Speech by Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister, at Total Defence Commemoration Day 2010

Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

Good afternoon. In a few days, many Singaporeans will be ushering in the Lunar New Year with much celebration and merry-making. Many would have forgotten that 68 years ago, on 15 February 1942, the first day of the Lunar New Year, the British forces in Singapore surrendered to the invading Japanese forces. Thus began that dismal period of the Japanese Occupation of Singapore which lasted three years and eight months. The Lunar New Year that year was filled with foreboding, fear and trepidation.

That dark chapter of Singapore's history taught us the importance of taking the responsibility for our nation's defence into our own hands. One of the first things we did when we became an independent nation in 1965 was to build up the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). The SAF's primary mission is to safeguard the security of Singapore, and to keep Singapore safe for all of us to live in peace and prosperity. However, the SAF alone is not enough to keep us safe and secure. Defending our nation is a responsibility for all Singaporeans. The security challenges that we face today are no longer restricted to the military battlefield. Apart from military conflict, terrorism, global economic crises, racial and religious tensions, pandemics and natural disasters - these are diverse and complex threats to peace and stability that are not theoretical but real. All have occurred in our region within the past decade, and can easily occur again. Our response to such challenges requires the active and collective participation of Singaporeans from all walks of life - the young and senior citizens, men and women, regardless of race or religion. This is the true meaning behind "Total Defence".

A good example was how Singaporeans worked together during the SARS crisis in 2003 to stop the spread of the deadly virus. Children from as young as kindergarten and primary school learnt to take and record their own temperatures daily, protecting themselves, their families and friends. Neighbours helped each other, while professionals on the front line in the health services made the ultimate sacrifice to help heal the sick and keep us safe. Singaporeans worked together and found confidence and strength in common action - we did not shun our friends or run away from our neighbours, nor did we abandon our duties.

But to ensure that Total Defence is effective during times of crisis, we need to continue to strengthen the foundations during times of peace. And it starts with asking ourselves what it is about Singapore, our homeland, that we want to defend. That was the driving theme for our Total Defence campaign last year, and the responses we received then were most heartening.

This year, we are asked to go beyond reflection and act on what we will do to defend the things we value and hold dear. This is a simple but important step because Total Defence goes beyond having a formidable military or civil defence force. It begins, very often, with the individual, with an idea or goal, and through small acts and simple deeds, includes others in the idea, in the pursuit of that shared goal.

Thus, the theme of this year's Total Defence campaign - "I Will" - is an invitation to take action, to do something about what is important to us, as individuals, as a community. Singaporeans are asked to make a pledge starting with two simple words "I Will". In the video that was screened earlier, we saw how some Singaporeans are taking action to transform their pledges into reality. Whether it is bringing some festive cheer to the less fortunate by sprucing up their flats or organising a donation drive. They are doing their bit to bond with their fellow Singaporeans and make Singapore a better place to live in.

I am happy to see that so many have stepped forward to pledge their commitment on the "I Will" website. It shows Singaporeans doing their part, making us a stronger nation. One Singaporean pledged to recycle the junk mail received in letter boxes into exercise books. Another pledged to behave graciously on the MRT by not occupying the priority seats, not dashing for the train and not squeezing into packed train carriages.

Behind each "I Will" pledge is a person or group of people who cares about their home and those around them. And each of their ideas can potentially inspire others to do more. Let me share with you an example that shows how a simple idea can have a big impact. The Primary One pupils in Tampines North Primary School usually pack their lunch from home in plastic bags and wraps, which they would then throw away. This inspired several teachers to pledge on the "I Will" website to help protect the environment by reducing waste. They were pleasantly surprised when IKEA pledged to sponsor lunch boxes for their pupils. In this way, the whole Primary One cohort can now bring their food in environmentally friendly reusable boxes, thus reducing the amount of non-biodegradable waste.

When taken together, the many "I Will's" become "We Will". Total Defence today is about both "I Will" and "We Will." It is only when we come together with a shared goal, pool our resources, and pull together in a common effort that we can overcome any challenge or threat.

Besides the "I Will" pledge, the short animated clips from this year's N.E.mation! 4 competition are creative expressions of commitment by students who care about Singapore. This year, the competition attracted entries from some 1,600 students from 440 teams. This was a 67% increase in participation from last year. The 10 finalist teams put in great effort and, as you will see, the animation techniques are getting more sophisticated by the year. But what is most important is the thought behind each of these works and the personal effort put in by each of the participants.

To all the students who participated, I want to commend all of you for coming forward to express yourselves in creative ways that make us laugh and think about why Singapore matters to us. Whatever the medium used, you are contributing to the collective Singapore experience that can be shared and enjoyed by all Singaporeans, now and in the future. In fact, two of such NE creations, the winning clip for N.E.mation! II, "Nation Moulders", produced by the students of Jurong Junior College, and the winner of last year's "My Pledge Short Film Competition", "My Home", produced by two NTU undergraduates, were so popular that they were publicly voted as among MediaCorp's Top 10 locally produced TV commercials in 2008 and 2009 respectively. Well done!!!

There are many more things that each of you can do, in your own way. Make a little pledge, as we commemorate Total Defence Day, to show that you care, for your family, for your friends, for Singapore. As for what I will do, as the Minister for Defence, I will ensure that the SAF is always operationally ready, so that Singaporeans can continue to enjoy the peace and prosperity we have today. Let us all also make our pledge and act on it.

Thank you.

More Resources

Commemorating Total Defence with ''I Will''