Home Team Corps Bill

5.29 pm

Order for Second Reading read.

The Senior Minister of State for Education (Dr Janil Puthucheary) (for the Minister for Education): Mdm Speaker, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

The purpose of this Bill is to regularise the statutory status of the National Civil Defence Cadet Corps (NCDCC) under a new Home Team Corps (HTC) Act and repeal the current National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) Act (Chapter 199 of the 2014 Revised Edition).

Madam, the NPCC was established by an Act of Parliament in 1974. The Bill was tabled in Parliament by MOE to establish the NPCC in schools as part of nation-building efforts.

The NPCC Act empowers the Minister to establish, organise and administer the Police Cadet Corps units in schools. Currently, the administration of the NPCC Act is jointly undertaken by both MOE and MHA. A Commandant from the Singapore Police Force (SPF) oversees the day-to-day management of the NPCC headquarters, staffed by MOE and SPF Officers.

The NCDCC was set up in 2005 to augment the existing Uniformed Groups in our schools and provide more CCA choices. NCDCC also provides platforms for students to work with the community on broader civil defence and emergency preparedness initiatives. NCDCC has now been firmly established after 12 years. There are currently 35 NCDCC units and approximately 2,500 cadets.

The enactment of the Home Team Corps (HTC) Bill will regularise the statutory status of NCDCC and create a single HTC Council comprising representatives of senior officials from SPF, Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and MOE to oversee both NCDCC and NPCC. This would provide platforms for NCDCC and NPCC to have greater synergistic collaborations in deepening the learning experiences for the cadets, while maintaining the distinctiveness of both Corps. The HTC Council also brings about efficiency in the common administration of NCDCC and NPCC.

Mdm Speaker, in conclusion, both NCDCC and NPCC play equally important roles in preparing our cadets for future challenges and strengthening their sense of national identity. With the enactment of the HTC Bill and the repeal of the NPCC Act, the administration of NCDCC and NPCC will be formalised, providing better support to our youth. Mdm Speaker, I beg to move.

Question proposed.

5.32 pm

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): Madam, I commend the great work by NPCC and NCDCC in fostering a sense of national identity and civic consciousness in our students from a young age. I have met many young residents who have benefited from these programmes − both in self-development, developing skills, such as leadership and in building empathy to serve the community. I understand that these uniformed groups are a great avenue for our young to gain exposure in the Public Service and perhaps to spark their interest in this career when they are older.

From what I gather from speaking to some students, NPCC and NCDCC are CCAs which are rather sought-after and have competitive entry. Thus, I take this opportunity to commend the good work done by MOE and the Home Team in taking these CCAs to great heights. I note that under clause 9, non-citizens and non-PRs are generally not able to enrol as cadets or officers, except with the approval of the Minister. Can the Senior Minister of State share under what circumstances will these applications be approved and whether there will be an appeal process?

The feedback I receive about this is mixed. On one hand, there are foreign students in our schools and there is a need to promote diversity in the wider society. It would seem beneficial to exercise leniency in allowing for exceptions. By not allowing non-citizens and non-PRs to enrol as cadets or officers, we run the risk of teaching our students to see their foreign peers, from a young age, through the lens of "us" versus "them". On the other hand, some are uncomfortable with sharing sensitive information with foreigners about how our Home Team operates. Some are even more uncomfortable with them having a chance to learn about firing our weapons.

But I am most concerned about the impact to the individual student who applies to join NPCC or NCDCC and is subsequently told that the Minister says no. The stigma he or she subsequently faces will be significant and I am sure it will affect the student emotionally. As such, I hope the Senior Minister of State can provide some clarity on how applications by non-citizens and non-PRs will be considered.

Lastly, as mentioned earlier, NPCC and NCDCC are CCAs which are rather sought-after. Will there be any plans to increase the number of spaces available to these two CCAs? Madam, I stand in support of the Bill.

5.34 pm

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye (Tanjong Pagar): Mdm Speaker, I stand in support of the Bill and I welcome the establishment of the Home Team Corps to oversee the development and management of NPCC and NCDCC.

Over the years, CCAs related to our uniformed services, such as NPCC, NCDCC and National Cadet Corps (NCC), have allowed our students to cultivate important values, such as discipline, teamwork and integrity; as well as develop strong leadership and character. These uniformed groups also train our students in problem solving skills that will help prepare them for a rapidly changing world.

Our students today have a wide range of choices when it comes to selecting their CCAs. Many new interest groups have been introduced in recent years − from new sports activities to various new art forms and interest-based clubs. While we welcome these new CCAs, it is also important to ensure that our core uniformed groups in schools remain an attractive option for our students and continue to enjoy a sustainable enrolment.

Currently, there are 142 Secondary schools offering NPCC, and a smaller number of schools offering NCDCC as CCAs. Amidst the strong competition among CCA groups for new members, how does the new Home Team Corps plan to sustain and boost membership for both NPCC and NCDCC? What are the reasons that some Secondary schools do not offer uniformed groups as CCAs for their students? Surely, it cannot be a lack of interest if it is not even on the school's CCA listing.

At present, only Secondary school students are able to reap the benefits of participating in NPCC or NCDCC. I would like the Ministry to consider setting up NPCC and NCDCC as CCAs at the Primary school level, too. This will allow the Home Team to inform and educate a wider pool of our younger generation about its values. It will also result in longer service terms, giving those who are truly interested sufficient time to deep-dive into the culture and the work of our Police officers and firefighters, beyond their four to five years in Secondary school. A longer service term would also mean that senior cadets, with years of experience from Primary school, will be able to contribute more when he or she moves on to Secondary school. Hopefully, these cadets will eventually consider joining the Singapore Police Force (SPF) or the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) as their future career.

On that note, I would like to urge MOE to work with SPF and SCDF on potential recruitment initiatives for NPCC and NCDCC cadets. Can the alumni from NPCC and NCDCC get priority or exclusive internship opportunities at SPF and SCDF respectively?

As a former member of the NPCC Council, I am aware of the efforts made to ensure relevance and realism in NPCC's activities and training for their cadets. Most recently, they have introduced the Homefront Security programme and Crime Scene Investigation training. These allow our students to obtain first-hand and up-to-date knowledge on crime and terrorism. But more can and should be done for our cadets beyond classroom lessons. There should be a structured programme to attach the cadets to the Neighbourhood Police Centres and local fire stations to gain real-life experiences.

With the growing threat of terrorism, it would be beneficial to build a core pool of cadets with a good understanding of the operations, management and needs of our Home Team forces. They, in turn, can help to cultivate security and safety awareness and alertness among their peers.

With the establishment of the Home Team Corps, I look forward to greater membership for our NPCC and NCDCC, better programming for the cadets and a future pipeline of trained and passionate recruits for the SPF and SCDF. With that, Mdm Speaker, I support the Bill.

5.39 pm

Mr Darryl David (Ang Mo Kio): Mdm Speaker, in his opening remarks, Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary mentioned the history of NPCC. Over time, NPCC has evolved into one of the largest youth uniformed groups in Singapore. Although the history of NCDCC is relatively shorter, it is also fast gaining acceptance and recognition as one of the core uniformed groups that also help build resilient youths by putting them through a challenging training curriculum.

The parent organisations of NPCC and NCDCC, that is, SPF and SCDF respectively, do serve different functions in safeguarding Singapore. However, I feel that the roles of both agencies do overlap in certain areas as they are jointly responsible for the safety and security of our civilian community, albeit in different ways.

In our debate earlier, Mdm Speaker, we heard from many Members of the House the roles that Mr Lee Kuan Yew and the founding fathers played in creating a safe and secure Singapore. I would like to stress again that we cannot take the security of Singapore for granted. Our safety depends on a multi-agency effort and requires deep collaborations from different actors and players. For example, it was recently reported in the media that the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), in a pilot project, will deploy some of its medics to support SCDF in civilian medical emergencies as part of its efforts to enhance cross-agency responsiveness and operational effectiveness.

In todays' increasingly interconnected world where security incidents often require multi-lateral responses, we need to strengthen cross-agency collaboration and understanding. From a resourcing and development perspective, it makes sense for the NPCC and NCDCC to come under a single entity − the Home Team Corps. This will allow each unit to retain its own identity, at the same time, streamline resources and training curriculum to enhance synergy.

Although this Bill is under the purview of MOE, some of the points in my speech would also be directed to MHA. This, however, I believe would be in line with the spirit of inter-agency collaboration and understanding that I mentioned earlier.

A narrow set of skills is no longer sufficient to deal with the intricacies of the world. To better deal with unforeseen circumstances, I would like to suggest that cadets from both corps need to be cross-trained in each other's disciplines so that they can be equipped with a range of skills to manage unexpected contingencies.

For example, the concept of "emergency preparedness" is a fuzzy one that comprises not only the five pillars of Total Defence, but also competencies, such as situational leadership, environmental awareness, collective responsibility and teamwork and the ability to mobilise resources.

While cadets from the different units continue to be trained in their core areas, cross-functional competencies that allow our cadets to deal decisively with the aftermath of a disaster or attack can only be honed when they are trained holistically. In this regard, I hope that MOE will partner with the Home Team to plan for a more integrated and inter-related training structure and curriculum for both NPCC and NCDCC.

Community responsiveness depends on the cohesiveness of the team on the ground and the number of nodes in the community response network. Without a doubt, a tight network with more nodes is more likely to respond to emergency situations better than one that is less cohesive. Indeed, the People's Association (PA) has a range of emergency preparedness and community engagement programmes, such as the Community Emergency and Engagement Committees (C2E) and Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), that enhance this network at the grassroots level.

Senior cadets from the Home Team Corps can enhance the capabilities of these Grassroots Organisations (GROs) by lending these committees their expertise. This will help strengthen the community relationships between GROs and schools where these cadets are from, as well as offer the cadets a practical opportunity to practise their skills.

One of the ways that relationship between the Home Team Corps and GROs can be strengthened is to consider how senior cadets can partner our grassroots leaders (GRLs) to conduct emergency preparedness training for residents at community clubs or to visit residents at their home to educate them on basic emergency readiness. In the same vein, cadets can be trained to take on a wider range of roles in our community, perhaps even becoming part of the Citizen on Patrol (COP) teams so that there is always an invisible but significant presence that can help deter potential assailants or attackers.

My final point concerns how we can enhance the Home Team via the Home Team Corps, Madam. One more possible upside to having a well-established Home Team Corps is that it can be a potential pool of talent and recruitment source for the Home Team agencies. This was also touched on by my colleague Mr Melvin Yong earlier.

One of the most important models − recruitment and selection processes in HR management posits that individuals will gravitate towards career paths that are aligned with their personal interests and join organisations that they believe to share their value and belief systems. Being part of the Home Team Corps could thus signal a strong interest to be part of the larger Home Team network and could also indicate the alignment of the cadets' values and what the Home Team does.

I would thus encourage the various Home Team agencies to consider identifying outstanding cadets early while they are still in school and prepare them for a possible career path with the agencies by offering structured career counselling and planning, or even a scholarship in the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), and this is where MOE could partner with MHA. In line with this suggestion, I would also like to enquire if the Home Team currently tracks the number of its officers who were from NPCC or NCDCC and whether they have any existing strategies to engage the cadets beyond their CCA training.

In conclusion, Madam, I would like to state that the Home Team Corps instills in their cadets a value system that emphasises discipline, resilience, concern for public security and safety, and community pride.

These are core values that are central to being prepared as a community for any attack or disaster that might come our way and I am confident that the Home Team Corps can play their part in being a cohesive part of our community network. With that, I conclude my speech in support of the Bill.

Mdm Speaker: Senior Minister of State Janil.

5.46 pm

Dr Janil Puthucheary: Thank you, Mdm Speaker. I thank Mr Darryl David, Mr Louis Ng and Mr Melvin Yong for their speeches and questions.

If I could address Mr Louis Ng's question first. The students who are interested in joining NPCC or NCDCC will need to meet selection criteria, such as being medically fit. The PRs and non-citizens who meet the selection criteria have been enrolled as cadets, and about 11% of our NPCC and NCDCC cadets are PRs and non-citizens. The route is available to them.

For the spaces that are available, currently between 8% and 9% of the student cohort enrol within the NPCC and NCDCC annually. Both corps will have provision to expand their membership if there is additional interest from students who do meet the selection criteria. That is the key point; that we do have to have students who have the fitness and the interest and the ability to follow through the requirements of the corps. But there is provision for expansion.

Similarly, Mr Melvin Yong asked about boosting membership. This is certainly an opportunity to leverage on the synergies between the two aspects of the now-combined corps administration to make it a more attractive proposition for students to join either of these uniformed groups.

There is a happy problem of increasing competition for students because more schools are offering more diverse CCAs. So, we may see an individual unit's membership drop but, on the whole, membership within the uniformed groups is about one-third of our total student cohort, with the rest of the students pursuing other types of CCAs. So, we do have to continue to maintain a balance of CCA offerings throughout our education system.

The reasons for not having the Home Team Corps units in a given school is largely to do with the availability of staff who are skilled and available to supervise, but it is something that the combined Home Team Corps Council could address and see ways in which we improve the provision. Together with suggestions associated with the more realistic training, the possibility of extending to Primary schools, these are things that the new administrative structure will be well-placed to address.

While NPCC and NCDCC will continue to function as two separate uniformed groups to maintain their distinctiveness, the Council will be a platform to discuss avenues for collaboration and to deepen the learning experience.

Mr Darryl David, Mr Melvin Yong and Mr Louis Ng have spoken about the variety of joint training activities and programmes that are available on SGSecure and engagement with the community. We do want our cadets to act as advocates and organise activities for their fellow students, as well as participate in the community activities. That intent has always been there and we would like to find ways to deepen that. Largely, it is going to depend on the availability of local partners that are willing to make this work. But, certainly, from an education perspective, we have every reason to support that type of initiative and we will find ways of making it happen.

The cadets work with the community through the Emergency Preparedness Days and Grassroots Organisations, but also directly with SPF and SCDF to advocate SGSecure and emergency preparedness messages, conduct hands-on first aid, CPR, AED sessions − a wide variety of available avenues for cooperation, collaboration and community outreach.

In the other direction – this is addressing Mr Darryl David and also Mr Melvin Yong's points about the pool of talent and recruitment efforts – SPF and SCDF reach out to NPCC and NCDCC cadets beyond their CCA training sessions. They extend invitations to join officers in the Insight SPF and the Annual Workplan Seminar, send its Careers Centre Officers and Careers Counsellors to directly engage with the cadets to consider viable career options within the Home Team.

However, there is no preferential treatment for applicants with NPCC and NCDCC background. MHA correctly wants to assess each applicant fairly based on individual merits during the recruitment process. However, it has been reported that SPF and SCDF have observed that the applicants with NPCC and NCDCC background tend to perform better during the recruitment and selection process, and this is a very understandable situation. It is reasonable that we leave the recruitment and selection process open to all applicants, but those students who are able to identify a passion or an aptitude early on can help to prepare themselves for that process.

To answer the question, MHA does not track the number of NPCC or NCDCC cadets who eventually become members of the Home Team.

Madam, the Bill will allow us to reap some efficiencies in terms of having a combined administrative process and efficiencies in the running of two separate uniformed groups. But the overall intent of what the uniformed groups are there for within our education system and the opportunities available to our students will not change. Mdm Speaker, I beg to move.

Mdm Speaker: Any clarifications? None.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House.

The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Dr Janil Puthucheary].

Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed.