On 1 October 2017, Second Minister for Defence Mr Ong Ye Kung will assume chairmanship of the Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence (ACCORD). Mr Ong takes over from Senior Minister of State for Defence Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, who has been the chairman since October 2015.
 
During his tenure as chairman of ACCORD, Dr Maliki oversaw the implementation of all 18 proposals that had been submitted to MINDEF in February 2015 to boost support and recognition for National Service (NS). The proposals have made an impact. ACCORD now has stronger ties and wider reach with trade associations and companies, and has also been able to reach out to more women through its links to women organisations, to help them better understand NS and defence. Ground-up initiatives to commemorate NS50, such as the "Dads for Life" Camp at the Army Open House 2017 and "Celebrating NS50" picnic were also well received by families and the community. 
 
Commenting on the change, Dr Maliki said, "National Service requires the strong support of the community. I am confident that under Mr Ong's leadership, ACCORD will continue to play an active role in raising public understanding, and deepening the support for NS and Total Defence."
 
On his new role, Mr Ong said, "We all need to stand ready and be prepared at all times to protect our country. In this regard, ACCORD plays an important role. As ACCORD is an action-oriented platform, we hope to further reach out to employers, schools and the community. We want to build upon the different ways society can contribute to support National Service and Total Defence. I am excited to work with the ACCORD members -- to hear from them as well as to receive feedback from the ground. We want to develop more initiatives to build a deeper sense of commitment for our nation's defence."