Committee of Supply – Head J (Ministry of Defence)

MINDEF and SAF's Plans and Priorities

11.06 am

Mr Alex Yam (Marsiling-Yew Tee): Chairman, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head J of the Estimates be reduced by $100".

The past year has been marked by disruption and change on a global scale. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated some worrying geopolitical trends and seen the rise of growing nationalism across the world. In the face of a serious public health crisis and economic challenges on a scale not experienced in recent years, many countries have turned inwards and shifted their focus to domestic priorities. They have closed their borders and put in place a multitude of protectionist policies.

This pandemic has paradoxically weakened the prospects for multilateral cooperation at a time where it is needed the most. Even the distribution of much needed vaccines across the world has become yet another area of great power contestation. Small states like Singapore are particularly vulnerable to external geopolitical shifts, and a volatile and complex international environment would invariably undermine our own security. As geopolitical rivalries intensify and as countries' commitment to multilateralism becomes increasingly undermined by the pandemic, Singapore is unfortunately put in a challenging position.

In light of these tumultuous times, how have recent geopolitical and security developments shaped the Ministry of Defence and the Singapore Armed Forces plans and priorities, both now and in the years ahead? Chairman, I beg to move.

Question proposed.

Defence Expenditure

Miss Cheng Li Hui (Tampines): Chairman, on 13 February this year, the Singapore Air Force scrambled our fighter aircraft in response to a suspicious aircraft. In any given year, our Air Force response to and investigates more than 350 suspicious air threats in order to protect Singapore's skies. On average, that would mean an air threat almost every day.

Defence of our country is of fundamental importance. It extends beyond air defence and concerns our ability to effectively and safely deal with external threats and to safeguard our survivor. It is only when Singapore is secure and safe, that Singaporeans can live our lives and pursue our aspirations with peace of mind.

Sir, our defence capabilities over the years come at a cost and sustained investment into our men and women as well as the best technologies. I would like to ask the Minister how has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted our defence spending and whether it has any impact on MINDEF's and the SAF's long-term plans?

The Chairman: Mr Vikram Nair. Not here. Mr Alex Yam.

Fight against COVID-19

Mr Alex Yam: COVID-19 has certainly caused unprecedented disruption to our economy, society and our very way of life. Over the last 12 months, Singaporeans have lived with closed borders, the circuit breaker, and the introduction of numerous limits on everything from work modalities to our social gatherings.

I, for one, remember trying to balance a Zoom meeting with three other separate home-based learning sessions at the same time.

In this time of crisis, Singaporeans have risen as one to face down the virus. The Government, civil servants, frontline workers and ordinary Singaporeans have all done their part to bring us to where we are today – to be able to enjoy some semblance of normalcy.

Many may have heard or read about how MINDEF and SAF has contributed to the national COVID-19 fight. But few know the full scale of the problem that we faced, and the might that MINDEF and SAF brought to bear against it, especially when the crisis was at its peak.

Seeing the SAF trucks roll in to our Community Club with the first delivery of surgical mask many months ago, was a moment of pride. For all these and more, I add my gratitude to our servicemen and women for your stellar contributions. Would the Minister for Defence share more details of MINDEF and SAF's contributions to Singapore's efforts against COVID-19, including on-going and future plans?

Biological Threats

Dr Wan Rizal (Jalan Besar): Mr Chairman, in many parts of the world, the global pandemic caused by COVID-19 has weakened public confidence in Government's capacity to respond to threats to public health. In Singapore COVID-19 has disrupted our way of life, although have thus far, have been able to mitigate and contained the impact.

When the crisis is over, many countries will need to better prepare for the next pandemic including new biological threats. Given our collective experiences over the past year, many now agree that global health issues can and will have an impact on national security.

Can the Minister for Defence share with us what MINDEF is doing to strengthen our defence against future pandemics and other potential biological threats?

SAF's Operational Readiness

Mr Alex Yam: Mr Chairman, Singapore faces threats around the clock and this does not change with COVID-19. As a small nation, we know it takes very little to tip us over. This is why we need the Singapore Armed Forces to be ready at all times.

The pandemic has disrupted many aspects of SAF operational readiness, including training and exercises – both local and overseas. NS training was deferred for an extended period of time, and overseas training and exercises had been severely curtailed. I would imagine that this has affected the RSAF in particular, which requires sufficient air space to conduct its flight training.

Yet, it is imperative that the SAF continue to maintain vigilance over all of our air, land, sea and cyber domains – to defend our sovereignty. Could the Minister for Defence provide an account of how the MINDEF as well as the Singapore Armed Forces has maintained operational readiness to keep Singapore safe, even amidst the pandemic? Over the long term, how does the SAF intend to manage the challenges of a prolonged pandemic?

RSAF Aircraft Noise and Vibrations

Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied): Chairman, the need for both diplomacy and deterrence is well understood by Singaporeans. The Workers' Party believes in a strong defence. I have also personally served on MINDEF's ACCORD Committee for seven years and found it very meaningful. Nonetheless, I believe Members of Parliament from both sides of the House have received increased residents' feedback about noise and vibrations from RSAF aircraft. This can be seen from Parliamentary Questions filed by various Members of Parliament who represent constituents living proximate to air bases.

Residents from Aljunied GRC are in this group, living close to Paya Lebar Air Base. Feedback from residents include early morning and night flight times and how the more powerful planes at low altitudes leave homes vibrating in their wake.

11.15 am

I have tried to explain that the RSAF needs to train in the darkness as well, but some insist that the current levels are excessive. To be fair, there have also been studies about aircraft noise being associated with detrimental effects on health.

Sir, I foresee that MINDEF's response will be what it has maintained all along, that Singapore faces real threats, that we cannot allow our capabilities to degrade and that RSAF has already reduced its local training as far as possible.

While we agree on the first two principles, could the Minister elaborate on the extent of local training today? For instance, has the COVID-19 pandemic required SAF to do more training locally?

MINDEF and SAF COVID-19 Safety Measures

Ms Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar): Chairman, in our nation’s fight against COVID-19, MINDEF and SAF personnel have answered the call of duty and taken up critical roles both at the frontline and behind the scenes.

While combating the challenges of the on-going pandemic is at the forefront of our minds, we are also keenly aware that security threats do not abate during this period. Enlistment, training and operations must go on in the "new normal", in order to maintain a high level of operational readiness that is critical to safeguard Singapore’s peace and security.

Our servicemen and women have traditionally lived, trained and operated in close proximity. The training in the SAF is physically demanding, which could lead to the transmission of droplets. Besides the risk of transmission in camps, other risks are in confined spaces and they include tanks, aircraft and seacraft.

As our servicemen and women continue to discharge their core mission to defend our home, what are the precautionary measures that have been implemented to keep them safe from COVID-19, and how effective have these measures been? What about our servicemen and women presently in facilities overseas? What kind of protection has been put in place for them? Are there sufficient vaccines and access to the best quality of healthcare for our service personnel abroad?

In addition to preventive measures, would the Ministry also share the measures which will kick in when a serviceman or woman is suspected of having the infection? How would SAF prevent such situations from escalating?

NS Training Amidst COVID-19

Mr Abdul Samad (Nominated Member): Chairman, around the world, COVID-19 has posed tremendous challenges to governments’ capacity to respond to and manage public health threats. In January 2020, COVID-19 emerged in Singapore and rapidly disrupted our way of life.

I am certain it has affected MINDEF or SAF in a number of ways, including having an impact on our NSmen training. I note that the SAF has implemented rigorous safe management measures, testing and cohorting regimes. In fact, if my memory still vivid, MINDEF or SAF have also contributed to the national COVID-19 response to keep our frontline workers safe during the peak of the pandemic.

As the COVID-19 situation stabilises, what plans does MINDEF/SAF have to progressively recall NSmen in the coming year? How will MINDEF continue to ensure the safety of NSmen amidst the COVID-19 context?

Next Generation SAF

Mr Desmond Choo (Tampines): Mr Chairman, the SAF plays a vital role in deterring potential aggressors and protecting the nation’s peace and stability. The face of defence is rapidly transforming. Rapid technological advancements have enabled militaries all over the world to become increasingly capable. The pandemic might have slowed down defence spending but it will certainly rebound. Countries will not abandon their efforts to modernise their military. Geo-political tensions demand so. Shifting multilateralism requires so. Conflicts continue to flare up globally, both on the battlefields and in the cyberspace.

As a small country, our military size will always be limited. Thus, we need to make up for our size with the constant upgrading of SAF’s capabilities to take our nation into the new era of defence. The Next-Generation SAF vision was first introduced in 2019 by Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen with the core objective of enabling the nation to better respond to security threats, especially in the new age of technology. Could MINDEF provide us with an update on the SAF’s progress towards building the Next-Generation SAF to better guard our national interests?

Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong (Jurong): Chairman, the nature of warfare is continually evolving and so must the SAF if it wishes to stay relevant. State-on-state conflict may no longer manifest itself in the exchange of physical blows. Instead, we see conflict existing below the threshold of war and waged in non-physical domains such as the cyber realm. Threats to national security have become increasingly amorphous and may not easily be defined or identified. At the same time, the threat of terrorism remains prevalent. Terrorist groups in the region and around the world could try to capitalise on existing societal fragmentation exacerbated by COVID-19. The SAF must be able to defend Singapore against a whole range of threats. The SAF must also be capable of executing flexible and calibrated responses, and do so in a sustainable manner.

It has been identified before that the full-time national servicemen pool will decrease by a third by 2030. This resource reality means that the SAF cannot go about its business as usual. While the national resource pool might be decreasing in numbers, its texture is also changing. The new generation of Singaporeans are becoming more educated and digitally literate. This places the SAF in a good position to harness the potential offered by digital technology. The Fourth IR technology such as Artificial intelligence, Robotics, Data Analytics and the Internet of Things offers the SAF the opportunity to conduct its training and operations in a more efficient and effective manner. The SAF must be agile and adapt in order to reap the potential that digital technology has to offer.

Could the Minister for Defence provide an update on efforts towards building the Next Generation SAF?

The Chairman: Mr Vikram Nair. Not here. Mr Mohd Fahmi Bin Aliman.

Improving Resource Efficiency

Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman (Marine Parade): Mr Chairman, our security environment is becoming increasingly complex. MINDEF and SAF will need to gear itself up to be operationally ready for a wider spectrum of threats. However, at the same time, SAF will be faced with the quantitative challenge of filling manpower due to our declining population growth rate.

Going forward, the conundrum of doing more with a leaner SAF is going to be increasingly pressing issue. Nonetheless, this is not an insurmountable challenge. As a small country, Singapore has always been cognisant that manpower is an inherent constraint. We have constantly leveraged technology to supplement our limitations in terms of our manpower. The SAF has done so in the past and will continue to do so.

Could the Minister for Defence please update the House on how MINDEF/SAF is preparing itself to deal with the increasing manpower constraint that it will face?

Terrorism

Mr Desmond Choo: Over the last one year, the news headlines have understandably been dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic and US-China relations. However, we must not be distracted – terrorism is still present. The UN Office Of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) reported earlier this month that ISIS’ efforts to regroup and reinvigorate its activities have been gaining momentum amidst the pandemic. When the world is focused on fighting COVID-19, the terrorists could very well be planning their next attacks.

Violent extremism may be closer than imagined, especially with the pandemic shrouding the threat of terrorism. Southeast Asia remains a key target for ISIS recruitment. This was, perhaps, most apparent in August 2020 when two female suicide bombers self-detonated in the Philippine city of Sulu amidst the height of the pandemic. Closer to home, the recent news of the deportation of a Malaysian man with alleged links to ISIS also shows the need to continually guard against external threats. We clearly cannot allow fighting terrorism to take a backseat amongst our priorities.

As the world shifts towards a digital one, not only are we plagued by the concern of conventional terrorism, increasingly, that of unconventional ones such as cyberattacks and radicalisation. The latter threats are especially worrisome. The proliferation of various messages platforms which offers anonymity and encryption features also make it easier for terror groups to advance malicious activities.

Mr Chairman, as seen from the aforementioned issues, the threat of terrorism is not only increasing, but evolving as we speak. I would be grateful if MINDEF could provide us with an update on how they are maintaining vigilance against terrorist threats, especially in relation to those in cyberspace.

The Chairman: Mr Vikram Nair. Not here. Mr Henry Kwek.

Strengthening Singapore's Cybersecurity

Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry (Kebun Baru): Mr Chairman, Sir, as part of the MINDEF Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC), I had the chance to visit MINDEF’s impressive cyber-range, which seeks to train our cyberwarriors on how to deal with simulated cyberattacks.

At the COS debate last year, the Minster for Defence spoke about our plans to build an integrated cyber command and cyber force to protect Singapore’s interests in the digital domain. I believe MINDEF has invested considerable resources in the area of cybersecurity. Nevertheless, this is an area that the threats are increasing exponentially. The recent breach experienced by the cybersecurity company FireEye via the company supplier, Solarwinds, that supplied the network monitoring software, demonstrates the heightened risks.

Software supply-chain attacks are some of the hardest type of attacks to prevent because they take advantage of the trusted relationships between vendors and customers and machine-to-machine communication channels, such as software update mechanisms that are inherently trusted by users. And Solarwinds is not an ordinary software vendor. Its customers include 425 of Fortune 500 companies, all top ten US telecommunications companies, all top five US accounting firms, all branches of the US Military, the Pentagon and the State Department. This goes to show that no country, industry, organisation or even type of information technology is immune to cybersecurity threat.

In view of this, I would like to ask the Minister for Defence for an update on our effort to enhance our military’s cybersecurity.

NS Review Committee

Mr Chong Kee Hiong (Bishan-Toa Payoh): Chairman, at the COS debate last year, the Minister for Defence informed the House about the formation of a NS Review Committee (NSRC) to examine ways to enrich the NS experience and maximise the potential of every national serviceman. Would the Ministry provide an update on initiatives that the NSRC has been working on and, in particular, plans to make the most of the contributions of our servicemen?

National Service forms the backbone of our defence. It is also a rite of passage for all young males in Singapore, who commit two years in the prime of their lives to safeguard our territory and ensure our sovereignty and peace.

When they complete their full-time NS, our servicemen continue to make sacrifices in their personal and work life, so that they are fit and ready to protect Singapore. The requirement to serve up to 40 days of Operationally Ready National Service (ORNS) per year is necessary but demanding. We should seek to minimise the disruption to their civilian routines as much as possible.

Last year, I spoke about supporting our men with care arrangements for their family members in the event they do not have the necessary support when they are in camp. This is an important concern because we need our servicemen to focus on their military duties with peace of mind.

It is important that we continue to examine ways to bring the best out of our servicemen through the different stages of their NS journey. We must keep their morale high and motivation strong, supporting them so that their NS involvement through their different life stages will become more engaging, meaningful and fulfilling.

I welcome the Ministry’s earlier announcement that it would be looking into optimising skill-based deployment. Will the Ministry share an update on how SAF can improve upon how it assesses that the unit assigned to an NSF is the best fit for him? How is SAF tapping upon our serviceman’s vocations and civilian expertise to enhance their NS contributions? How can our NSF communicate their areas of interest with SAF so that it could be better filtered or sorted into a role that the NSF could excel at? What are the main challenges in skills-matching? Can more flexibility be exercised so that in the event of poor fit, whether these are functional or manpower incompatibility, redeployment can be made?

In addition, how can SAF motivate NSFs to do better, beyond what they are required to and align the goals of the members of the unit?

11.30am

Lastly, how will MINDEF engage families and employers to get fuller support and cooperation for our servicemen’s deployments? Is it possible to make better use of new technology to enable our servicemen to manage both NS obligations and civilian duties? Likewise, let us leverage on technology to enhance SAF communications and interactions with our servicemen.

Singapore Green Plan 2030

Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry: Mr Chairman, I would like to take both cuts together.

Much has been said in this House regarding the Singapore Green Plan 2030, which has been described as a whole-of-nation effort to tackle climate change decisively. What are MINDEF and SAF doing to advance the sustainability agenda and to support the Singapore Green Plan 2030? My second cut.

Climate Change Mitigation

At the COS debate last year, the Minister for Defence spoke about the various measures taken by MINDEF to improve environmental sustainability and reduce carbon footprint. I recognise that this is not an easy balance for MINDEF to strike because our military is organised to function in wartime conditions. In war, one of the first things that any capable adversaries will target are supply lines and fuel. So, while we get our armed forces to go green, we must bear in mind that operational resilience under the toughest conditions must be achieved. And that is no trivial matter. It will potentially entail a revamp of our military’s supply chain planning process.

Can MINDEF provide an update on how MINDEF and SAF have continued to contribute to our national effort to address environmental sustainability? And can MINDEF share its broad planning principles on how to balance contributing to sustainability while maintaining our critical defence edge?

Mr Seah Kian Peng (Marine Parade): Mr Chairman, apart from protecting Singapore from current threats, MINDEF plays an important role in safeguarding our future. At last year’s debate, MINDEF shared about various measures taken by the Ministry to improve environmental sustainability and to reduce carbon emissions. And that they would take various steps to ensure that the SAF would be on track in meeting our national emission targets.

So, I would like to ask the Minister to provide an update on how MINDEF, and specifically SAF, is progressing on this front? As I have said quite a few times, the need to address climate change requires a whole-of-Government approach. MINDEF’s contributions towards this national effort to address environmental sustainability is no less important.

Mr Don Wee (Chua Chu Kang): Chairman, climate change is more than an environmental issue as it has implications for our defence and security. For small island nations like ours, the potential threats from rising sea levels and more volatile weather conditions can pose as much of a threat or, worse, compromise our national security measures.

Unfortunately, we have limited means to control the outcomes of global climate action. Yet, the potential threat and damage to us from climate change are disproportionately large. Nevertheless, when it comes to climate change mitigation, we will do our part and put in our best efforts. We will continue to cooperate with global initiatives and collaborate with other governments, the private sector and non-profit organisations to mitigate climate change. We need to pull together a whole-of-society effort to improve environmental sustainability.

At the COS debate last year, the Minister for Defence spoke about the various measures taken by MINDEF and SAF to improve environmental sustainability and reduce carbon emissions. Would the Ministry provide an update on these initiatives and how MINDEF/SAF has continued to contribute to national efforts to meet the objective of environmental sustainability?

One of the areas I am interested in is how MINDEF is working to meet our national targets to reduce energy and water consumption within its own buildings, bases and fleets, both in Singapore and overseas. Likewise, for its field operations and training. Will SAF be tapping more into green technologies for greater energy efficiency? Will we see more military vehicles powered by green energy and do we see the infrastructure ready to support more of such vehicles which will help to reduce emissions? Does MINDEF purchase carbon offsets and, if so, what was the quantum last year? Will MINDEF elaborate on its sustainability requirements for its procurements and how it processes the various categories of waste it generates?

Work-study Diploma

Miss Rachel Ong (West Coast): Mr Chairman, Happy Founders Day! May I have your permission to take both my cuts together?

First, on Work-study Diploma. Singaporeans serving National Service Full-time, or NSFs, spend around two years in the SAF at a formative period in their lives. In this regard, it is important to provide support for our NSFs to contribute meaningfully during their service to our nation. At the same time, amidst a challenging economic context and tight labour market, it is also increasingly important to train and develop our NSFs, as young adults entering the workforce.

I was encouraged to learn that in September last year, MINDEF introduced the Work-Study Diploma, also known as WSD, for NSFs to be trained as certified Army and Air Force Technicians while serving their NS. This is an important initiative that would further harness the potential of our NSFs and also prepare a long, strong talent pipeline for specific industries.

Could the House be given an update on the WSD programme? In addition, would we consider more of such schemes for Servicemen who may be interested to explore other careers? Many of our NSFs also take on other part-time courses on their own accord. To build on the current WSD programme, and possibly streamline NSFs personal learning efforts aligning with SAF’s needs, are there any plans for MINDEF to launch similar programmes for other vocations? May I continue with my second cut?

Expertise-based Deployment

A strong SAF capable of deterring potential adversaries is a key pillar of Singapore’s defence. However, Singapore’s birth rate has seen a steady decline, seeing a 28% drop in live resident births from 1990 to 2019. This matter of falling manpower is an issue that SAF has had to grapple with. In order to keep Singapore secure, it is critical to ensure that a leaner SAF can continue to maintain its capability edge and operational readiness, by maximising the use of its available manpower, while keeping ahead of our evolving landscape. Here are two considerations.

First, as I understand, the current reservist system places our NSmen in their original units which they began as NSFs. However, some of our NSFs pick up new capabilities and competencies along their professional work life, some of which could be meaningfully leveraged by SAF in its move towards digital transformation, green technology and new capabilities. I would like to ask the Ministry whether there are plans to recognise the competencies of our servicemen in their civilian work and in their subsequent deployment in SAF.

The second consideration is to review the physical fitness criteria in the deployment of our NSFs and NSmen for new, evolving roles in SAF in digital, cyber and non-operational competencies. The level of physical fitness required in these roles differs from those in operational ones. A review in criteria may open up a larger talent pool for SAF to tap on these roles. Could the Minister provide an update on the initiatives that the NSRC has been working on to better deploy our servicemen based on their civilian expertise to match with SAF’s ever evolving needs?

Mr Alex Yam: Chairman, your permission to take both cuts together.

The Chairman: Yes, please.

External Review Panel on SAF Safety

Mr Alex Yam: Mr Chairman, training safety has been a key concern of mine for many years. This moment, I would also like to extend condolences to the 39-year-old Regular Serviceman who passed away unfortunately last week after undertaking personal physical training.

Safety does not happen by accident. It must and always be the SAF’s top priority. This is an obligation that the MINDEF and the Singapore Armed Forces owe to every Serviceman and their loved ones. The second External Review Panel on SAF Safety would was inaugurated in 2017 would have completed its three-year tenure last year. The fresh perspectives from the diverse range of experts that were gathered on that panel would have provided the Singapore Armed Forces with insights on how to improve safety systems and processes. Could the Minister provide an update on the panel’s findings and how has the SAF followed up on its recommendations? My second cut.

Training Safety

Singaporean families send their children to serve in the SAF each year. The safety record of the SAF is naturally one of the key concerns of all families, and it is essential that we maintain the trust that Singaporeans have in the SAF.

At the COS debate last year and in 2019 as well, the Minister for Defence Dr Ng and Senior Minister of State for Defence Mr Heng Chee How spoke about the SAF Inspector-General’s Office, or IGO in short, which plays a key role in strengthening safety in the SAF. I understand that the SAF IGO conducts audits of safety practices across the SAF. Since its formation in 2019 in the aftermath of training accidents, the SAF IGO would have completed its first two-year cycle of audits.

Could the Minister provide an update on the IGO’s audit findings since 2019? And in light of this, what are the training safety measures that have been introduced in response to the IGO’s findings?

Digitalisation of Medical Support

Miss Rachel Ong: The healthcare sector is undergoing rapid digital transformation, from tele-medicine, the use of virtual reality in treatment, to wearable medical devices in preventive medicine. In the Senior Minister of State for Defence, Mr Heng Chee How’s speech at the COS debate last year, Senior Minister of State Heng highlighted that the SAF’s Virtual Care initiative as an example of how the SAF was leveraging technology to better serve our National Servicemen. This included the use of video conferencing tools to diagnose and prescribe treatment for common ailments remotely.

May I request an update on this initiative and how else MINDEF would be leveraging digitalisation to enhance medical support for our soldiers beyond Virtual Care?

Recognising Our Men and Women in the SAF

Ms Hazel Poa (Non-Constituency Member): Mr Chairman, recently, the Straits Times reported on the findings of the State Coroner regarding the death of National Serviceman Dave Lee due to heatstroke, which was partially caused by delayed evacuation. I cannot profess to know the pain of parents and families who have lost their loved ones. I can only guess. To quote the mother of Dave Lee, she said “Parents who have lost a child will never have any closure. There will only be sadness...That is all I can say.”

We know it is for an important cause. The cost of our national defence has, however, fallen unevenly, with some families paying a higher price than others. We should not take our people’s support for National Service for granted. Apart from ongoing efforts to improve training safety, I would like to put forth two proposals for the Minister’s consideration.

Firstly, the best way to secure commitment to national defence is to ensure that the families of our fallen Servicemen are taken care of. While I hate to put a price tag on the sacrifices made, ex-gratia payments based on WICA is, in my view, inadequate. In peacetime situations, I urge the Government to benchmark compensation according to a reasonable projection of lifetime income based on actual civilian wages of NSmen multiplied by their remaining work life, and $1 million for NSF.

Secondly, I am proposing that a special day be designated when we commemorate and remember those amongst us who paid the ultimate price for our national defence and honour their families, and remind ourselves annually of the importance of training safety. On this day, let the whole nation say to these families – we remember and we are grateful.

Care for Soldiers

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Aljunied): Mr Chairman, Singapore's defence strategy is dependent largely on the contributions of our National Servicemen. It is important that should our soldiers suffer injuries in the course of their service to the nation, they will be fairly compensated. This will give them the assurance to give their best during training and operations. I have a few questions for the Minister about MINDEF's insurance and compensation schemes.

11.45 am

First, does the current $150,000 Group Term Life and Group Personal Accident insurance cover operationally-ready National Servicemen? NSmen may be serving only up to 40 days a year, but they often participate in dangerous military exercises during that short stint.

Second, how was the amount for their insurance coverage derived? Is there room to increase it to provide better coverage in the event of death or total permanent disability of the servicemen?

And third, what are the factors considered for the lump sum disability compensation in the case of permanent disability?

Lastly, if a serviceman suffers a service injury in the course of actual combat operations, is the quantum of payouts the same as for training injuries?

Financial and Post-NS Employment Support

Mr Don Wee: Chairman, all young male Singaporeans and residents have to commit two years in the prime of their lives for service to our nation. It is important that we recognise their contributions and sacrifices and do our best to support them as they prepare for further studies or entry into the workforce after they complete full-time NS.

For those looking for employment in the current economic climate, they will encounter many obstacles. I strongly urge MINDEF to extend career guidance, counselling and employment support to our NSmen. They may also need skills training or upgrading. Will MINDEF consider providing them with post-NS skills training advisories?

Some those who face financial difficulties, what kind of assistance schemes can they tap upon and would the Ministry provide grants or interim loans to help them pay for their studies, training or family expenses and to tide them over this difficult period? Does MINDEF have any form of referral arrangement with MSF?

Fitness

Ms Joan Pereira: Chairman, a capable and combat-fit SAF is the ultimate guarantor of Singapore's security and the physical fitness of our national servicemen is of utmost importance to the SAF's operational readiness.

The SAF has many long-standing policies aimed at encouraging physical fitness amongst our National Servicemen, such as requiring NSmen to pass IPPT annually and allowing NSFs to serve a shorter term of NS if they attain a high standard of physical fitness prior to enlistment.

At the Committee of Supply debate last year, Senior Minister of State for Defence Mr Heng Chee How announced the PREP4NS initiative to help pre-enlistees be more physically prepared before entering NS. How effective has the PREP4NS initiative been in helping pre-enlistees become more physically fit?

During this pandemic, the capacity of many MINDEF and civilian training facilities have been reduced due to safe distancing measures. What measures does MINDEF have in place to ensure that training venues, equipment and slots are accessible and available to our servicemen to keep fit and in shape?

The quality of food also has an impact on fitness. Food insecurity may affect some servicemen in the lower income groups during this pandemic. Does MINDEF provide any form of assistance to our servicemen to ensure that they have access to nutritious meals to stay healthy and fit?

Healthcare issues affecting our servicemen must be dealt with urgently and thoroughly as every manpower resource is precious. Would the Ministry share an update on the healthcare measures and assistance schemes it has to keep our troops combat-fit?

What else is MINDEF/SAF doing to better support and motivate our servicemen in maintaining their physical fitness?

Enhancement to the NS Processes

Mr Chong Kee Hiong: Chairman, one key focus area announced by the National Service Review Committee (NSRC) was to review aspects of NS to better meet the needs of a new generation of National Servicemen. I whole-heartedly support this. MINDEF and the SAF must continue to be good stewards of our servicemen's time and talent. These are precious resources and should be utilised strategically.

We have to adapt and seize the advantages presented by technological advancements. Proactive adaptation will enable us to be more efficient in our processes and also keep us ahead of emerging threats.

Can the Ministry share an update on the NSRC's progress and specifically, about some initiatives that the NSRC has been working on to make NS processes more easily accessible and convenient for pre-enlistees, NSF and NSmen? Will there be improvements to waiting times and service delivery standards?

In addition, it had been pointed out that there are trade-offs between convenience and security. What measures does MINDEF have in place to ensure that these processes are convenient, efficient and secure? Will the Ministry also share how regularly it collects and reviews feedback from NS servicemen and the public to enhance our NS processes?

Digitalisation of NS Services

Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan (Pioneer): Locally and globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly amplified the role of technology in our lives. During the circuit breaker, the restrictions on movement increased our reliance on digital platforms and connectivity in multiple aspects of our lives. As Singapore embarks on a digitalisation journey, so must the SAF.

On the defence front, how can we better tap on the opportunities presented by technology and digitalisation to improve the NS experience for all our servicemen and women?

At MINDEF's Committee of Supply debate last year, I was glad to hear from Senior Minister of Stare for Defence Mr Heng Chee How's sharing on various technology and digital solutions that MINDEF/SAF had been working on to enhance different facets of the NS experience, from administration and training to healthcare.

Could MINDEF provide updates on how it is leveraging technology to enhance soldiers' NS experience and well-being? Does MINDEF/SAF plan to integrate these different services, in order to provide our servicemen with a smoother and more convenient user experience?

Total Defence in Battling COVID-19

Dr Wan Rizal (Jalan Besar): Chairman, the strength of our Total Defence depends on every Singaporean playing his or her part to help our country overcome and emerge stronger from each crisis. Singaporeans have put Total Defence into action to overcome past crises, such as the outbreak of SARS as well as economic downturns and terrorism threats.

The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented test of our collective resilience as a nation. It is heartening how Singaporeans have risen to the occasion to play their part in their fight against this COVID-19. Our people have banded together through adversity despite the uncertainties of the situation and personal hardships. Singaporeans have much to be proud of our response to COVID-19. Yet, the fight is far from over and we must not let our guard down.

I would like to ask the Ministry: how can we fortify our Total Defence as we continue to battle COVID-19 and how can we increase our resilience against future challenges?

ACCORD

Ms Yeo Wan Ling (Pasir Ris-Punggol): Mr Chairman, the send-off to Tekong, a common rite of passage for most Singaporean males, are often met with emotional farewells. We see proud fathers, crying mothers, siblings with their smartphones out documenting the occasion. Sir, just as the Tekong send-off is a family affair, we must treat the defence of Singapore, and National Service as a community affair and hope to see the community rally behind our brave men and women of the force.

The security of Singapore is contingent not only on the efforts of MINDEF and the SAF but also on the unwavering commitment of Singaporeans to defence.

Since its inception, the Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence, ACCORD, had set out to deepen engagement with businesses, educational institutions, family members and community groups, as well as to facilitate initiatives from the community that better support National Defence and National Service (NS).

Since then, the solidarity shown by the community with our soldiers has been heartwarming. More are aware of the sacrifices made by our soldiers and how it is imperative that we have Singaporeans defend Singapore.

Mr Chairman, we would like to seek updates from the Government about ACCORD's plans for the current term, 2020 to 2022, regarding efforts to strengthen community support for defence and NS. What are the roll-out plans like, in terms of engagement, particularly for divisions like Punggol Town, where we have many young families with their sons going off to serve their country?

Digital Defence

Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: With increasing use of the Internet and social media, many of us are becoming more vulnerable to fake news and misinformation online.

Amidst the on-going pandemic, the spread of fake news has been an area of deep concern, especially given the potential for this to cause unnecessary alarm or panic, or lead Singaporeans to make misinformed choices relating to their health.

Two years ago, the sixth pillar of Total Defence – Digital Defence – was launched in recognition of the increasing pace of global digitalisation and with this, the growing threats in this domain. How is MINDEF/SAF strengthening Digital Defence to prevent online falsehoods from damaging our society and eroding communal cohesion?

Climate Change in Total Defence

Mr Seah Kian Peng: Mr Chairman, I had raised this at last year's Committee of Supply and also recently spoken on this at the Motion on climate change.

Climate change poses a grave threat to Singapore and needs to be addressed in a concerted response by the whole-of-Government and society. Given the nature of the required approach, will MINDEF consider adopting Climate Defence as a new pillar of Total Defence?

This is the third time I am raising this issue and I understand that some things do take time to work through. But I am a patient man. It took me six consecutive years, bringing up the issue of paternity leave before it was finally approved. Of course, it was raised by other Members of Parliament as well. Like climate change, I play the long game!

So, let us place climate change as the seventh pillar of Total Defence and give it the priority and urgency that it deserves.

Climate Defence in Total Defence

Mr Don Wee: Chairman, in 1984, the Government recognised that national security was a massive and complex issue. We identified five pillars of Total Defence to acknowledge that areas, such as social cohesion and economic resilience, were as important as military strength. In recognition of the new waves of threats brought about by increasing digitalisation, Digital Defence was introduced as the sixth pillar in 2019.

Today, climate change is perhaps the most pressing concern for the world. Rising sea levels and extreme weather conditions, amongst other climate change threats pose ever-increasing dangers to Singapore. Climate change also have a big impact on our military operations and training, the maintenance of equipment and facilities and the direction of future defence strategies.

The climate change threat needs to be addressed by a concerted response by the whole-of-Government and society.

In this Budget, we have made room for long-term planning, including for environmental issues. This is the right approach. Given the nature of the required approach, will MINDEF consider adopting Climate Defence as the new pillar of Total Defence?

If the Ministry does so, environmental defence will be front and centre in our defence schemes. As part of our national security planning, there will be implications for policies, national priorities, resource allocation and long-term environment defence strategies.

Having Climate Defence as the seventh pillar of Total Defence will send a powerful message to all Singaporeans and the world about how seriously we are tackling climate change and our level of commitment to environmental sustainability. Going forward, this consideration will underpin all major decisions we make and facilitate more effective defence coordination. I urge the Ministry to consider this suggestion seriously.

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim (Chua Chu Kang): Chairman, permission to take both of my cuts together.

The Chairman: Yes, please.

12.00 pm

Public Engagement to Strengthen the Relevance of Total Defence and National Service

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: Chairman, Since its introduction in 1984, Total Defence has played an important role in our society. It was recognised early on that threats, not just military threats, will impact Singaporeans from all walks of life. Ensuring that Singapore is safe and secure is not simply the duty of MINDEF and the SAF, and it is truly a whole-of-nation effort. It is important that all Singaporeans are involved in conversations about Total Defence and about defence issues that impact everyone's lives, including National Service.

The SG Together movement has initiated Singapore Together Emerging Stronger Conversations in August 2020, where views may differ but all strive towards a common goal. At the Committee of Supply last year, then Senior Minister of State for Defence Dr Maliki Osman spoke about how MINDEF would conduct a series of engagement sessions as part of the SG Together movement to hear Singaporeans on how all of us can do better to put Total Defence in action.

This past year has been challenging for all of us and I have been heartened to see Singaporeans from all walks of life step up and help each other through difficult times. In light of the difficulties that we are faced with in the midst of this pandemic, I am interested to hear what Singaporeans had to say about keeping Singapore safe and secure and about how to strengthen Total Defence and NS. What are the outcomes from these engagement sessions and how will MINDEF take public views and suggestions forward?

Emerging Stronger with Total Defence

Today, the COVID-19 crisis has tested Total Defence and the collective strength and unity of our society. We had to strike a balance between ensuring sufficient medical supplies, defending the nation from external dangers and protecting our relations with other countries. As Singapore works towards emerging stronger from this crisis and adapting ourselves to a post-COVID-19 world, Total Defence will remain indispensable to a united Singapore.

However, the success of Total Defence is contingent upon active participation and engagement by all parts of society, including the Government, businesses, communities and individuals. COVID-19 has made all the more evident that we must continue to build resilience in our people and community.

In order for Singapore to prevail over other existential threats to come, it is important that we fortify the resilience of the entire community. How is MINDEF supporting and empowering Singaporeans to play an even greater role in Total Defence so that the country can emerge stronger together?

The Chairman: Minister Ng Eng Hen.

The Minister for Defence (Dr Ng Eng Hen): First, let me thank Members of this House for their comments, their input, their feedback and their positive comments about the SAF's contribution to this fight against COVID-19. My MINDEF colleagues, Senior Minister of State Heng Chee How and Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad and I are very thankful for these comments. I am sure our senior officials and commanders will be greatly encouraged by your positive comments.

As Members of House have eloquently described in their speeches, this year's Committee of Supply and Budget Debates are being held in truly extraordinary circumstances. Mr Alex Yam, Miss Cheng Li Hui, Ms Joan Pereira talked about this. To wit, COVID-19, a once-in-a-century disruptive change agent, has become the defining issue of our time, with its spread to all corners of our world.

Rustle through the pages of history and very few epochal events have had that kind of impact. I think, World Wars One and Two, certainly; the advent of the steam engine, electricity, the telegraph and the Internet. But those changes evolved over decades, not precipitously. Just barely a year later and our lifestyles have been changed – here and everywhere, some turned upside down. Singapore needed one circuit breaker, but many countries had two, three, even four or more imposed to contain this dreaded disease.

Experts think that the post-COVID-19 world will never revert to status quo ante. A new normal beckons and it is to this future for which we must prepare and position Singapore.

The phrase "never waste a good crisis" comes to mind. I will share during this Committee of Supply the lessons we are learning from the pandemic and the adjustments, even new directions, that MINDEF and the SAF will take. Our traditional security challenges remain and I will provide updates of those plans, but we must also deal decisively with additional threats on the horizon.

The first obvious fact is that MINDEF's budget will see double-digit growth year on year – not seen since 1998 – but mainly because MINDEF spent about $1.5 billion less than planned in 2020, about 10% less, due to the delay of some projects. Let me mention some big-ticket items: SAFTI City, to be completed by 2024 instead of 2023; our Invincible-class submarines, delivery expected in mid-2022, six months late. If the post-COVID recovery ensues, MINDEF expects its budget to stabilise and return to a growth trajectory targeted and announced in previous years – about 3 to 4% nominal growth each year, to keep pace with inflation over a period.

But more importantly, how does Singapore prepare for the security environment of a post-COVID-19 world? Many Members of Parliament have talked about and asked rightly – Dr Wan Rizal, Mr Abdul Samad, Mr Desmond Choo, Mr Shawn Huang.

The pandemic stress-tested the existing global system and not all components will survive unscathed. Take the US-China strategic rivalry. It was already deteriorating before COVID-19 struck, but change of US administrations notwithstanding, the rivalry has in fact sharpened as a result of COVID-19. Instead of global co-operation, the geopolitical landscape became more fragmented.

Vaccine diplomacy was one clear example. We will circulate the map. You could draw a coloured map of the world based on the vaccines they are using, whether produced in the United States, Europe, Russia, China or India. Mr Chairman, can I ask that the map be distributed. [A handout was distributed to hon Members. Please refer to Annex 1.]

This is the map that MINDEF staff came up with. I think it will be too much of a stretch to say that this will be the world henceforth but these "vaccine blocs" – blue, red or multi-coloured – are instructive about affiliations and even directions in our future.

Vaccine diplomacy, as we see it, can extend to other systemic levers too. It has already involved technology, namely 5G, semi-conductor chips, but other areas like debt financing, supply chains, purchase of arms and defence equipment are up for grabs. It is difficult to conceive of a wholly-bifurcated world but neither will the post-COVID-19 world be a rainbow-coloured one hoped for, à la Globalisation 1.0.

The US-China strategic rivalry will shift the global centre of gravity to our region, and I mean this physically for defence and security. Since 9/11, now two decades old, the United States and its allies have been committing resources and troops to the Middle East. This generation will witness a shift of hard assets to our region in Asia.

Previous US defence secretaries have progressively committed more assets to the Indo-Pacific area. France and Germany have followed suit. The United Kingdom has declared that it would send a carrier strike group to the South China Sea this year. The Quad – Australia, India, Japan and the United States – conducted Exercise Malabar off the coast of India for the first time in 13 years.

I have previously furnished details of Asia's military spending, which surpassed Europe's a decade ago and is now 40% higher. Asia's military spending is 40% higher than Europe's.

I do not need to embellish these trends as Members of this House can readily imagine the potential consequences from the increasing militarisation in Asia, both from countries within and outside. What does it spell for Singapore? Greater uncertainty and risks.

MINDEF's response to the heightened contestation is to remain friends with all. We continue to work with like-minded partners to forge a security architecture that is inclusive for big or small countries and in which disputes are resolved through peaceful means. We encourage countries to dialogue, cooperate and respect a rules-based international order.

This is a motherhood statement of policy, but as Members here can well imagine, the actual implementation can be difficult and tricky. For Singapore's voice to be heard amid the cacophony, we must be useful to stronger voices, especially when tensions rise.

Members would have read of our many interactions with other countries. Bilaterally, apart from strong relationships with both the United States and China, we are friends with many countries in areas of mutual interest.

Some recent examples: with Australia, our Prime Minister signed the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2015. For defence, the expanded Shoalwater Bay Military Training Area and the Greenvale Training Area are under construction and on track to being completed by 2024 and 2028 respectively. With India, we signed agreements to enhance collaboration in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and submarine rescue support and cooperation. We also inaugurated the Singapore-India-Thailand Maritime Exercise in 2019. Apart from the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) this year, we will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Five Power Defence Arrangements, which remain strategically important to the regional security architecture. All these multilateral engagements increase Singapore's mindshare.

Another signature security event that achieves this is the Shangri-La Dialogue. We had to cancel it in 2020 last year but this year, it is on track to being held physically, barring unforeseen circumstances.

These engagements are not merely good to have but necessary to protect our interests. MINDEF and the SAF will step up these efforts even as contestation increases.

Another epiphany from this COVID-19 pandemic is that we must continue to plan long term and, more importantly, steadily invest in emerging and novel capabilities precisely when we think we least need them. I think this was Mr Alex Yam's point.

Nowhere has this wisdom been more vindicated than in MINDEF and SAF's ability to respond to COVID-19. I do not want this House to misunderstand. This is not hubris speaking but deep gratitude for the commitment to defence spending over many years. Let me illustrate.

The virus first entered Singapore at the end of January 2020. Within the same month, DSO managed to get the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests up and running, fully operational. At the same time, general staff, with medical input from SAF Medical Corps' doctors, had to ensure continuity of operations.

Through the waves of infections last year, and despite on-going SAF operations – apart from the brief suspension of basic military training (BMT) during the circuit breaker – only a small number of COVID-19 cases arose within the SAF. Member Ms Joan Pereira asked about this. They were detected, contained effectively, with no clusters formed. Mass testing by DSO for SAF soldiers, practical medical advice for cohorting and other safety measures were key weapons and confidence boosters in our fight against COVID-19.

DSO has gone on to improve PCR and antigen testing. DSO and A*STAR's RESOLUTE 2.0 PCR kits are now commercially available and will be used with automation to conduct about 4,000 tests a day for the whole of Government. Within MINDEF and the SAF, DSO and the Medical Corps validated that saliva tests are shown to be as accurate as nasal swabs.

As a result, the SAF has been using saliva tests to complement swab tests for monitoring of its soldiers since October last year. The RESOLUTE 2.0 PCR kits were also essential in dealing with the outbreaks in the migrant worker community.

12.15 pm

Apart from PCR and antigen testing, serological testing of large numbers was needed to prevent our community care facilities and quarantine facilities from being overwhelmed. The Medical Corps and DSO staff worked with MOH to validate serological tests. At its peak, the joint taskforce worked with MOH to test nearly 40,000 sometimes, each week.

We have had other breakthroughs. In March last year, DSO bio-staff harvested convalescent plasma from our COVID-19 patients here, then isolated and identified their neutralising antibodies. These antibodies are starting clinical trials with Government agencies, research institutes and biomedical companies.

The key question is: “Where did this bio-defence and medical capability come from and how was it maintained?” The answers are simple: people and facilities.

Over the years, we have kept up our investments to maintain 40 bio-personnel in DSO – not a large number, 40 – and about 250 doctors and paramedical staff in the Medical Corps. After SARS, we did not let that crisis go to waste, learnt the right lessons, built more secure bio-labs in DSO. Quietly and without fanfare, this group of men and women has stayed true to their mission. And it is just not against bio-threats. Our capabilities against chemical threats have also been strengthened.

Few Singaporeans know that DSO is a designated lab by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). What is OPCW? OPCW is the leading international organisation, 193 member states, that heads investigations when toxic substances are suspected to be present. Some examples are chlorine, sulfur mustard, sarin and even Novichok. There are only 12 OPCW-designated labs around the world capable of verifying chemical agents in both environmental and biomedical samples; and DSO is one of them. The fact that DSO is designated as part of this network speaks highly of our standards and competence internationally, not to mention the resources we would have locally if ever such an episode occurred in Singapore.

There is another feather in our cap. The current Laboratory Head of OPCW, this is based in The Hague, Ms Chua Hoe Chee, is the first Singaporean to be appointed to this role. She is a long-time staff from DSO.

Members would agree with me that those investments from our defence budget that went into building medical and scientific capabilities have paid for themselves many times over. Had we not learnt the right lessons following SARS, sarin, anthrax and other lethal chemical and biological incidents over the years, DSO would not have had the facilities, let alone the people and expertise to produce tests and other breakthroughs, when COVID-19 invaded our shores. I thank this group of dedicated professionals in the bio-defence and medical community, in MINDEF/SAF and nationally. We owe them a great debt.

As Dr Wan Rizal asked, what can we learn from this? I think learning from this pandemic, MINDEF will further build up our laboratories and capabilities to deal with biological threats.

As an infectious agent, COVID-19 could have been much worse. Let me explain that. For example, mumps and measles are four to nine times more infectious. For lethality, SARS and MERS caused many more severe cases and deaths. Suppose we are unlucky, and we get a virus that is just as infectious as mumps and measles, and just as lethal as SARS and MERS. Unthinkable! But we should think of it. Can we plan on the basis that future pandemics or biological attacks will not be worse than COVID-19? Or can we “outsource” to or call another country for help when it happens? I think Members in this House would unanimously say surely not.

It would be foolish to depend on others and we need to build capabilities within Singapore to protect ourselves.

Many developed countries already have labs with the highest biosafety level – we call these BSL-4. And these were built many years ago. Since 2015, countries in Asia like China, Japan and Korea have also built these BSL-4 labs. In ASEAN, there are none. Singapore has BSL-3 labs, which prior to this pandemic, were assessed as adequate protection. MINDEF will therefore invest about $90 million for DSO working with MOH to upgrade our facilities within DSO to the highest biosafety level of BSL-4. The BSL-4 labs will require more stringent levels of air separation and must have the ability to quickly shut down and isolate that facility, when needed.

It goes without saying that safety is paramount, and DSO will work with MOH to ensure that we will have the highest standards of protection required for BSL-4 labs. We will bring in third-party and overseas experts to advise us on the entire process – beginning from the design, to construction and thereafter, to validate the systems periodically. We will maintain our record of absolute safety of our bio-labs built so far.

There is another area in which steady investments paid rich dividends – our ability to exercise command and control over complex operations. At the height of our efforts against COVID-19, we deployed over 6,000 MINDEF/SAF personnel across a wide range of operations that Members of Parliament here described in your speeches. They included packing five million masks in two days, stabilising the outbreak in the foreign worker dormitories, helping set up the Community Care and Recovery Facilities, supporting contact tracing and medical logistics operations. Senior SAF commanders assumed leadership of several national taskforces, reporting to the Multi-Ministry Task Force. DSTA developed command and control systems for the national COVID-19 operations. These smooth operations occurred because this is what the SAF does, day in day out. All of us here who have served our National Service and In-Camp Trainings know this. We may grumble sometimes about these mobilisations as NSmen, but it keeps the machinery warm, so that when the SAF is activated, it ramps up into the lean and mean machine it needs to be.

Even as the SAF contributed to the fight against COVID-19, it continued to maintain operations at a high level of readiness to keep Singapore safe from external threats. And Mr Alex Yam talked about this in his cut. Protection of key installations, maritime security, air defence, counter-terrorism efforts continued around the clock.

On training, which some members have asked about, some overseas and large-scale exercises like the RSAF’s Darwin detachment and the multilateral naval exercise RIMPAC have resumed, enabled by strict adherence to safe management measures, robust testing, and enhanced medical protocols. Others will take time to restart or reach pre-COVID levels. Locally, In-Camp Trainings (ICTs) have progressively picked up, up to 80% of pre-COVID levels – I think Mr Abdul Samad asked this – and are expected to resume fully by the later half of this year. The nation-wide vaccination programme will facilitate this resumption.

There have been questions asked about RSAF training. Ms Sylvia Lim filed a cut. And I have addressed questions on RSAF training in this House last year as she had pointed out, which were put forth by Mr Sitoh Yih Pin and Dr Lim Wee Kiak. I do not intend to reprise those remarks, which Members can look up in the Hansard. I will give an update on RSAF training this year.

The impact of COVID-19 was precipitous and to keep our fighter pilots current, the number of local training flights increased in 2020. Since October last year, we have brought down the number of local training flights to what they were before the pandemic – an average of 600 sorties each month. How did we do this? We had to call on the generosity and goodwill of foreign partners so that more of our pilots can train overseas. Please be reminded that they too have local populations in overseas training detachments, perhaps not as densely populated as Singapore, but communities there will have to bear with the noise generated by our planes. I want to thank the defence establishments and communities of these countries for helping us build our capabilities to defend Singapore – they are true friends. With their help, the RSAF local training this year will be brought down to pre-COVID-19 levels.

But let me sound a gentle note of caution. We have good friends overseas, but if for any reason – whether it is a worsened COVID-19 outbreak or complaints from their local community – Singaporeans must be prepared for local training to be stepped up. The SAF will do all it can to minimise this, but Singaporeans must be willing to make some sacrifices for our own security.

Mr Desmond Choo, Mr Shawn Huang have asked for updates on the development of the Next Generation SAF. Despite some delays due to COVID-19, the SAF remains on track, I am happy to report. For the Army, Headquarters Sense and Strike was inaugurated last November. This is essentially a re-organisation of HQ Army Intelligence and HQ Singapore Artillery under 6 Division, to integrate capabilities so that both can “See Better” and “Shoot Faster” with less manpower.

We also inaugurated the Navy’s Maritime Security and Response Flotilla, made up of refurbished patrol vessels. Four new purpose-built vessels will replace them in due course. The RSN will also deploy unmanned surface vessels and complete their sea trials later this year to complement manned ships for maritime security.

For the RSAF, upgraded F-16s are expected to roll out in the coming months. The RSAF will also receive new helicopters this year – H225Ms to replace our Super Pumas and our Chinook 47Fs (CH-47Fs) to replace our older Chinooks. We remain on track to receive four F-35 Joint Strike Fighters around 2026 and for the RSAF to start basing their training in Guam from 2029 onwards.

Mr Desmond Choo and Mr Shawn Huang made very incisive remarks about how we should not be distracted by COVID-19 against existing threats. And they were talking about terrorism. And they are spot on. The terrorist groups in the Middle East, particularly Al-Qaeda and ISIS, have been weakened. But paradoxically, success there can increase the threat here especially when the number of terrorists coming into our region has gone up, either returning or foreign, bringing with them networks, tactics and expertise in violent crimes and explosives. Our concern is that the collective intelligence and surveillance capability of ASEAN is a fraction of what the US and allies have in the Middle East. This gap can cost precious lives here.

To close the gap and pre-empt terror attacks, MINDEF decided to stand up a multilateral Counter-Terrorism Information Facility (CTIF). I am happy to announce to this House that the facility has been completed and has begun operations despite COVID-19. The CTIF will bring together like-minded countries to share intelligence, provide early warning, monitoring and analysis capabilities in a centralised and coordinated manner.

Mr Shawn Huang and Miss Rachel Ong asked about emerging areas, technology and the like. Let me deal them. We are already employing artificial intelligence, robotics and data analytics to enable new warfighting concepts and force multipliers for the Next Gen SAF. MINDEF has also recently established a “Digital Factory”. What is a "Digital Factory"? It allows our people, product developers and designers to come together under one roof, to collaborate on designing, testing and scaling secure digital solutions. And as a result, we have been able to build and deploy software three times faster than before.

The Cloud. The Cloud will play a greater role in our digital future. I think no one disagrees with that. But for defence establishments, there will always be security concerns as we move to cloud-based systems. Nevertheless, after careful study, MINDEF and the SAF have decided that cloud computing is a key component to enhance effectiveness and reduce our need for manpower. These were the points touched on by Mr Chong Kee Hiong and Mr Patrick Tay. Security concerns will be addressed through tiering.

12.30 pm

First, a MINDEF Commercial Cloud will roll out in mid-2021, starting with just administrative and maintenance functions, and this will benefit NSFs and NSmen with better and more responsive services. Beyond this, classified information will also leverage cloud systems. This was a big decision, after much study and debate. As the security standards for these areas need to be more stringent, such systems will be physically housed in MINDEF/SAF and separated from other day-to-day functions on the cloud.

Mr Henry Kwek asked about the Integrated Cyber Command Force. Let me give updates.

I am happy to report that the Cybersecurity Task Force (CSTF) has now been stood up under the command of Chief C4I, who reports directly to Chief of Defence Force (CDF). This has improved our ability to monitor and actively seek out potential threats and aggressors in the cyber domain. We have already announced that more NSmen will serve in the CSTF and we are working with academic institutions to raise their skills through initiatives, such as the University Work-Learn Programme with NUS and the Critical Infrastructure Security Showdown cybersecurity exercises – I am not sure this is showdown or shutdown but it says "showdown" here – with SUTD's iTrust Centre for Research in Cyber Security. I think this is something that Miss Rachal Ong mentioned. In addition, the SAF will hire more cyber-specialists as regulars, mainly through our Military Domain Expert Scheme.

As our platforms in the SAF evolve to run on new technology and as we add new roles, such as cyber-specialists and drone operators, indeed, more opportunities are created for our NSmen; and a number of Members of Parliament have made this point. And they reminded us that last year, I announced the set-up of the NS Review Committee headed by our Chief of Army and MINDEF's Deputy Secretary for Administration. They have done good work. Senior Minister of State Heng Chee How will provide an update in his speech shortly.

But let me address points asked by Mr Chong Kee Hiong, Mr Mohd Fahmi and Mr Shawn Huang that with more jobs redesigned and using new technology, indeed, a larger pool of servicemen will now be able to contribute in areas for which they were previously not eligible or capable. And this has less to do with our manpower constraints but the expansion of capabilities and avenues in which they can contribute. For example, being deployed for maritime security and protection of installations, through the use of unmanned surface vessels and unmanned watch towers.

More fundamentally, the NS Review Committee has highlighted that the old binary classification that many of us grew up with here of Combat-Fit or non-Combat-Fit – makes little sense when applied to roles such as unmanned vessel operators. Miss Rachel Ong used another term – "operational" and "non-operational". That also does not capture what we are talking about because an unmanned vessel operator has very little to do whether he is combat-fit or not combat-fit. He or she is actually very operational.

So, the old system is outdated and retrogressive for many roles in the Next Gen SAF. Moving forward, the SAF will use an updated and refreshed Medical Classification System, which together with its PES system, will better match vocations and deployment of National Servicemen. The new system will take into account their civilian jobs and skillsets which Members of Parliament have asked about. Of course, these changes must not compromise safety or the operational readiness of the SAF. As I have said, Senior Minister of State Mr Heng Chee How will give more details.

Mr Seah Kian Peng, Mr Henry Kwek and Mr Don Wee asked about climate change and sustainability and I would like to touch on this last topic.

I spoke about some changes MINDEF and the SAF were already making at last year's Committee of Supply. And since then, the Government has unveiled the Singapore Green Plan 2030 (SGP30), a whole-of-nation movement to advance Singapore's national agenda on sustainable development. And rightly, Members of Parliament have asked what is MINDEF and SAF's response and involvement in SGP30. After all, it would be understandable, perhaps even excusable, given our mandate, to reduce our commitment or even opt out.

I want to assure this House that MINDEF and SAF will more than do our part for SGP30. Let me first state why before going into the details.

The COVID-19 vaccine was developed in the fastest time in human history – never seen before. What used to take years to accomplish was done in weeks. In fact, a few days the mRNA sequence was produced after the genome came out. But the consequences of extreme climate change are existential and cannot be mitigated, let alone solved, in weeks, months, even years.

MINDEF and SAF have gone through a thorough evaluation of our carbon and waste footprint and determined that we can meet and in major areas exceed, the national targets set under the SGP30. By 2030, MINDEF and SAF will reduce the growth of overall emissions by two-thirds compared to business as usual, using current systems. By 2050, we aim to halve the 2030 emissions in line with our national strategy. Let me give details on how these specific goals will be achieved.

We will have three major green initiatives – carbon emissions, water and waste – with key targets for the SAF to go greener.

First, carbon emissions. Today, our main sources of emissions are building infrastructure and military platforms – no surprise there. For buildings, we aim to attain the Green Mark Platinum Super Low Energy standards for all new large and retrofitted buildings where feasible. We will also deploy more solar panels in SAF camps and bases by 2025 so that our solar adoption will be doubled, from 20 to 50 mega-watt peak, equivalent to the electricity consumed by 12,500 4-room households. These changes are significant and will reduce our carbon emissions growth by about 40% by 2030.

For platforms, it is harder to reduce emissions, but we will do so when replacements are available and cost-effective, without any loss of operational effectiveness, compromise in security or sharp rise in defence spending. Let me repeat that because it is important. We will do so when replacements are available and cost effective, without any loss of operational effectiveness, compromise in security or sharp rise in defence spending.

I choose my words carefully, not to over-promise unrealistic goals, but neither to evade responsibility to show results but we will do what we can.

The Army will replace its current administrative vehicle fleet with an all-electric one by 2030 – 400 of them. In tandem, charging infrastructure in camps and bases will be set up. The RSN will equip newer vessels like the Littoral Mission Vessels with energy-efficient LED lights, ozone-free water-mist fire suppression systems and look into using garbage converters to reduce waste volume.

For air combat platforms, green fuels that meet the criteria of cost effectiveness are just not yet fully developed. Nevertheless, the RSAF will commence trials of green aviation fuel for some of our F-16s, so that we can understand the engineering, logistics and infrastructure works needed to scale up its use when these green fuels do become more cost effective.

I have finished with carbon emissions. Let me talk about water.

We will take further steps to reduce water consumption. We will progressively replace water fittings with more efficient ones which are at least three-ticks under the Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme. We will continue to invest in water recycling systems, such as those for vehicular washing. The goal is a 10% reduction in water consumption by 2030.

Third, waste reduction. We will step up the "3Rs – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle" initiative significantly. For food waste, we have already implemented segregation and recycling processes in 14 cookhouses. We will extend this to all cookhouses by 2024. We have put in place waste disposal contracts to recycle and repurpose electronic waste, waste oil, chemicals and scrap metal. The aim is to reduce waste by 30% by 2030.

To succeed in this SAF-wide initiative, we must empower all units to contribute their best efforts. And central to this strategy is for each unit to know how much it produces in emissions and waste or water consumption – just imagine if we ask our population to save water or electricity without measuring it. Therefore, MINDEF and SAF will install smart utility metering systems progressively for all our buildings. This will allow commanders of each unit to take ownership and give directions to make the SAF greener. When the smart metering is complete, unit commanders will be equipped to compare themselves with their peers and benchmarks and to reach their required targets. I must add that MINDEF and SAF are able to do this because we have direct command and control over all our units.

This initiative to go greener needs to be sustained for the long-term and Mr Seah Kian Peng calls it a "long game". But it can be derailed by a few forces. Apathy and lack of awareness are two that I hope will be alleviated by the use of smart meters.

But there is another force that can dissipate our efforts. If each group champions its favourite environmental cause, the SAF could be pulled in different and sometimes, unproductive directions. So, MINDEF and the SAF must start off on and maintain the correct trajectory, guided by science, data and evidence on effective outcomes. We must put in a structure to achieve these outcomes and not get distracted along the way. MINDEF has, therefore, decided to set up a new SAF Sustainability Office. It will report to the SAF's Chief of Staff-Joint Staff, who will assume the role of the SAF Chief Sustainability Officer. The office will be advised by an External Advisory Panel made up of experts in various fields. I believe that this command structure guided by the right advice will put us in the best possible trajectory for this long-term enterprise. My colleagues Senior Ministers of State Heng Chee How and Zaqy Mohamad will address other points which Members have brought up.

Mr Chairman, I want to conclude on two points. The clarion cry that we have heard in this House again and again, indeed, for this generation of Singaporeans facing this globally destructive and disruptive COVID-19 pandemic, is to emerge stronger. But can we? For MINDEF/SAF, we must, if we are to secure our defence for another generation. Much of what I have talked about is looking far ahead, to a future in which we continue to have an SAF that can protect Singapore's interests and the well-being of Singaporeans despite the uncertainty and rising risks in our region and globally.

I am deeply conscious, Mr Chairman and Members of this House, that defence takes up a sizeable share of the Government budget and not just the resources of our Budget but more importantly, he personal commitment of the servicemen and their families, something Ms Joan Pereira and Ms Hazel Poa talked about. I want to thank Members of this House and Singaporeans for your trust, your unstinting support and commitment to maintain a strong defence. All MINDEF and SAF can offer in return to you and the Singaporeans that we serve is this pledge to be good stewards of these investments and to keep Singapore safe for many years ahead. [Applause.]

The Chairman: Senior Minister of State Heng Chee How.

The Senior Minister of State for Defence (Mr Heng Chee How): Mr Chairman, Defence Minister Dr Ng has emphasised the need for a forward-looking SAF to confront increasingly complex challenges. As the SAF adapts to face these challenges, National Service or NS must be a crucial part of this transformation. NS continues to be the backbone of our defence and we must strengthen NS for our Next-Gen SAF and a new generation of National Servicemen.

12.45 pm

We established the NS Review Committee, or NSRC, last year precisely with this in mind. Let me share the committee's enhancements, focusing on three areas: first, maximising our servicemen's contributions; second, improving their health and fitness; and third, enhancing their service experience.

Let me begin by speaking on maximising our servicemen's contributions. As the Minister for Defence has described just now, with differing medical fitness levels, education backgrounds and skillsets, our servicemen can contribute to our defence effectively but differently. We seek to unlock their potential in several ways.

Optimising deployment. First, establishing new vocations and redesigning existing ones for our full-time national servicemen, or NSFs. In recent years, new vocations have been established in the SAF in response to the changing threat environment, such as the vocation of cyber specialists who protect our networks and systems. For more established roles, the Minister for Defence has highlighted our redesign of jobs through technology, such as the development of unmanned watchtowers and unmanned surface vessels to augment our security troopers and base defence operators.

Second, better matching of servicemen to roles where they can be operationally effective, regardless of medical fitness. This again, the Minister for Defence has mentioned earlier. We are redesigning our medical classification system and the Physical Employment Standard or PES System, to shift away from the binary classification of a serviceman either as combat-fit or not combat-fit for purposes of deployment.

That system has been with us for a long time. Medical exclusions that used to limit deployments may no longer be so relevant in today's operational context, especially with the latest technology. The key idea is to deploy every soldier in a meaningful operational role without compromising safety and while maintaining and ensuring operational effectiveness.

We are therefore reviewing the use of functional assessments to determine our servicemen's deployability in specific vocations. For example, the SAF has introduced functional assessments to guide our selection of transport operators – just as a practical example. What that assessment does is that it replicates the physical demands required for daily operations, enabling us to better match our servicemen's functional abilities to the role's actual demands. If successful, we will then extend this trial to other vocations such as tank operators.

In other words, we look at the vocations – the jobs – and the requirements of those jobs as opposed to whether you are rated combat-fit or not combat-fit and then try to fit our servicemen into those two categories.

Third, helping our servicemen acquire new skills to better perform their roles. Miss Rachel Ong asked about the Work-Study Diploma, or WSD, which we launched last September with the Institute of Technical Education (ITE). As a start, this is open to NSFs serving as Air Force and Army technicians. Under the WSD, servicemen will undergo training to obtain a MINDEF-sponsored ITE diploma in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering or Electrical Engineering. Spending three or four years in total with the SAF, these servicemen will be given a contract that will entitle them to the pay and benefits of an SAF Regular after they have completed a stipulated period as NSFs. The first batch of 37 servicemen will commence this programme this April.

These WSDs are MINDEF and the SAF's latest addition to "work-learn" schemes for our full-time national servicemen. We also introduced the Cyber NSF Scheme in 2018. These schemes support our servicemen's professional development while allowing them to put their learning into practice and contribute to MINDEF and the SAF in the defence of Singapore. We will continue to explore more of such "work-learn" schemes in the future.

Beyond NSFs, we see a valuable opportunity to harness the useful knowledge and skills that our NSmen have attained through their studies and civilian work.

In 2019, we announced that NSmen with specialised civilian expertise can be deployed earlier in their Operationally Ready NS cycle earlier to areas requiring such expertise, such as in law and psychology, under the Expertise Conversion Scheme. The scheme has served us well against a growing spectrum of non-conventional threats, including in domains such as infocommunications and maritime.

Moving forward, we will systematically expand opportunities to deploy NSmen with relevant civilian expertise and we will increase the areas they can be deployed to and establish a dedicated deployment centre to oversee this expansion.

Next, enhancing safety.

Even as we seek to maximise our servicemen's contributions to mission success, let me at the same time emphasise that safety will always be a central priority for us as well. It is always mission success and safety always.

Following the training accidents from 2017 to 2019, the SAF has invested even more significant efforts to enhance safety management in our units, to train our commanders better in safety leadership and to establish an even stronger safety culture among our soldiers.

In enhancing these areas, we have continued to tap on external safety experts. This started in 2013, when MINDEF established the first External Review Panel on SAF Safety, or ERPSS, to have safety experts from academia and the industry provide an independent assessment of the SAF's safety systems and processes.

The second ERPSS completed their 3.5-year tenure in December 2020. They have been extremely helpful to MINDEF and the SAF in assessing the progress of the SAF's safety journey as well as in highlighting opportunities for improvement. We also appreciate all the Panel members' participation in the MINDEF's Committee of Inquiry (COI) for training accidents and the Panel's independent review of all COI findings on training safety.

Mr Alex Yam asked about the second ERPSS' findings. The second ERPSS acknowledged the efforts and progress the SAF has made to strengthen safety and observed its strong command emphasis on building a positive safety culture. These efforts include internalising the importance of safety in SAF units' everyday activities and leveraging digital means to enhance safety management. The Panel also offered useful suggestions based on the industry's best practices such as benchmarking the safety training of our commanders, trainers and safety officers to those of the industry standards. The SAF will follow up on these recommendations.

Given the Panel's valuable contributions, MINDEF has accordingly commissioned the third ERPSS for another three-year tenure, beginning this year.

Apart from the ERPSS, the SAF conducts internal audits to ensure there are robust safety management systems and a healthy safety culture in our units. The SAF Inspector-General's Office, or IGO, was formed in 2019 and it has just completed its full first two-year audit cycle of all SAF formations. Mr Alex Yam requested an update.

Overall, the IGO observed notable progress in strengthening the SAF's safety culture. There has been a sustained uptrend in open reporting received in the past two years, where servicemen, regardless of rank, reported near-misses and safety hazards. Our units have also made significant adjustments to their training schedule to permit time for safety, including conducting daily safety briefs and catering dedicated training time to obtain feedback from soldiers on safety. To overcome the rank gradient, our units have appointed rank and file soldiers as safety advocates to communicate and facilitate communication with their unit's commanding officers on safety matters.

The IGO's audits also found that soldiers have responded positively to the safety measures implemented in this past two years – building on past efforts but within the two years since the IGO's formation – with our commanders leading enhancements in unit safety processes and influencing their soldiers' safety mindsets.

Nevertheless, given the constant turnover of servicemen, it is crucial that the SAF sustains these efforts, keeping our soldiers updated on the latest safety incidents and lessons learnt to avoid making mistakes or repeating mistakes and doing all we can to prevent accidents.

Ultimately, the SAF is committed to the vision of zero accidents. We must continue to uphold our duty of care to every serviceman entrusted to us – as highlighted by the Minister for Defence.

Our attention to safety extends beyond training safety systems to ensuring our medical systems are progressively improved – which Miss Rachel Ong asked about. After all, our servicemen's health is paramount to their safety and their well-being.

In collaboration with the DSTA and industry partners, we have developed a portable electronic medical records system – or what we call PACES Mobile. This enables our medical officers to access our servicemen's medical information remotely on their laptops. By providing our medical officers with the full medical history of our servicemen, including while they are on overseas exercises and deployments, PACES Mobile has improved medical safety and the quality of patient care. Since its launch in October 2019, it was used and has supported 23 overseas exercises and over 2,000 patient encounters.

MINDEF and the SAF will spare no effort to protect our servicemen. Yet, the reality is that every military force around the world will have to deal with the prospect of injury and death amongst its soldiers.

Mr Gerald Giam asked about our care for soldiers who suffer service injuries and Ms Hazel Poa, the recognition for servicemen who die in service and the support given to their families.

Our compensation framework takes reference from but goes beyond what is provided for by the Work Injury Compensation Act, or WICA. Any compensation amounts are generally in the area of between two and four times of that provided under the WICA. MINDEF will also pay for all necessary medical expenses of injured servicemen at Government restructured hospitals, clinics and community hospitals for as long as it is required. This includes the cost of medical supplies, counselling and specialist care.

Should these servicemen experience a loss of earnings after their release from service as a result of medical or hospitalisation leave, MINDEF will also compensate them for up to two years from the day after their service ends. Again, this exceeds WICA's provisions, where the compensation for loss of earnings is up to a year from the date of the accident. Over and above all these, MINDEF provides servicemen with life and personal accident insurance during their term of service.

Beyond compensation, injured servicemen may also receive financial assistance under MINDEF's welfare schemes, which can assist with immediate needs, depending on family circumstances. This may include mid-to-long term financial assistance. Other forms of support are also provided based on the serviceman's and his family's specific needs, including medical arrangements and counselling support. These avenues of support extend also to the families of our deceased servicemen.

That said, no amount of compensation or assistance can replace a loved one. We know that. We agree. And that is why we take the trust that Singaporeans and Singaporean families have in MINDEF and the SAF absolutely seriously. We will do everything we can to look after our servicemen.

Every death in service is painful. It carries immense significance for the family and we in MINDEF and the SAF certainly honour our fallen men and women. Ms Hazel Poa spoke of dedicating a day to do so. We already have that day. It is called the SAF Day and we have a parade every year in the presence of our President or our Prime Minister. In the course of that parade, we remember specifically men and women of the SAF who have fallen in the course of duty. Individual units and formations also hold remembrance events to honour their men and women who have fallen.

1.00 pm

Next, supporting our NSFs. Our servicemen serve a critical operational need and we greatly value their contributions. Yet, we recognise that beyond serving the nation, our servicemen are also critical contributors to their families, some of whom face economic dislocation, for example, last year, due to the disruption brought on by COVID-19. Mr Don Wee asked about this. To enable our NSFs to focus on their NS obligations, MINDEF/SAF maintains a variety of financial assistance schemes, including ones designed to support immediate, acute needs, such as a sudden retrenchment in the family.

Commanders have been paying special attention to signs of financial distress among NSFs during the pandemic, and where necessary and appropriate, have helped with the application for such financial assistance. The assistance schemes have, therefore, been deployed in tandem with the evolving economic situation. The application process has been simplified and shortened, and we also allow for more extensions.

Mr Don Wee also asked about the support available to NSFs anxious about entering a difficult job market after full-time NS. Under SkillsFuture@NS, NSFs can use their Electronic Pre-Release Employment Programme, or E-PREP credits, for over 4,000 selected courses to update or acquire new skills. We also organise a quarterly Enhanced Career and Education Fair, where NSFs can access resources on career and educational opportunities and attend customised SkillsFuture Advice workshops. Over 74,000 NSFs have benefited from these efforts since 2015.

In addition, we have enhanced their Certificate of Service package to reflect not only our NSFs’ achievements and contributions, but also their competencies gained through Workforce Skills or WSQ Qualifications. This serves as a useful reference for prospective employers.

Next, improving health and fitness. Let me now move on to the NSRC’s second enhancement: initiatives to improve the health and fitness of our servicemen. We constantly seek to motivate our servicemen to keep fit and healthy, as this forms a good foundation upon which to build our SAF’s operational capabilities. Ms Joan Pereira asked about this.

For pre-enlistees, I introduced the Pre-Enlistees Exercise Programme for NS, or PREP4NS, last year, where pre-enlistees can register for complimentary one-year membership to six SAFRA gyms to improve their fitness.

Responses have been encouraging. Since its first trial in November 2019, about 5,000 pre-enlistees have been accorded the PREP4NS membership. More than 80% of these have visited the SAFRA gyms since mid-June last year, notwithstanding the difficulties posed by COVID-19. Quite obviously, if not for COVID-19, the response would be even greater. Many have also reported improvements in their Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT) scores. Thirty-three percent more pre-enlistees attained a Gold after receiving their PREP4NS membership.

We are expanding the PREP4NS trial to include admission, beyond the SAFRA gyms, to 24 ActiveSG gyms across Singapore. Pre-enlistees can look forward to yet more facilities to prepare for Basic Military Training. Registration for the PREP4NS membership to the ActiveSG gyms will be announced later.

Similarly, we are mindful of the work-life demands on our NSmen’s time and are exploring additional ways to provide more convenience and flexibility for NS fitness activities. This will motivate our NSmen to keep an active lifestyle, ensuring that they remain operationally ready. We hope to announce more details soon.

Mr Chong Kee Hiong asked about initiatives to make our NS processes more convenient for our servicemen. Besides fitness activities, our enhanced Health Screening Programme (HSP) is a key example of this. NSmen who are IPPT-eligible and aged 35 and above undergo screening to ensure that they can safely participate in the more strenuous activities during the ICT.

We have introduced two enhancements, which will benefit about 11,000 NSmen annually.

First, we can now complete the HSP for most NSmen in a single session instead of two, thus saving them an entire trip.

Second, we will establish a specialised HSP centre in our MMI campus in NUS Kent Ridge by mid-2021. MMI used to be known as the Military Medicine Institute. This centralised location will bring greater convenience to our busy NSmen, who can expect shorter booking and waiting times.

Better experience through digitalisation is the next area that I will speak on.

The NSRC’s third focus area is enhancing every serviceman’s NS experience. Our daily activities are increasingly conducted on digital platforms. We therefore intend to leverage technology to enhance the NS experience, and this is part of our digital transformation efforts, which is on-going, and which the Defence Minister mentioned.

MINDEF and SAF have established an NS digital transformation plan for the next five years to develop digital products catering to our tech-savvy servicemen. We also have plans to consolidate all digital services through the NS journey onto a single platform, which is what Mr Patrick Tay asked about. Our national servicemen are at the heart of our digitalisation drive and we are committed to making NS-related services and processes ever more convenient and seamless.

Mr Chairman, let me sum up. As the SAF transforms to meet new threats, so must NS. We are committed to strengthening NS for a new generation of servicemen in three ways: maximising their contributions, improving their health and fitness, and enriching their NS experience.

We must never forget that NS was designed and put in place for an existential purpose. We need NS and we need an effective NS in order to safeguard our survival, security, freedom and sovereignty. With committed and capable national servicemen, Singapore will continue to more than survive and to thrive. [Applause.]

The Chairman: Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad.

The Senior Minister of State for Defence (Mr Zaqy Mohamad): Mr Chairman, Dr Ng’s speech underlined how we need not just the SAF but all of society to support Singapore’s defence against conventional and non-conventional threats.

Total Defence remains Singapore’s best preparation and response to crises. With every Singaporean organisation, family and individual playing a part through Total Defence, we can deter threats, overcome crisis and emerge stronger from each test.

Member Dr Wan Rizal asked about how Total Defence played a part in Singaporeans’ fight against COVID-19. Our response to the pandemic is a good example of Total Defence in action.

COVID-19 has upended businesses and industries, affected jobs and disrupted the way we live. Together, we have rallied the whole community. SAF, the Public Service, the Home Team and many other agencies have worked hard to contain and manage the pandemic.

Our people have stepped up in support – from retired doctors and nurses to national servicemen, participating in COVID-19 operations. Community and religious groups, volunteers and the everyday resident made efforts to reach out to those who are more affected, such as retrenched workers, lower income families and the elderly. Some even played their part to debunk misinformation and scaremongering on social media. The result is that we have been able to keep our communities safe, keep infections and hospitalisations low.

We are in a better position today to reopen our borders and restart our economy, and hopefully host major international events such as the Shangri-La Dialogue and the World Economic Forum later this year.

Working together has moderated the impact of COVID-19 and strengthened the resolve and cohesiveness of our society, not just in dealing with COVID-19, but for future threats too. This is Total Defence in action – a demonstration of what we can achieve when the pillars of military, civil, economic, social, psychological and digital defence all working in concert.

In Total Defence, there are many everyday heroes and heroines. I have been privileged to meet many of them. One such person is full-time national serviceman (NSF) Lieutenant Karthikasan S/O Natarajan, an Air Warfare Officer from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). During Karthikasan’s full-time National Service (NS), he volunteered to serve at the SAF-led Medical Operations Task Force. He meticulously verified the records of thousands of workers, ensuring that they would be transported, housed and cared for at the right facilities. What struck me about Karthikasan was his strong sense of duty. He extended his National Service commitments for eight months, so that he could continue to contribute to Singapore’s fight against COVID-19 and watch over Singapore’s skies.

Another such person is Military Expert (ME) 4A (NS) Muhammad Nurhafiz Bin Juma’at, a 34-year-old Operationally Ready National Serviceman (NSman) from the Singapore Army’s 8th Combat Support Hospital. Last year, Nurhafiz volunteered to serve as a Nursing Officer at the Singapore Expo Community Care Facility during his In-Camp Training. Nurhafiz took care of the migrant workers, pulling 12-hour shifts to ensure their well-being and facilitated their recovery. He even missed the first week of Hari Raya. Nurhafiz said, and I quote, "The sacrifice was worth it as it was not only for our loved ones and the nation, but also to care for the migrant workers who are in need of our medical care and support during this critical period". Today, Nurhafiz is a senior staff nurse at the Sengkang General Hospital and continues to contribute tirelessly at the frontline.

These contributions, along with so many others, demonstrate how Singaporeans have gone beyond their call of duty to help others during this pandemic. They exemplify the spirit of Total Defence. Every action, no matter how big or small, counts in our fight against COVID-19.

Mr Chairman, even as we focus on recovering and emerging stronger from COVID-19, we must remember the threats facing Singapore are never completely eliminated. We must therefore continue to emphasise Total Defence to prepare Singapore for the threats of today and tomorrow.

Pillar by pillar, we must strengthen each of them so that they are even more ready and resilient. Take, for example, the Military Defence pillar. I echo Senior Minister of State Heng who shared our efforts to transform NS for the Next-Generation SAF.

NS is the foundation of our military defence. As we continue to transform NS, we must continue to strengthen societal, business and family support for military defence and NS. This way, we can continue to motivate our servicemen to do their best as they defend Singapore.

Last year, I was pleased to welcome new members to the Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence or what we know as ACCORD. The new ACCORD is well-placed to provide fresh perspectives that will enhance its work to strengthen societal support for National Service and defence, with members that hail from diverse backgrounds. The Council includes representatives from the banking, logistics, technology and e-commerce fields, such as new member, Mr Quek Siu Rui, CEO of Carousell, on board. ACCORD also welcomes new members from youth-oriented organisations, such as Ms Tan See Leng, Executive Director of Heartware Network and Ms Samantha Ng, National Youth Council INSPIRIT Youth Leader.

Member of Parliament Yeo Wan Ling asked about the focus areas for the new ACCORD term. ACCORD members have identified a few, including stepping up engagement with youth and women on defence and National Service issues, raising public appreciation for NSmen and employer recognition of the skills they gain from National Service.

1.15 pm

To enhance outreach, ACCORD is pushing for more digital engagement channels. MINDEF/SAF has begun working with ACCORD to put these new plans into action, and ACCORD members themselves have led some of these initiatives.

One example of digital engagement was a well-received webinar hosted last year by ACCORD Member and Director of Mums@Work, Mrs Sher-Li Torrey, for mothers with sons entering NS. The mothers gained insights into what their sons can expect from NS and were assured that their sons would be well-taken care of. They also provided useful feedback for us to consider. We will work with ACCORD to organise more of such webinars on a larger scale this year.

For parents whose sons are liable for NS, a visit to the Basic Military Training Centre (BMTC) is important to understand what their children will go through. Due to COVID-19, such visits had to be temporarily discontinued. In its place, from September last year, we piloted virtual visits to the BMTC. More than 180 families got to explore the BMTC via an online video and engage in a virtual dialogue with senior commanders. Many families said that the visit gave them a better understanding of NS training and felt that their sons' safety would be well-looked after. MINDEF will soon expand these virtual BMTC visits to a wider group, including Singaporean families residing overseas.

Besides going digital, we will develop other channels and more creative ways to engage Singaporeans on NS and Total Defence. Here, I am happy to announce that a fully revamped Singapore Discovery Centre (SDC) will be opened at the end of this year. The refreshed SDC will be a one-stop destination for visitors to learn and experience Singapore's history and imagine its future in a fun and immersive way. SDC re-opened partially last October, enabling visitors to experience the augmented reality (AR)-enhanced exhibits in the upper gallery that provide a cinematic journey into Singapore's history. When the renovations are completed, SDC will unveil a refreshed lower gallery on contemporary issues confronting Singapore. The public can look forward to more interactive features that encourage visitors to envision Singapore's future, through group activities, discussions and AR-enhanced exhibits. Visitors will go away with a better appreciation of what we are defending, against potential challenges confronting Singapore.

The SDC will also expand its outreach through new programmes for different groups, such as students, youths, National Servicemen and members of community organisations. A new "Friends of SDC" volunteer group will also be formed to tap on the energies of volunteers. For example, individuals passionate about sharing our Singapore Story can sign-up as volunteer guides for the galleries.

We will continue to strengthen all the pillars of Total Defence through collaboration with our partners. Member of Parliament Patrick Tay had asked about Digital Defence, which was added two years ago. We have been working to strengthen Singapore's defences against cyber and disinformation attacks, which can be particularly damaging to our community, especially in crises like COVID-19. We have collaborated with our partners to develop educational programmes on Digital Defence, to increase Singaporeans' understanding of digital threats and equip them with skills to detect and deal with fake news.

One such example is our collaboration with the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) to introduce the topic of Digital Defence in a module on Digital Transformation. Following a successful pilot with SUSS in 2020, we will work with ACCORD to reach out to other Universities to potentially introduce Digital Defence into relevant course modules.

Another example is our collaboration with SkillsFuture Singapore, National Library Board and the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore to add a Digital Defence component to the SkillsFuture for the Digital Workplace programme. This is currently being offered at 19 institutions, including Polytechnics and Institutes of Technical Education. So, we are, slowly, expanding our reach. Through these programmes, we will continue to encourage actions that Singaporeans can take to be secure and responsible online, and strengthen our defences against online falsehoods that threaten to divide our people.

There have been suggestions to add new Total Defence pillars, such as a biological defence pillar, or a climate defence pillar, as Members of Parliament Mr Seah Kian Peng and Mr Don Wee have suggested. We agree that pandemics and climate change are both serious threats that require concerted responses by the Government, businesses, communities and individuals. We can take efforts on preparedness, actions and resilience in the physical, digital and psychological realms. Be it to address climate change or biological threats, we believe that the existing concept and pillars of Total Defence are relevant and can be put into action.

For now, we will focus on the present six pillars, and incorporate pandemic responses and environmental sustainability themes, where appropriate, within each pillar. What is more important is that we act, and that our actions translate into impact. This is why the Government has been strengthening our infectious disease infrastructure and we have just announced the Singapore Green Plan 2030 that we are all committed to.

On our part, MINDEF is fully committed in supporting these efforts. Earlier, Dr Ng announced our plan to upgrade our facilities within the Defence Science Organisation (DSO) to the highest biosafety level, Biosafety Lab Level 4 (BSL-4), and MINDEF's efforts on environmental sustainability. These are not small. These are major moves that we are making within MINDEF.

Here, I would add that the revamped SDC will have a sustainability theme in its infrastructure and programmes. These include the deployment of over 2,000 solar panels to generate power for about half of SDC's electrical consumption; as well as new education programmes on urban farming and sustainability for the public.

Member of Parliament Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked how MINDEF will support and empower more Singaporeans to play a greater role in Total Defence as we emerge from COVID-19. We will do so by encouraging Singaporeans to be more active in conversations about defence and NS issues. It is for this reason that we launched two series of engagements last year, "Strengthening Commitment to Defence" and "Total Defence for a Future Singapore", in conjunction with the Singapore Together Emerging Stronger Conversations.

In these sessions that I attended, participants shared with me that COVID-19 had reinforced the importance of NS and Total Defence in preparing Singapore for crises. Many of our Youths felt it. They felt the commitment. I am heartened by their valuable suggestions to strengthen the public's commitment to NS and Total Defence. Their opinions demonstrate their determination and their will to shape Singapore’s future and protect its well-being. We will hold more engagements this year to reach out to more people on NS and Total Defence.

Member of Parliament Zhulkarnain asked about how MINDEF would take the outcomes of our public engagements forward. Now, this is an important question, too. We are excited to embark on the suggestions raised. Some will be taken through ACCORD, such as developing fresh content on how our National Servicemen have contributed to the COVID-19 national response. We hope that this showcases the invaluable skills and efforts by our National Servicemen and inspires others who have yet to serve National Service.

We are also exploring forming or tapping on the Singapore Together Alliances for Action (AfAs) that will bring together stakeholders from the Government, businesses and community to follow up on initiatives to strengthen Total Defence and all our support for NS.

Mr Chairman, I would like to end by quoting a thank-you note addressed to all National Servicemen who contributed to our COVID-19 operations. Then a Primary 6 student from Nan Chiau Primary School, Miss Lin Yitong, wrote this note last year, and I quote, "Thank you, Mr Soldier. I appreciate everything you have done for the nation to fight the virus. Thank you for your sacrifices. Let’s all stay strong and fight the virus! You are the best!".

I echo Yitong's words of appreciation, determination and hope. We thank our servicemen and every Singaporean for their contributions in the fight against COVID-19. Your actions have shown that, with everyone doing their part for Total Defence, we will emerge stronger from this crisis of our generation and with greater confidence in our future.

This is why we continue to invest in Total Defence – to best prepare for, respond to and recover from any crisis. We will continue to build Total Defence into every Singaporean's DNA to meet the threats of today and tomorrow. Together, we will keep Singapore strong – for now, and for future generations to come. [Applause]

The Chairman: Clarifications? Mr Alex Yam.

Mr Alex Yam: Thank you, Chairman. Two quick clarifications, a follow up to my first cut. Could I ask if Dr Ng could share more about the state of our bilateral and multilateral security relations with our immediate neighbours and key partners? Are they on an even keel and does MINDEF see any potential downside in security cooperation in the region as the pandemic progresses?

My second clarification is for Senior Minister of State Heng. He mentioned the appointment of safety advocates. Could he share what proportion of units have already appointed them and if there are any significant ideas or improvements that have arisen from their participation?

Dr Ng Eng Hen: Our relations with our friends, partners and surrounding countries are good. If I can mention some signature events, I think the renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding which Prime Minister signed with President Trump then was a significant event because that was a 30-year agreement which now is extended.

Our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Australia is certainly a very powerful instrument to build not only defence ties but ties between countries, and as well as physical assets in Shoalwater Bay and Greenvale, and we are committing resources there.

Our agreements with India in terms of submarine rescue and the Singapore India-Thailand Maritime Exercise, or SITMEX, are emblematic of our trust; our agreements with China and the other Plus partners in the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting, or ADMM.

With our surrounding countries, we have good relations with the Malaysian Armed Forces, as well as the TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces) and we will continue to work with them. But I think all of us are realistic. We do not mean that there are no differences. But from time to time, differences occur, and we will find channels to smooth over them and to continue to build ties. So, I would say that there are no spiky issues that we see on the horizon, but neither should we believe that it is all hunky-dory and, you know, we are all the best of pals. I mean, it is, as I have said, the systemic risks have gone up and, in the contestation, whether it is between the US, China and other aspects, I think we can expect, from time to time, bumpy rides as well as the ability for the SAF to have to respond when we need to.

The Chairman: Mr Gerald Giam. Hang on a second. Mr Heng Chee How.

Mr Heng Chee How: Thank you, Mr Chairman. The hon Member Mr Alex Yam asked about the implementation status for the safety advocates in our services. I am happy to report that, for the Army as well as the Navy, all units already have them; and the RSAF, the Air Force is also making very good efforts in that direction. I think this really goes to illustrate the seriousness with which we take the subject of safety and how we want to be open about it in order that we might be able to prevent accidents even better.

The Chairman: Mr Gerald Giam.

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: Chairman, I thank Senior Minister of State Heng for responding to my cut. Can Senior Minister of State Heng clarify if operationally-ready NSmen who suffer service injuries or accidents will receive the same compensation and insurance coverage as full-time National Serviceman? If not, can MINDEF move towards this framework, given the invaluable contributions of our NSmen to our nation's defence?

1:30 pm

Second, could SMS also share whether there are plans to increase the existing group term insurance coverage? Finally, is there a framework for enhanced payouts for servicemen who are injured or killed in actual operations?

Mr Heng Chee How: Mr Chairman, in response to Mr Gerald Giam's three questions, the first one is whether or not NSmen, should they be injured, whether the treatment with regard to compensation is the same, the answer is yes. On his question whether or not the group term insurance payout amounts can be raised, I would like to inform him that MINDEF and SAF do review the quantum of coverage periodically, and we will take into account all relevant factors as we conduct these reviews. If I may request him to remind me of the third question that he had?

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: Sure. Is there a framework for enhanced coverage for servicemen who are killed or injured in action?

Mr Heng Chee How: Thank you. Mr Chairman, the compensation framework relates to injuries suffered by servicemen in the course of their duty, in the course of training, in the course of service-related activities and, therefore, it would also cover actual operations.

The Chairman: Mr Alex Yam, would you like to withdraw your amendment?

Mr Alex Yam: Chairman, my thanks to fellow Members for the 41 cuts across a multitude of topics on our security and defence. A very big thank-you to Dr Ng Eng Hen, our two Senior Ministers of State, for their considered response and affirmation of our commitment towards safeguarding our sovereignty. With that, Mr Chairman, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The sum of $14,814,265,200 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates.

The sum of $907,700,000 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates.