Oral Reply by Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen to Parliamentary Questions on Athletes and NS Deferment Delivered

Mr Seah Kian Peng: To ask the Minister for Defence (a) whether the Ministry intends to hold a national dialogue on expectations of national athletes serving their National Service (NS); and (b) whether there will be a review of the policy regarding such athletes and their NS obligations.

Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Defence (a) whether the Government will relax the eligibility criteria for NS deferment for young male Singaporeans who have the potential to accomplish significant successes in the sports and arts fields; and (b) whether the Government will consider deferring NS for young male Singaporeans who have the potential to accomplish significant successes in fields other than sports and arts.

Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen:

This year we commemorate 55 years of National Service (NS). Singapore remains one of the few countries where NS enjoys high levels of public support – how high, you might ask. Every year, we take polls, similar to questions asked by the other government agencies. And in 2021, 96% of Singaporeans polled affirmed that NS is critical for the defence and security of our country. Now let me tell you, 96% even for our country is highly unusual. Very few questions you can get above 85, let alone 90 or 95%. Today, more than one million have served NS, and each year, every young male citizen and Permanent Resident (PR) puts his personal commitment into action by enlisting into the SAF or Home Team for full-time NS.

We had this strong support for NS for many years now. And I want to make clear to members of this house that this strong support that Singapore enjoys is an exception, not the norm, compared to other countries with military conscription. If you study the landscape of countries that have mandatory NS, compared to when we first started it 50 odd years ago, the list of countries has shrunk significantly. I have spoken to this house about Baltic States who gave up NS only to wish today that they did not. Not only in terms of just countries that have managed to keep the NS, but many counties were forced to cut their NS commitments for a variety of negative reasons. So, it will be a serious mistake if we take that affirmation we receive today from Singaporeans for NS for granted, or think it came about by happenstance. On the contrary, this strong support – why is it that we have been able to keep such high levels of national support? There is one key reason. We have held unequivocally the fundamental principles of universality and equity for NS.

What does it mean? At its core, it means that all male Singaporeans and PRs who are fit and liable to serve are conscripted for full-time NS, as required by the Enlistment Act and not at a time of their choosing. Further, during that two years that they serve NS, all personal goals are put aside and placed subservient to the higher duty to defend Singapore. It is a national commitment of the highest order, and one that we all take very seriously. So much so, that for defaulters who reneged on that liability, our Courts have sentenced them to jail. Let me quote from a 2017 High Court Judgment,

"in order to ensure Singapore's national security, every male Singaporean must serve NS and at the time he is required to under the [Enlistment] Act, without regard to his personal convenience and considerations. When a person refuses to serve NS at the time that he is required to and instead returns to serve at a time of his own choosing, or worse, at an age when he can no longer serve, his actions strike at the very core of the principles of national security, universality and equity."¹

These are strong words that underpin this collective and deep commitment to uphold NS, with just as strong a punishment for defaulters who are sentenced to jail for choosing to do NS when and how they like.

Juxtapose that, with those who ask for deferment or disruption - to come at a time of their choosing and to pursue their personal goals if they have sporting and arts talent. How do we rationalise this disparity? We can only understand it because we apply very strict enforcement, to those who must enlist for NS; and on the other hand, we provide deferments and disruptions for any reason sparingly, justify it adequately and implement it openly. Otherwise, the system fails. If you are so harsh as the main core of your policy, then you have to be very careful that your disruptions and deferments are sparing, justified openly and adequately. Therefore, each appeal for deferment and disruption from sports and arts talent must pass a very high bar. Each request is assessed on its own merit, in consultation with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), taking into consideration the applicant's past achievements, and potential to excel in international competitions and bring national glory. We allow deferments and disruptions for arts and sports talent when there is a higher goal of national glory. But it must be maintained that these deferments and disruptions are not licence to do away with your NS obligations.

So, even when granted, we have to ensure that the applicant's NS duties are still taken seriously and that he must be trained to be competent in his assigned vocation. This will include periods like BMT, Specialist and Commanders' courses, and his unit's key operations, which the applicant must fulfil as part of NS duties, even if he is granted deferment or disruption.

Now, even with these strict criteria, I must inform the house that not all Singaporeans support deferment or disruption for sports. I quote a letter published in the Straits Times in May this year,

"Let us not set a precedent by letting individuals call for a dialogue for the benefit of a privileged few. Medals can bring glory to Singapore but it is more important to have people with commitment serve NS for Singapore's peace and security. All Singaporean sportsmen should know that if there is no Singapore, there is no sport to talk about."²

I leave you to decide whether you agree with the views. I am quoting to tell you that there are Singaporeans, even despite the strict application of deferments and disruptions, do not agree. MINDEF also received some letters from Singaporeans questioning the fairness, when deferred sportsmen receive financial rewards through endorsements while others had to serve their NS as required. They asked if this was compatible with the assurance given, that deferments or disruptions should not be for personal gain, but national glory.

I cite these criticisms, to show that even when sparingly applied, deferments and disruptions can have a pernicious effect, to cause invidious comparisons that some are given preferential treatment and are not performing their NS duties. MINDEF re-iterates that all NS men must perform their duties, and that short-term disruptions or leave for sportsmen to train for and compete in international competitions are only allowed outside critical NS periods. And those who have benefitted from these provisions in the most recent SEA Games include paddler CPL(NS) Koen Pang, hurdler CPT(Dr) Ang Chen Xiang, and triathlete OCT Luke Chua.

Long-term deferments from full-time NS, such as those mentioned by members, are exceptional - only for those who have the potential to win medals at top-tier international competitions like the Olympic Games. And on this basis, swimmers Joseph Schooling and Quah Zheng Wen were granted 7 years and 6 years deferment respectively, for the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games.

From time to time, MINDEF convenes review committees to address these and other NS issues as top-down initiatives. And you remember that the last NS Review Committee, was just held and completed from 2020 to 2022. And I have reported on the recommendations of that review and the implementation to this House. But there is also space for ground-up dialogues. When the next review of NS policies is convened, MINDEF will incorporate views across the spectrum of supporters and detractors of deferments and disruptions for sports and arts talent.

After 55 years, I think we do have strong agreement on the common principles of NS. Which is – everyone, regardless of talent or status, must fulfil their NS obligations as a first priority, and all personal pursuits must be secondary to this during their full-time NS. And based on this understanding, for sporting talent who bring national glory to Singapore, we can, and have, allowed limited deferments and disruptions, but without compromising their NS obligations.

I am proud that our national athletes understand and accept this duty of NS. None of them have asked to be exempted from NS duties, including those who trained hard and participated in recent regional and international events. They understand that everyone must fulfil their NS duties, even if you are a sporting or art talent.

I also know that our national sportsmen want to do well in both – fulfil their NS duties and also win medals for Singapore. At least some of them. Some have achieved it, but it is not easy to attain and we must not set unrealistic expectations on all of them. However, for those who want to pursue both goals, MINDEF is prepared to allow more to disrupt, to train and compete in international competitions during their full-time NS. This is on the understanding that they fulfil the full period required after their disruption, and also perform their NS duties satisfactorily while in NS.

Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker.

¹ Public Prosecutor v Sakthikanesh s/o Chidambaram et al. [2017] SGHC 178, at [47], [48].

² "Athletes should give the same commitment that they have given to sports to serving NS". Published in the Straits Times on 21 May 2022.