Business Community Shows Strong Support for National Service at First ACCORD E&B Council Meeting

The first ACCORD Employer and Business Council meeting was co-chaired by Second Minister for Defence Mr Chan Chun Sing (fourth from right) and Executive Chairman of Asia Resource Corporation Mr Tony Chew (fifth from right).

Second Minister for Defence Mr Chan Chun Sing and Executive Chairman of Asia Resource Corporation Mr Tony Chew co-chaired the inaugural Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence (ACCORD) Employer and Business (E&B) Council meeting today at SAFRA Toa Payoh. The Council, which comprises leaders from different sectors of the business community, reflects the strong support from employers and businesses for National Service (NS).Commenting on the importance of the council, Mr Chew said, "In recent years, due to manpower shortage, there exists an opportunity for greater collaboration between MINDEF and the business community. E&B Council provides a platform for employers and businesses to discuss topics like SME challenges, the recognition of NS training, skills and personal developments, as well as the collaboration and sharing of best practices between the business community and MINDEF and the SAF." He added, "NS is an important and integral part of Singapore's defence. We are participating in the E&B Council because we believe that our input and recommendations can improve the support and integration between the business community and National Servicemen (NSmen)."The council members, comprising experts from the relevant industries, will form three working groups to look into three broad areas, namely, identifying the challenges that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) face in supporting NS, recognising NS training, skills and personal development, and the possible areas of collaboration between the business community and MINDEF and the SAF.

On the importance of recognising NS training, skills and personal development, Council member Mr Loh Chin Hua, CEO of Keppel Corporation, said, "We recognise the contributions and capabilities of NSmen, many of whom are exemplary employees and leaders in their companies. By increasing recognition of the training, skills and personal developments acquired during NS, we can further develop a pool of talent and leaders with potential to excel in the business community and elsewhere."Mr Thomas Chua, President of Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) shared that identifying the challenges that SMEs face supporting NS, coupled with exploring possible areas of collaboration between the business community and MINDEF and the SAF, could result in expanded resources. He said, "Many SMEs face challenges in resources amidst this period of economic restructuring. There exist immense opportunities for the business community to work with MINDEF and the SAF to train NSmen with the right skills, and match them with the companies to plug the SME capabilities gap and manpower needs."The ACCORD E&B Council is one of the three councils formed after the restructuring of ACCORD, and serves as a platform for better engagement of the business community on National Service issues, as well as to strengthen collaboration between the community and MINDEF and the SAF.