Speech by Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen at the 43rd Command and Staff Course, 13th Command and Staff Course (National Service) and 1st Command and Staff Course (Executive) Graduation Ceremony

Mr Chiang Chie Foo, PS(D),

Chief of Defence Force,

Service Chiefs,

Senior Commanders,

Graduands of the 43^rd Command and Staff Course,

13^th Command and Staff Course (National Service) and

1^st Command and Staff Course (Executive)

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me begin by congratulating all 212 graduands from three courses - the 43rd CSC, including one Singapore Police Force officer and twelve International Officers; the 13th CSC (NS) and the inaugural Command and Staff Course (Executive). From talking to you and hearing your various valedictory speeches, I think it is safe to say that we have safely conducted another successful course this year. You seem to have bonded quite well, both amongst the Singaporeans and with the international officers. I would like to congratulate you and I think it was a time well-spent.

It's an interesting time to graduate from your various courses; I say this because you are graduating amid the territorial disputes in the South China Sea and East China Sea that have been a constant feature in the news lately. Singaporeans, indeed citizens of all countries, read with some concern the escalation of tensions - the tit-for-tat manoeuvrings and the assertions and counter-assertions of claimant countries. A few years ago, this part of the world was a sea of calm literally. Topics in international fora would focus elsewhere - trouble in the Middle East, Afghanistan and the Euro Crisis. North Korea would come up often but the Cross-Strait tensions had eased especially after President Ma Ying-Jeou had assumed presidency in Taiwan. Counter-terrorism is a constant threat, but fears have abated as security agencies in neighbouring countries and our Home Team stepped up counter-measures. For Singaporeans, 2001 was a shocker as it showed us how the world was unsafe and the Bali bomb blast brought it close to us that we need to worry about our surroundings. Headlines frequently are about tensions in our backyard, no longer elsewhere. It shows how quickly tensions can arise and despite all our best efforts at diplomacy, relations between countries can go awry. This reminds us all that a strong defence is the best deterrence to protect ourselves – that we will always need to ensure a strong SAF as the ultimate guarantor of our sovereignty and way of life. Benign friendly conditions can turn for the worse quickly.

We must continue to build and train a strong SAF but at the same time, we must do our best in defence diplomacy to create conducive conditions for inclusive regional security architecture. As a small nation, we are most vulnerable if relations between bigger powers get strained or fractured. Singapore loses; indeed everyone loses, when small states are forced to choose better relations with one over another.   

This is why we spend considerable time and resources to expand our defence diplomacy. The SAF participates regularly in military exercises and exchanges under the Five Power Defence Arrangements, the Western Pacific Naval Symposium and RIMPAC, to name a few. ASEAN Defence Ministers and officials meet regularly both formally and informally. This year alone, I have met my Malaysian counterpart, Dato' Seri Zahid and the Indonesian DM, Purnomo Yusgiantoro six times each at various events. We also reach out to the Plus partners that are critical stakeholders to the peace in this region - Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Republic of Korea, China, India, Russia and the United States. We must improve military-to-military relations among all 18 countries. We must build better understanding and confidence. It does not guarantee us that things won't go wrong but it will reduce the risk of miscalculations and at crucial moments can divert us from a disastrous course. Last year, we conducted the inaugural ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise. We are stepping up these efforts in joint military exercises. Next year, Brunei will host the first ever combined 18-nation ADMM-Plus exercise, based on the themes of HADR and Military Medicine. It would also signal that we are committed to military-to-military relations. This is the external environment as we see it. As it is now, I think it would take another few years for us to work it through, certainly first for tensions to calm down, and for us to step up other efforts to build confidence and find peaceful ways to resolve disputes. This is one big challenge externally.

At home, we must also ensure that the resolve to defend our island nation is passed on to a younger generation. On Monday night, we gathered on Marina Bay Platform to commemorate 45 years of National Service (NS), with PM Lee as the GOH. Over the years, some 900,000 Singaporean sons have done their NS. PM Lee emphasised that “National Service is ultimately about safeguarding our home, our loved ones, and the freedom to determine our way of life.”

But I think after 45 years, NS has become more than that. It has become part of our national identity. It is what makes us Singaporean, especially for the males. Because I think for NSmen who sweat, eat, laugh and cry together - it is a time when barriers break down. Friendships are forged for life. In hot and humid conditions, people of different race, religion and social background form ties that bind us as one for a long time.

We have to ask ourselves will NS always be so accepted with a younger generation. The average age of marriage is now 29. The average age of pregnancy for women is 31. I know these numbers well because we keep discussing them, so which means most of you would have children below 10. You are commanders for the next 10 to 20 years and you will be leading men of your children's age in a decade. How do you ensure that the same values and the same commitment and the resolve to defend Singapore are transmitted to a new generation? I think one of the greatest challenge as NS officers and graduands, as leaders within the community, is to ensure that this faithful transmission of why it is important and why we must defend our country be taken seriously to raise the next generation because it determines Singapore's security and continued peace. Do this well, and you secure the future for your grandchildren.  

We have to undertake this task of imbuing resolve and positive values by recognising that a new generation will inherit the Singapore we have painstakingly built. The way we command, teach and talk to our men must be refreshed in order to be relevant because this is a new generation. Here, the SAF must update its efforts in continuing education and professional development, especially for Commanders and that is what the GKS CSC is doing together with NTU. Through these avenues, we strengthen the abilities of our officers and commanders to tackle their missions well, whether it is non-conventional security threats, civil-military relations or increasingly, media operations. I am therefore heartened that all of you are committed to upgrade yourselves and we have a total of 39 officers who have applied for the SAF-NTU Masters programme. 

We have also started the new CSC (Executive) this year for regular SAF officers and senior Military Experts or MEs and they can similarly sign up for the SAF-NTU Masters programme. 

Each year, we also select high-calibre NS officers to attend the CSC (NS) to be groomed for key leadership positions. NS is the backbone of the SAF and CSC (NS) graduands go on to hold senior staff and command appointments such as the Chief-of-Staff in the Divisions, Brigade Commanders and Commanding Officers of NS units. I would like to specially commend our NS officers for successfully completing the CSC (NS). Over the past year, you had to complete eight months of correspondence course work and attend a five-week residential phase, while balancing work and family responsibilities. Many of you had to toil late into the night and make personal sacrifices - you can be proud of what you have accomplished at the CSC (NS).  

We also have CSC participants from other agencies. We have one SPF officer and twelve International Officers from nine countries - Australia, Brunei, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Thailand, the US, and Vietnam. You have enriched our discussions greatly and I hope that your learning experience at CSC will help you when you go back to your home countries. Your participation in CSC also bears testament to the strong bonds and friendship between Singapore and your nation and armed forces. I want to thank you for the time you have taken. I am very glad some of you have your spouse here. As you return home to assume higher appointments, I would like to encourage you to maintain the close friendships that you have forged with SAF officers and with one another over the duration of your course. 

As each of you assumes greater leadership roles as commanders after this course, I remind you of the responsibility and duty to your men. Your leadership will determine the cohesiveness, morale and readiness of the units under your charge as well as shape the outcome of training and the experience of the next generation. Continue to engage the men under you to win their hearts and minds. Treat them fair and keep them safe. Train them well and keep the unit strong and together. 

In closing, let me once again congratulate all graduands for successfully completing your CSC course. I would also like to express my deepest appreciation to the spouses, family members and employers of the graduands for your unwavering support and continued understanding. I want to also wish Muslim officers a Happy Hari Raya Haji and I want to wish you all a very successful career and a very enjoyable dinner tonight. 

Thank you very much.

More Resources

• 212 Officers Graduate from Command and Staff Course

• Graduating as better commanders