Fact Sheet: Total Defence Campaign 2017

Commemoration of Total Defence Day

We commemorate Total Defence Day on 15 February every year, the day in 1942 that Singapore fell to the Japanese in World War II, as a reminder of what could happen to us if we ourselves cannot defend Singapore, and to strengthen our resolve to keep Singapore safe and sovereign. This is also why National Service was introduced in 1967, shortly after Singapore gained her independence. 

This year is significant as it marks the 75th anniversary of the fall of Singapore to the Japanese during World War II on 15 February 1942. In 2017, we also commemorate 50 years of National Service, recognising that we have a strong and capable SAF today because our National Servicemen are committed and dedicated to military defence.

To underscore the significance of this year's Total Defence Day as well as the commemoration of 50 years of National Service in 2017, the Total Defence Day 2017 Commemoration Event will be held in conjunction with the opening of the new exhibition called the "Syonan Gallery: War and Its Legacies" on 15 February 2017 at the Former Ford Factory, with 2nd Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (2 SIR) holding a Weapon Presentation Ceremony at the commemoration event. This ceremony demonstrates our young soldiers' commitment to defence, and their determination to ensure that what happened in WWII will not happen again.

Total Defence Day 2017 Video Message

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen released a Total Defence Day video message on his Facebook page at 6pm on 14 February 2017. The message was recorded in the surrender room at the Former Ford Factory, the exact location where the British formally surrendered Singapore to the Japanese 75 years ago. Dr Ng spoke of the sufferings and hardship faced by the people in Singapore during the Japanese Occupation, and reminded Singaporeans of the need for a strong and credible defence to keep Singapore safe and independent. 

In line with this year's theme "Together We Keep Singapore Strong", Dr Ng highlighted how we can contribute to the five pillars of Total Defence, and called on all Singaporeans to renew their commitment and resolve towards safeguarding Singapore's future. The video message will also be shared with MINDEF/SAF units, MOE schools, and partners in the people, public and private sectors to support their Total Defence Day commemoration efforts.

Highlights of Total Defence 2017

Campaign Theme  

Total Defence has become even more relevant today because the complex and widening spectrum of threats and challenges that we face - pandemics, terrorism, cyber-attacks and hybrid warfare - require all Singaporeans to step up and play their part. It is only when we stay united and resilient, have the will to defend our home and way of life, and each play our part, that we can and will keep Singapore safe, strong and sovereign. Total Defence 2017, with the theme "Together We Keep Singapore Strong", thus sets out to rally and mobilise our people to prepare for these threats, and be resilient enough to recover quickly when crises strike. It focuses on the many ways we can all put Total Defence into action in our everyday lives.

From Concept to Action

Total Defence was introduced in 1984 as part of our national defence strategy to meet the "total attack" nature of warfare. Despite being more than 30 years old, the Total Defence message has remained fundamentally the same - that Total Defence involves each and every Singaporean playing his or her part, either individually or collectively, to build a strong and cohesive nation that can deal with any crisis together. While most Singaporeans are aware of Total Defence as a concept, and believe in its importance to our nation, some may not know that they are already putting Total Defence into action in their everyday lives through simple acts like being vigilant against suspicious activities, respecting and accepting people of different ethnic backgrounds, taking care of our environment, showing support for our National Servicemen on duty at home or abroad, or simply looking out for one another. 

By focusing this year's campaign on helping the public connect concept with action, we hope that Singaporeans will be able to recognise their contributions to Total Defence and be inspired to do more. Nexus will work closely with our partners in the people, public and private sectors to highlight and create opportunities for Singaporeans to put Total Defence into action. 

These will be done through initiatives such as the "Guardians of the City" Total Defence strategy card game, and the "Bringing TD to Life!" engagement sessions.

Guardians of the City

"Guardians of the City" is a Total Defence strategy card game that arose from a series of SGfuture citizen engagement sessions in early 2016. The public expressed a desire to put Total Defence into action, resulting in this ground-up co-creation project involving students, educators and our 3P partners.

The game was conceptualised by Mr Wan Junyan, an avid strategy games enthusiast who was one of the SGfuture participants. Together with Mr Wan, Nexus partnered the Education and Home Affairs Ministries, as well as Civil Service College's Applied Simulation and Training (CAST) team, to develop the game. The game has been play-tested with about 600 people since October 2016. Both students and educators have shared that the game is a useful learning tool that helps to bring Total Defence to life.

"Guardians of the City" encourages youths to have conversations about Total Defence. This in turn deepens their understanding of Total Defence and the complexity of terror threats, and shows them how we can all play a part to keep Singapore safe and secure. It also highlights how society can come together to better prepare for crises, respond to them, and recover from them. 

The game is based on the five pillars of Total Defence and can be played by two individual players or two teams, each representing a country. It pits the teams against each other as they strive to keep their citizens' commitment and support for their nation strong, while fighting a common terrorist threat. The game is designed for Secondary School students, with a focus on Uniformed Groups for the initial roll-out. 

Bringing Total Defence to Life! 

Bringing Total Defence to Life! (BTDTL!) is a series of public engagements aimed at helping the public better understand how they can put Total Defence into action in their daily lives and inspire individual and community action for Total Defence. It will be held from April to August 2017 and will involve primarily youths. The discussions will also gather ideas to support the refresh of the five TD icons shown below.

We are Total Defence Facebook Page

A new We Are Total Defence Facebook page has been created to showcase Singaporeans doing their part for Total Defence in small and big ways. Through the sharing of stories, visuals and co-created content tagged with #WeAreTotalDefence, we hope that more Singaporeans will recognise how their everyday actions can contribute to Total Defence and be inspired to do more to keep Singapore safe and strong. 

Total Defence Partner Events

SDC Total Defence 2017 Exhibition - "Stronger Together" 

From 7 February to 19 March 2017, the Singapore Discovery Centre (SDC) will be organising a special Total Defence exhibition targeted at students in the primary, secondary and tertiary levels. The experiential showcase will comprise three thematic zones: (i) reflecting on the fall of Singapore; (ii) recognising that threats are evolving and hence the continued relevance of Total Defence then and now; and (iii) appreciating how individuals have played and can continue to play their part in Total Defence. Minister for Education (Schools) Mr Ng Chee Meng will be launching the exhibition at SDC on 16 February 2017. 

#NeverAgainSG Movement

The Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) holds an annual war memorial service in commemoration of the civilian victims of the Japanese Occupation. As with past years, representatives from government organisations, uniformed services, diplomatic corps, business associations, religious organisations, veterans and families of the victims, as well as students will be attending the memorial event. 

The Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence (ACCORD) partnered SCCCI for the 49th War Memorial Service and launched the movement titled "#NeverAgainSG" on 15 February 2016. The #NeverAgainSG Movement aims to raise nationwide awareness of the significance of 15 February (Fall of Singapore) by inviting individuals to pledge their commitment to do their part to defend our nation.

Website and Social Media Platforms

For more information on Total Defence 2017, please visit the following online platforms: 

•    Website: www.totaldefence.sg 
•    Facebook: www.facebook.com/WeAreTotalDefence

More Resources

History Reminds Us That We All Have A Part To Play In Total Defence