's performance is quite obviously its people, quality, and number, their commitment and their motivation. Sir, with your permission, I would like to circulate a graph and a chart to show the House the manpower problems that we have in Singapore. [Copies of documents (Cols. 915 - 918) circulated to hon. Members]. Copies of documents - POPULATION TREND - MALES, LIVE BIRTHS - MALE (Cols. 915 - 918) Sir, the table and the graph that I have circulated show clearly that for two decades, beginning from 1958 onwards, the number of births in Singapore has been declining steadily. What that means is that there are fewer and fewer male 18-year olds available to join national service each year. The graph shows that very vividly. For 1992, we are having approximately 22,000 males available for national service, and this compares with the peak of about 32,000 way back in 1976. Sir, to cope with this reduced number and, at the same time to maintain operational readiness, that is not easy. So the SAF has over the years been looking very systematically at how this can be done. This afternoon I would like to talk very briefly about some of these measures - how to maintain operational readiness of the SAF with this very severe constraint of manpower shortage.”
“Sir, time is moving on. The Government is the representative of the people. We operate a democracy, in case Mr Chiam is not aware of it. We were elected by the people, to represent the people, and the Government acts on behalf of the people. And as I said earlier, the Government reflects the nation's, the people's gratitude and appreciation to the reservists for their sacrifice and contribution. Mr Chiam repeats what I have said, again and again.”
“Sir, I have covered that point, but maybe I will just explain further. If we give tax relief to those who have completed national service and have served in the reserve service 13 years of tax relief, until they are 60 or 65, then, in effect, we are giving them tax relief for 40 or more years. But for those who have completed national service, but for some reason or other, mainly medical, they do not go on to do reserve service, we are saying that they are entitled to nothing at all. It is too big a discrepancy. We are putting too high a value on the 13-year cycle reserve service and ignoring completely the contributions that they have made during national service. Sir, it is unrealistic to say that reserve service is much more valuable and therefore has to be recognised in a much more dramatic manner than national service because national service is duty. I believe that is splitting hairs. I prefer to put it this way: They have completed their national service. Many of them go on to serve in the reserve service for 13 years. Because they have done that, the Government is grateful. The Government reflects the nation's gratitude for their sacrifices, for their contributions. Because of that, I have urged the Government to be generous, in making sure that the tax relief is available for life.”
“When they are doing active reserve training, we give them relief at a higher level. Sir, there is also a small number of people who, for medical reasons, do not go on to do reserve service after they have finished their national service. I have decided that it would be mean on the part of MINDEF not to allow these people also to enjoy the tax relief. Therefore they too would enjoy the tax relief, again at the lower level of $500 instead of $1,000. It will really be splitting hairs to say that reserve service is much more important, much more valuable, and therefore to be regarded at a higher level, and recognised by the Government, but not national service, which all of them have completed. That is the reason for my decision to make the tax relief available to all who have completed national service, with those in active reserve receiving a slightly higher level of tax relief. Sir, Dr John Chen and Mr Lew Syn Pau, both reservist officers, have spoken positively of the tax relief. Our own surveys have shown that the majority of Singaporeans support this relief. Mr Lew has indicated that this does give reservists a very much higher level of status. I agree with him. Indeed, MINDEF will be liaising with the Ministry of Finance to encourage the Ministry of Finance to put a star next to the names of all reservists. People with a star will enjoy the tax relief for life, as long as they are working, as long as they are contributing towards Singapore's prosperity.”
“Sir, obviously, Mr Chiam did not hear what I said. I said that I do not agree with Dr John Chen not to make that tax relief available to all reservists in Potong Pasir. But if you speak on behalf of them, and indeed if there are reservists who believe exactly as you do, which I think will be an exceedingly small number, then as I said, they can easily exercise their right not to make the claim next year. Sir, I think we have spent enough time on Mr Chiam. We will move on. Mr Ho Peng Kee has suggested that we should consider not making available the tax relief for those who have completed their reservist training and also for those who are not actively in reserve. This was a distinct possibility which we looked at during the consideration of this proposal made by RECORD. What that means is that we will only be making a tax relief available for 13 years, because most of the reservists serve a 13-year in-camp training cycle, and after that they will not enjoy any tax relief at all. Over the last 11 years, I have been round the army camps and bases. I have been into the jungles with our soldiers. I have seen them training, and I appreciate the amount of effort and sacrifices they have put in. I believe that we should express our appreciation in a manner that is consistent with the way in which the soldiers have sacrificed and contributed to the nation. I have therefore decided that the tax relief will be available even after they have completed their reservist training. In other words, it is a life-long expression on the part of the Government to the reservists. As long as he has contributed in national service, as long as he has contributed in the reserve service, he will continue to receive that tax relief.”
“If any reservist in Potong Pasir shares Mr Chiam's point of view and thinks that recognition through a monetary system is not appropriate, he can very easily opt out of it next year by not making a claim. It is as simple as that.”
“If Mr Chiam would just let me finish the sentence.”