Written Reply by Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen to Parliamentary Question on Permanent Residents in National Service

Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Minister for Defence (a) over the last five years how many males who become permanent residents under the sponsorship of their parents have served national service; (b) of these, how many of them have taken up citizenship after completion of their national service; and (c) how many males who become permanent residents under the sponsorship of their parents did not serve national service and chose to give up their citizenship instead.

Minister: Over the last five years, about 8,800 males who had become permanent residents under the sponsorship of their parents were enlisted for and served National Service (NS). About 6,100 of them have taken up citizenship. In that same period, about 4,200 males who had become permanent residents under the sponsorship of their parents renounced their PR status prior to serving national service. Their failure to serve NS will be taken into account when they subsequently apply to study or work in Singapore. These PRs were warned about the consequences of their action at the point of renunciation.