Reply by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence to Parliamentary Questions on Procedures for Seeking Redress

Mr Speaker, Sir, Mr Lim Biow Chuan has asked whether MINDEF prohibits full-time national servicemen or regular servicemen from seeking assistance from their Members of Parliament to submit petitions on their behalf to the Ministry.

The SAF is a military organisation which has established procedures for its servicemen to seek redress. A serviceman is required to seek redress through the chain of command on all matters arising from his military service and on all matters concerning the SAF. If the serviceman is dissatisfied with the action taken by his commanders or the MINDEF department involved, he can raise the issue through the chain of command to the Armed Forces Council, which is chaired by the Minister for Defence.

These proper procedures for seeking redress are set out in the General Orders of MINDEF. They are also included in the Recruit's Handbook, a copy of which is given to all enlistees. Such procedures need to be adhered to in a military organisation, in order to maintain discipline, uphold morale and protect confidential information.

SAF servicemen, like their fellow Singaporeans, are free to approach their Members of Parliament for assistance on their personal matters. However, when it concerns matters related to the SAF or their service in the SAF, they should take them up through their chain of command. When a Member of Parliament sends a petition on behalf of the serviceman on matters pertaining to the SAF, the SAF will conduct a thorough investigation, and depending on the outcome of the investigation, take appropriate action to address the serviceman's concerns. This includes advising the serviceman to go through the proper channels through which he could seek redress. The Member of Parliament will also be appropriately apprised of the outcome of the appeal.