MINDEF's Reply on Follow-up Actions for PTE Joseph Schooling

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy towards drug abuse. Service personnel who test positive for drug abuse will be charged and sentenced to the SAF Detention Barracks. Those who are suspected of or confessed to abusing drugs will be placed on an SAF-supervised urine test regime as part of the treatment and rehabilitation process.

The Central Narcotics Bureau has concluded its investigations on PTE Joseph Schooling, and handed over the management of the case to the SAF, as he is a full-time National Serviceman. Urine tests for controlled drugs conducted on PTE Joseph Schooling returned negative. However, PTE Schooling confessed to have consumed cannabis overseas in May 2022, when he was on short term disruption from full-time National Service (NS) to train and participate in the Southeast Asian Games.

Following existing protocol, PTE Schooling will be placed on a supervised urine test regime for six months. All SAF personnel who test positive during this regime will be charged and sentenced accordingly.

Given his abuse of disruption privileges, PTE Schooling will no longer be eligible for leave or disruption to train or compete while in NS. A formal letter of warning has also been issued to PTE Schooling, informing him of the serious consequences of drug abuse meted out to all SAF personnel, who may be sentenced up to nine months detention in the SAF Detention Barracks.