The Future of National Service

ADJOURNMENT MOTION

The Leader of the House (Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That Parliament do now adjourn."

Question proposed.

The Future of National Service

6.00 pm

Mr Vikram Nair (Sembawang): Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. Fourth time lucky for me on this Motion.

This year, we commemorated 50 years of National Service (NS). And much like the turbulent circumstances of our Independence, National Service was something that we had to embark upon out of necessity.

At the time of separation, Singapore was faced with a host of threats, including the Konfrontasi with Indonesia, insurgency from the Malayan Communist Party and communal violence. The British forces remained to provide security but, in 1967, barely three years after Independence, the British forces also announced their withdrawal.

The Enlistment Act was passed in 1967, at a time when it was clear that Singapore had a very small window of time to build up its own defence forces. At this time, Singapore had very little in way of financial resources and a booming population following the post-war Baby Boom.

It has been 50 years since the Enlistment Act was passed and there have been many changes in Singapore. Our security threats and our approach to NS have evolved with us. In 2013, the Committee to Strengthen NS (CSNS) started an extensive consultation process with a Steering Committee led by Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen and two Working Groups focusing on Support for NS and Recognition and Benefits of NS.

The focus of this committee was to ensure that support for NS remains strong in the population and that NSmen, employers and family members all have a shared sense of duty for their part in this process. The CSNS committee came up with detailed recommendations which have been swiftly implemented and NSmen have felt the impact. The focus of this committee was to improve the lives of NSmen and to make compliance with NS obligations easier for all stakeholders, without compromising training needs – a difficult balance, indeed, that has required thoughtful, well-calibrated policies.

The NS50 events from July to September were particularly moving, with the theme "From my generation to yours", bringing together earlier and current generations of NSmen. Prime Minister Lee himself made a moving speech at the final event last week, sharing his own experiences in the army and ending with the importance of passing the NS torch from his generation to the subsequent ones.

NS is an important rite of passage for us, and I am heartened that many understand and appreciate its importance. My main interest in this Motion is to understand how NS will fit into the future roles the military will be required to perform and the constraints we face.

Traditionally, NS has largely involved starting in the military and with the majority of the cohort going through a Basic Military Training (BMT) that is modelled on infantry training. This shared experience is an important part of the bonding that NSmen feel intuitively when they meet one another. We all have the same experience going through BMT, dealing with NS sergeants and the same thing that we laugh about when we watch "Ah Boys to Men".

Yet, is this largely infantry-based training model appropriate for NS in the coming years, particularly with the changing nature of warfare and the security threats we face?

First, military technology improves at a tremendous pace. New inventions can render previous methods of warfare otiose. One vivid example is the use of drones in warfare.

A BBC story on a United States (US) drone pilot was eye opening. The drone pilot, for example, could have breakfast at home, send his daughter to school, then go to a drone control centre a short drive from home and pilot a drone based thousands of miles away in the Middle East. It will be office hours for him but night time in the country of operations. The precision of such technology allows the pilot to see the targets clearly at night, attack with precision and take photographs after the damage has been inflicted. After a day of fighting, which could still be office hours for the drone pilot, he could go back home at night and have dinner with his family. It sounds like a very simple life. Yet, even drone-fighter pilots go through a very high incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder. So, they, too, seem to face the psychological stresses that other combatants face.

Aerial drone warfare is just one component of increasingly automated forms of warfare, although it is probably the one that captures the imagination most readily. At the recent NS PRIDE Day awards, I was quite happy to see that even our own NSmen have found numerous uses of drone technology and I assume that because this is NS PRIDE Day awards, it is in the public domain. For example, drones are used in naval operations. They are used for surveillance and intelligence gathering. In the army, they can also be used for reconnaissance operations and security patrolling. All of these things used to be done by infantrymen who had to face the danger of enemy fire.

However, would this rapid use of technology make it, first of all, difficult for NSmen to catch up? Secondly, how relevant would it make a largely infantry-based army if every few years the technology that these infantrymen have to deal with changes at a very rapid pace?

Will our NSmen be able to keep up with this increasingly advanced form of warfare? And how will dealing with automated warfare be built into the drills that our NSmen go through, perhaps either in lieu of or maybe in addition to the old field crafts we learnt?

The second type of threats we have to prepare for is on the other end of the technology spectrum. These are the threats posed by terror. The difference between terror and conventional warfare is that conventional warfare, of course, if you comply with the rules of war, is a military-and-military exercise. Civilian populations are not, at least in theory, meant to be targeted.

On the other hand, terrorists have complete disregard for this principle. Their primary aim is to attack civilian populations to cause as much damage as possible. They target highly populated areas, areas like train stations, airports, hotels and even gatherings. They do not require very sophisticated technology. Basic weapons − guns, makeshift bombs or sometimes even vehicles − can be used to carry out terror attacks. In this respect, these threats are much more difficult to identify and prepare for. Yet, as these threats become a much larger face of the type of threats we face, would we see a larger role for NSmen in dealing with this new type of threat?

The final aspect that I have to deal with is how we deal with the limitations and constraints. This is a constant theme that the Ministry has dealt with over the years. In the early days of NS, we had a population boom with high unemployment. So, pulling people into NS did not have as big an economic impact. Nowadays, there are strict limits being imposed. Cohort sizes are falling. So, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) will have to be able to make do with a much smaller population. At the same time, MINDEF's available training spaces are also getting reduced due to competing needs for land in land-scarce Singapore.

I have been quite impressed by MINDEF's efforts at working around these constraints. Personally, I have experienced it myself. As an infantryman, I did my basic training. I learnt, well, the old M16 rifle, and I barely passed my shooting test. I have shared in this House how the SAR-21 doubled my productivity. I managed to get a Marksman the first time I tried. The range I used was also a multi-storey rifle range. So, that meant it could have many more times the number of people doing the training. So, this seems to be MINDEF's way of adapting. It used better technology to get the same outcomes by using less land and less resources.

While these are admirable adaptions which, basically, are the classic productivity improvements where you are getting more out of less, will we be able to achieve better outcomes by changing the game altogether? For example, if we are looking at the face of warfare where you do not need very large amounts of manpower to fight wars or to man aircraft, do we need different forms of training altogether which would significantly change the type of training areas we need and the type of people we need to have trained?

In this Motion, I was hoping to raise raw themes to give the Ministry a platform to, basically, share the vision of NS perhaps for the next 50 years, even as we move forward to the first 50 with strong support from our population.

Mr Deputy Speaker: As the Member has not used his full 20 minutes, I will allow one more speaker. Ms Joan Pereira.

6.08 pm

Ms Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar): Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I am speaking in my capacity as a Member of the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Defence and from the perspective of a mother, daughter, wife and maybe future mother-in-law.

This is a special year as we mark 50 years of NS. I would like to put on record my express gratitude to our NSmen and state my appreciation for the sacrifices of their families which have kept Singapore safe. Tributes have come from many sectors and I think it is important for us here in Parliament to dedicate a few moments to pay a special tribute to all our NSmen, past and present, for their sacrifices to protect our only home. Changi Airport has joined in the NS50 tributes, too, with a 5.5-metre NS statue at Terminal 3. This life-sized infantry soldier stands proudly against the Singapore flag and had been inspired by the NS Landmark at the BMT Centre in Pulau Tekong.

We live in challenging times and have to be constantly on our guard to defend Singapore against potential external threats and terrorists. Pick up any newspaper now on any given day and you will see the escalating terrorist threats faced by cities all over the world. More than ever, we need our NSmen to be well-trained and on the alert to ensure our security and survival.

NS has evolved tremendously over the last few decades and has become the pride of Singapore. NS is also an important rite of passage and integral part of Singapore life. It is heartening for me to hear from so many parents their support for NS and how proud they are of their family members who have learnt and benefited from the discipline and rigour of NS training. They marvel at how their sons mature and become so fit during NS. Their increased confidence, mental and physical toughness bode very well for our future.

Going forward, NS will evolve even further due to technological advances. Information technology (IT) and artificial intelligence (AI) will change how NS will be managed. Intelligent warfare will require new skillsets. We must prepare to keep up with these advancements.

The report by CSNS has many recommendations for the future of NS. I am delighted to support more recognition and benefits for NSmen, particularly life and personal accident insurance coverage for our servicemen. It is important to ensure the highest level of safety even as they undergo realistic training. However, insurance is necessary so that in the event of incidents, families need not go to Court to claim, which will help to reduce hardship and additional emotional trauma.

I would like to take this opportunity to urge MINDEF to continue to put in more effort and checks to step up safety during training. Every injury and life lost is one less fighting force for Singapore. With such a small fighting force due to our small population and low fertility rates, we cannot afford to be careless or suffer from any oversight. Utmost care must be exercised at every level even as we strive for realistic training. Our men and their families must have peace of mind so that they can put their best into their training. There should be multiple channels for feedback from our NSmen to report on blind spots, negligence and abuses, as well as ideas and suggestions for improvement and greater efficiency.

Another excellent recommendation is the establishment of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Volunteer Corps which proposes to include women, first generation Permanent Residents (PRs) and new citizens. In fact, recently, I have received feedback from our younger generation about including women in NS, albeit in different roles.

A few girls even expressed that women could contribute more significantly to NS, whether in similar combat roles, logistics, resource management, administrative support, IT, medical, amongst others. I am heartened by the enthusiasm of our young women and impressed by their awareness of the various scopes of different roles necessary for the defence of our country. Let us continue to explore how women can contribute even more to increase their roles in Singapore’s defence.

The report also suggested that MINDEF and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) work together to help our NSmen keep fit and ready for their Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT). This also ties in with our national effort to boost the health and fitness of all Singaporeans. As a community, we should support our NSmen in this endeavour, and let us all keep fit together, young and old, children and the elderly. An active, healthy and fit community is also an important component of national defence.

Let us reaffirm our commitment to our national defence and pledge our full support for our NSmen to work together for Singapore's defence and security. We may be a small nation but we are a force to be reckoned with. We will not back down from intimidation or threats and we can give as good as it gets. Our will and determination to protect our home will be the most powerful shield against any threat. Every single one of us – men, women and children – will stand our ground and fight to the last to defend Singapore, our home.

Mr Deputy Speaker: Would the Senior Minister of State like to respond?

6.14 pm

The Senior Minister of State for Defence (Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman): Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank Mr Vikram Nair and Ms Joan Pereira for their speeches and strong support for NS. Since Independence, this Government has been consistent and unwavering in its commitment towards strong defence and security that can only be possible with NS, due to our limited manpower.

National conscription is a difficult policy for any country to introduce and just as challenging to maintain. Fifty years ago, with our nation’s very survival at stake, with Independence thrust upon her precipitously and without any military to protect her sovereignty, the government of the day took that onerous but courageous step to introduce NS.

Dr Goh Keng Swee moved the NS (Amendment) Bill, which this House passed on 14 March 1967. With that, NS began with the first batch of 9,000 NSmen enlisted in 1967. Then, Singapore was poor and undeveloped, and there was no certainty that we could even succeed as a nation or build a credible military to protect our borders and interests. After 50 years, and a million NSmen who have performed this sacred duty honourably and faithfully, including many NSmen Members of Parliament here, we can take pride that together, we have built up a strong SAF and Home Team, respected and able to protect Singapore.

Why did our founding leaders begin NS then, even though it was politically challenging and unpopular in a Singapore that was impoverished and beset with so many other economic and social problems? As our founding Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew revealed in 2012, and I quote, "From the day we started, I knew that we needed a strong SAF, and I believe that remains today. Without a strong SAF, there is no economic future, there is no security." This truism remains.

Today, the external threats may have changed in nature, but are no less threatening, either to the safety of our citizens or the sovereignty of our nation. Yes, today, this House sits in a very different Singapore. Certainly, we are more prosperous and stable with the SAF and the Home Team keeping Singapore safe daily. The Police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) work hard to maintain law and order, responding to all types of emergencies, and are prepared to deal with any threat. Our crime rates are low and, while the terrorist threat is a grave one, our security forces are vigilant and prepared to deal with an attack when it comes. NS receives very strong support from all Members of this House, from employers and citizens. In our polls, more than 90% of citizens support NS and our national defence policies.

I am deeply gratified, but MINDEF and SAF will never take that support for granted. Neither will it lull us into a complacency to let down our guard to protect this nation. Indeed, that strong support from this House and the public spurs us to further strengthen SAF, to modernise its processes, ensure greater accountability of the resources given to it and engage its soldiers better. Our NSmen form the bedrock of our defence and security. We will continue to improve NS, help our NSmen perform their duties more effectively and recognise their contributions. Today, pre-enlistees from the Home Team and SAF can indicate their vocational interest for NS. We have also reduced the waiting time for enlistment and introduced life and personal accident insurance coverage for all NSmen.

We agree with Ms Joan Pereira that we must do everything possible to prevent loss of life or bodily harm to our soldiers. We owe this to the young men who give of their best serving the nation, and to their parents who entrust their sons to us. SAF will continue to regularly review and strengthen its safety systems, with regular inspections and external professional advice.

We fully agree with Mr Vikram Nair and Ms Joan Pereira, too, that the Next Generation NSmen must adapt their roles and responsibilities to a changing security environment. Much of that is happening already. Today, NSmen are already trained to operate our new air defence weapons, unmanned aerial vehicles and use data analytic tools for maritime threats. NSmen will be part of the 2,600-strong Cyber Defence Force over the next 10 years. Every year, the Island Defence Training Institute will train more than 18,000 NSmen annually for homeland security operations.

We agree with Mr Vikram Nair that NS roles will be further optimised through the use of technology. Going forward, more NSmen will operate unmanned platforms, use AI, data analytics and robotics to act as force multipliers. For example, SAF is developing an Unmanned Ground Vehicle armed with a suite of sensors which enable our forces to respond to security threats quickly and effectively.

Even as we expand and strengthen NSmen’s capabilities to defend our home against changing threats, societal support remains the strongest form of motivation to our NSmen. This year, we are heartened that different sectors of the community have come forward to commemorate NS50 together, including Members of Parliament here who hosted appreciation ceremonies in their constituencies for father and son NSmen. Hundreds more employers reaffirmed their commitment to the defence of Singapore at combined rededication ceremonies in July this year. More than 500 businesses and organisations have introduced initiatives to commemorate NS50, including offering discounts and privileges for NSmen to enjoy with their families.

But most encouraging is the groundswell of spontaneous individual stories on social media from tens of thousands of NSmen and members of the community. It is these precious and individual NS stories that make NS today part and parcel of being Singaporean in every family and uniquely Singapore. It is for these reasons and as a tribute to our NSmen, past and present, that the Prime Minister has announced that the Float@Marina Bay will be redeveloped into a permanent space and renamed the NS Square. Its permanence and prominence will reflect the central role that NS plays in keeping Singapore strong and secure.

In this NS50 year, we can be proud of what we have achieved together. If we can maintain this unwavering and strong support for NS from one generation to the next, then we can look forward to Singapore's future with optimism and assurance.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn."

Adjourned accordingly at 6.25 pm.