Liability and Contributions of New Citizens to National Service

Mdm Deputy Speaker: Minister for Defence.

3.00 pm

The Minister for Defence (Dr Ng Eng Hen): Thank you, Mdm Deputy Speaker. Madam, during the Parliament Sitting on 5 July this year, Mr Leong Mun Wai asserted that "citizens by registration are...not doing NS". He said this in his supplementary question after my reply on sporting privileges for National Servicemen.

Mr Leong's assertion is inaccurate and misleading.

Since 2000, on average, 3,400 new citizens are registered each year, who have been or will be enlisted like all male Singaporeans to serve their NS duties.

MINDEF had provided all relevant facts of NS liabilities for new citizens in a written answer to his Parliamentary Question that he had filed for that same Sitting in July. I quote in full MINDEF's reply: "Under the Enlistment Act, all male Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents between the ages of 18 and 40 for non-officers and 50 for officers are liable to serve National Service (NS). However, males who receive citizenship as mature adults, typically in their 30s and 40s, are not enlisted as they are not suitable for full-time NS at that age and did not enjoy any benefits prior to their citizenship.

New male citizens who stayed in Singapore when young and enjoyed economic and social benefits are enlisted when they reach 18 years of age or older. They number on average 3,400 each year, which constitute about half of all new male citizens registered each year."

In fact, we had prepared this same reply in May, because Mr Leong had filed a similar question then, but which he withdrew when there was no Sitting that month.

Even before the July Sitting, Mr Leong had been repeating these misleading statements in two Facebook posts: one in late May and another on 1 July. In late May, I quote: "Is it fair for foreigners to be given citizenship without doing NS while our locally-born Singaporeans have to serve NS despite having valid reasons to defer?" For his Facebook post in July, I quote: "Is it fair that we forfeit our local talents their chances of developing their talents while many new male citizens do not need to do NS?"

Let there be no doubt that for every young male citizen, whether by birth, registration or descent, the NS liabilities are the same. We do not differentiate. They will be enlisted for NS at 18 years or older to perform full-time NS, and thereafter must fulfil their Operationally Ready NS (ORNS) duties. That is universal and equitable.

But if a foreigner comes to Singapore and becomes a citizen as a mature adult, typically in his 30s or 40s, we exempt him from NS because he did not enjoy any socioeconomic benefits like young Singaporeans and also because he would be too old to enlist for full time NS.

On a topic as important as NS, Mr Leong should have waited for MINDEF's reply or sought the full facts. This policy is not new; in fact, it dates back at least to the early 1980s. We had to go some way back to find out when the policy started. But it is, at least, more than 40 years. It is in our Parliamentary records as Ministers and Members of Parliament have spoken on this policy previously.

For example, back in 2007, then-Minister of State for Defence Assoc Prof Koo Tsai Kee had already made clear that: "Each year, we have a number of new citizens in full-time NS. They are born foreign nationals, they took up permanent residency, but have since been naturalised as Singapore Citizens. Like those who are born Singaporeans, they are enlisted for full-time NS upon reaching enlistment age and contribute to Operationally Ready NS thereafter."

It is also easy to get the relevant information on the Internet. And you can try it even now. If you key in in your search engine: "NS, new citizens, Singapore", it pops up. Many fora make it known that new young male citizens must do NS and that those who become citizens as mature adults are exempted. So, this policy is well publicised on the Internet too.

This long-standing policy has served our defence needs. Over the years, Permanent Residents (PRs) and young male new citizens have formed an increasing proportion of NS enlistees. In the early 2000s, they were about 5% of all full-time national servicemen (NSFs) enlisted each year. In other words, PRs and young male new citizens formed 5% in the early 2000s. Today, they form about 20% of all NSFs enlisted. Of the 20%, slightly more than half are citizens by registration, with the remaining as PRs.

So, what Mr Leong asserts is not true. Many new citizens are enlisted for NS every year. New citizens and PRs are contributing to our national defence. And without that extra inject of new citizens and PRs, our smaller birth cohorts would have impacted SAF's manpower needs more acutely.

I have decided that it is important to correct the misleading statements put out by Mr Leong, because they strike at the foundations of equity and universality that underpin National Service in Singapore. Just think about it – if pre-enlistees are misled into thinking that new citizens of their age are exempted, where will they have the heart to serve NS? The correct facts must be put out to reassure the National Servicemen in the SAF and Home Team.

National Service is the bedrock of the SAF and our national defence. Members of Parliament have the duty to ask questions and debate policies, including NS policies, in this House. But they should not make misleading statements that can weaken NS, the SAF and Home Team.

Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Leong, before you ask your clarifications, can I just remind you that it is for clarifications, no speeches, please. Clarifications on Minister's Statement.

3.07 pm

Mr Leong Mun Wai (Non-Constituency Member): Mdm Deputy Speaker, first of all, I must register my objection. The Minister has spent the last 15 to 20 minutes talking about what I have written, what I have said, and has pointed some accusations at me. So, I think I am entitled to a full speech.

Mdm Deputy Speaker: You can register your objection but no speeches, as per Standing Order No 23.

Mr Leong Mun Wai: Okay, anyway, I accept that. First of all, I thank the Minister for responding today to my recent Parliamentary Questions and also for pointing out some of the views I have expressed. I think this really is good because it makes a robust response and debate in this House. My Parliamentary Questions are actually prompted by the Ukraine war and the passionate speech made by the Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan —

Dr Ng Eng Hen: Mdm Deputy Speaker, what is the clarification?

Mdm Deputy Speaker: Yes, I am getting to that. Mr Leong, just ask your clarifications, please.

Mr Leong Mun Wai: Okay. In that case, I would like to ask the fundamental question. The fundamental question is, yes, the Minister has provided data on some of the PRs and the new citizens who have contributed to our National Service in recent years. However, I think there are still a significant number of new citizens who did not —

Mdm Deputy Speaker: Ask your question, please.

Mr Leong Mun Wai: Yes. Who did not perform NS. So, just based on some of the Parliamentary Questions I have filed recently, I make an estimate that over the last 21 years —

Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Leong, I am going to ask you to please ask your questions and not make statements. Please. Otherwise, I would have to ask you to —

Mr Leong Mun Wai: Okay, then I ask the Minister: what is the number of new citizens who did not do NS? You still have to give me that number. It does not mean that 10% of our annual enlistment now consists of new citizens, then all the new citizens have performed NS, right?

Mdm Deputy Speaker: Minister.

Dr Ng Eng Hen: Mdm Deputy Speaker, it is not in the interest of this House to further debate based on misleading statements and inaccurate statements. We have a full display of Mr Leong's modus operandi. He says I spent 15 minutes. We started at 3.00 pm and even with this speech, it is now 3.11 pm.

He says I did not give him the facts. I gave him all of the full facts. I said they form 20% of full-time NS enlistees, of which more than half are male new citizens while the rest are PRs. The facts speak for themselves.

In fact, when I replied to his question in this Parliamentary Question – why for sportsmen, we have to be very selective in their deferment – my principal argument was equity and universality. He ignored all of it and he jumped in, and now, he says, "Well, I wasn't really referring to the young ones. I was just referring to others who were exempted."

But he did not give the facts. He has not denied that he knew all the facts.

These are all the characteristics of misinformants. They give you half-truths, misleading statements.

Mdm Deputy Speaker, I think in the interest of today's agenda, I propose that we continue. I have stated my views. He has not defended whether he knew, or he spoke out differently. He has just said, well, he has got other questions.

Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Leong, I am going to allow you just one last clarification so that we can move on.

Mr Leong Mun Wai: Yes, Mdm Deputy Speaker, I think the Minister opened up the debate. And now, he is running away from the debate. So, I will ask one more question. He told me, through my Parliamentary Question last month and he said again just now, that there were 3,400 new citizens and PRs who enlisted every year, on the average.

So, if he says 10% of that is new citizens, that would be 1,700. I got a number here just provided by MHA —

Dr Ng Eng Hen: Mdm Deputy Speaker, I had better give all the facts again because he has again twisted the facts.

Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Leong, since you have asked for the facts, let the Minister repeat it first, and then, you can clarify.

Mr Leong Mun Wai: Yes, yes. Of course.

Dr Ng Eng Hen: I will repeat what we have given him, the reply to him and the exact information he has asked.

Mdm Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Minister. Mr Leong, you can take a seat for now. The Minister will go through the facts.

Dr Ng Eng Hen: The information is both in the written reply and today's session. Since 2000, on average, 3,400 new citizens are registered each year, who have been or will be enlisted like all male Singaporeans to serve their NS duties. I further added today that new citizens and PRs form about 20% of all NSmen enlisted.

Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Leong, the Minister has given the facts. I think we can move on now.

Mr Leong Mun Wai: No, Mdm Deputy Speaker, no.

Mdm Deputy Speaker: What is your clarification, then?

Mr Leong Mun Wai: My clarification is: what is the number of new citizens who have not performed NS? The number the Minister has given only forms a subset of the new citizens. It does not form the whole new citizens' number.

Mdm Deputy Speaker: Okay, Mr Leong, you have asked your clarification. Minister, would you like to reply to that?

Dr Ng Eng Hen: Madam, his question has been replied to.

Mdm Deputy Speaker: Mr Leong, I am going to advise you. Minister has given you the numbers. He has repeated it several times in his speech. I would ask you to look at that again. If you still have further clarifications, then I would advise you to file a Parliamentary Question for the next Sitting. Thank you.

Mr Leong Mun Wai: Mdm Deputy Speaker, for the sake of time and for the sake of the proceedings, I accept that, but I must really say that the debate is not complete again. I have an estimate, but I am waiting for the Minister to give me more numbers. But anyway, I accept that and I will file a Parliamentary Question.

3.15 pm

Mdm Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Mr Leong. Order. End of Ministerial Statement. Introduction of Government Bills.