Speeches
SAF Day 2024 Message by Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen, for the Combined Rededication Ceremony (East Zone) On 1 Jul 2024, 0930hrs at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre
1 July 2024
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Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) President Mr Lennon Tan,
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Thank you to the Singapore Manufacturing Federation for organising today's SAF Day rededication ceremony.
In February this year, I attended the Munich Security Conference (MSC). Many heads and Ministers of Government from Europe were there to discuss their security, just like the Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) in Asia. Many fora and sessions, but for the MSC this year, there was one question which was repeatedly asked across all sessions. EU countries, collectively and individually asked: "are we ready for an invasion?"
Even five years ago, if someone had predicted that the mood in Europe would be what it is today, no one would have believed it. You would have been accused of scaremongering or being delusional. Coming out of the Cold War in the 1990s, Europe was still enjoying the "peace dividends". So much so, that very few EU countries were investing adequately in defence. In fact, some countries like Latvia and Lithuania, border states with Russia, did away with their NS after joining NATO. Other countries like Germany were well under way to integrate their economies with Russia, which supplied more than 30% of its energy supplies.
All these hopes and dreams of peace were shattered on 24 February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine. The war there is now into its third year with no quick end in sight. Putin has warned that Russia can retaliate against countries that are assisting Ukraine. So instead of peace for the EU, they are asking themselves whether they are prepared for an invasion. And for many of them that have not invested into their own defence, they know they are not. Several countries, such as Sweden, have reintroduced conscription. Germany and the UK are seriously considering reintroducing national service. But we know from our own experience with NS, they will face many challenges ahead.
PM Albanese said in SLD last year, that "peace is not a gift, and it is never a given". He is absolutely right. For all countries, there is a price for peace. It is bought with our sweat and tears by building a strong defence during peacetime. Peace would be bought with our blood, if ever we have to fight against an aggressor.
For Singapore, we have invested steadily over the last 59 years since the SAF was formed. We are thankful that every year the Government commits itself substantially to defence spending. Yes, every dollar spent on defence could have been used for other purposes – health, education, welfare – there is no shortage of needs. But as the countries in Europe and elsewhere have discovered, it is not one or the other. You have to do both. Because as Mr Lee Kuan Yew reminded us – without security, there can be no progress.
Today, because of these steady investments and the strong commitment of more than 1 million NS men, we have a strong, modern, well equipped, quad-service SAF, able to prosecute missions across air, land, sea and the digital domains.
We have invested heavily to build state of art training facilities both locally and overseas so that our NS soldiers can have realistic exercises and be ready and confident for battle when called. When you next train in SAFTI City, there will be battlefield effects – sound and visual - and be forewarned, smart robotic targets can shoot back. Around 9,000 personnel will be able to train in Shoalwater Bay Training Area later this year, up from 6,000. This number will go up to 14,000 by 2028. The DIS will also complete its digital range in 2026 and train our soldiers to fight in the digital domain.
We can be proud of the SAF, of what it has become, of what it will be in the future and what it has accomplished. We are doing our part for the nation in peace time – whether to deal with pandemics, or as we did recently, to provide humanitarian aid through airdrops to affected civilians in Gaza.
As long as our soldiers remain committed and train hard, never taking our peace for granted, then the SAF will remain strong and capable of defending Singapore's sovereignty and way of life. In this mission, all Singaporeans stand solidly behind us in total defence.
Over 800 organisations participated in the inaugural Exercise SG Ready in February this year to commemorate 40 years of Total Defence, and many felt that such exercises should be a regular feature. ACCORD and employers and organisations at large have never wavered in their support of the SAF. We know that the World around us has become more dangerous. But because of the steady commitment of the Government and all Singaporeans to the defence of Singapore, we are strongly united in our defence.
The SAF is strong, ready and capable to defend Singapore. On this SAF Day, let us all renew that commitment to protect our families and friends on our precious island home.
Majulah Singapura, and Happy SAF Day.
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