Introduction

Mr Chairman, Minister for Defence Dr Ng said in his speech that defence is a long-term business requiring consistent investment over time. Aside from building a capable armed forces that can serve as deterrence and defend us against threats, MINDEF works hard on defence diplomacy and cooperation – both bilateral and multilateral - to build defence ties and address common security challenges. Mr Shawn Huang and Mr Zhulkarnain asked about this. Let me cite two examples. As Dr Ng had updated the House last year, the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) had agreed to establish the ADMM Cybersecurity and Information Centre of Excellence (ACICE) in Singapore. This Centre promotes research and information sharing among partner nations on emerging cybersecurity and informational threats. ACICE has started sharing products with all partner nations. The construction of ACICE's physical centre is also underway, and we expect a formal launch in the third quarter of this year.

The second example is that of the Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD). After a two-year hiatus, the SLD resumed last year in a physical format. SLD22 was a successful event and it was well-attended by 37 ministerial-level delegates, including those from both the United States and China. The SLD remains the premier defence and security conference in Asia and provides a venue to affirm mutually beneficial principles and to allow for dialogue, if not to build trust. We look forward to commemorating the 20th edition of the SLD this year, where Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has agreed to give the keynote address.

Beyond investing in a strong SAF and defence diplomacy, we have continuously invested in and evolved the National Service system. NS is the cornerstone of our defence and national security. National servicemen form the bulk of the SAF, the Police and the SCDF. Their sacrifices and commitment lay the foundation for Singapore's security and prosperity. It is critical that we continuously maintain and strengthen the NS system.

Here, I am happy to inform the House that public support for NS remains very strong. In one of MINDEF's surveys conducted among Singaporeans late last year, more than 98% of the respondents said that NS was necessary for Singapore's security, both now and in the future. It shows that Singaporeans understand that small states are inherently vulnerable, and that we need to take responsibility for our own defence, and that NS remains more than relevant – it remains critical.

This outcome does not come by chance. MINDEF and MHA make regular efforts to strengthen the NS system and recognise the contributions of our national servicemen. Last year, the NS Review Committee (NSRC) submitted recommendations to ensure that NS remained effective amidst Singapore's evolving defence needs, as well as the changing needs of our national servicemen. We also commemorated 55 years of NS (NS55). Today, I will provide an update on these efforts.

Maximising Contributions of our Servicemen

To recap, the NSRC's recommendations can be grouped into three broad thrusts. First, maximising the contributions of servicemen. Second, improving the NS experience. And third, enhancing recognition and support. With your permission, Mr Chairman, may I ask the Clerks to distribute an infographic on the NSRC initiatives, which Members may refer to. Members may also access the handout through the MP@SGPARL mobile app.

Mr Patrick Tay asked about MINDEF's efforts to optimise the deployment of national servicemen to maximise their contributions. Given low fertility rates and shrinking cohort sizes, the SAF needs to optimise contributions of every soldier, in two ways.

The first concerns medical fitness and job requirements. To complement our existing medical screening process, we introduced functional assessments for pre-enlistees with selected orthopaedic conditions. Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked for an update on this. Under these functional assessments, we assess pre-enlistees' ability to do physical tasks such as running, jumping and carrying heavy loads. This approach allows us to accurately match more servicemen to operational roles, as compared to the traditional approach of matching servicemen based only on their medical diagnosis. To date, 100 pre-enlistees with certain orthopaedic conditions have undergone such functional assessments, and 75 have been found to be fit to be deployed to a wider range of operational roles than before.

At the same time, we are leveraging technology to re-design jobs. Similarly, this enables more servicemen to be deployed into operational roles. Since 2021, the SAF has re-designed 1,300 jobs in vocations such as Medics, Infantry Carrier Vehicle Operators and Transport Operators, opening them up to more servicemen. The SAF is on track to do the same for another 500 jobs by the middle of this year. That will bring the number up from 1,300 to 1,800 jobs.

The second way is to maximise contributions that concern knowledge and skills. To keep up with the changing nature of conflict and emerging threats, the SAF needs to grow and tap the skills of our national servicemen.

We have made good progress. I have updated the House in recent years about Work-Learn Schemes for full-time national servicemen (NSFs), a subject which Mr Don Wee asked about. Mr Abdul Samad also asked about career pathways in the SAF relating to engineering. Under the Work-Learn Schemes, NSFs attain a diploma or partial university credits from Institutes of Higher Learning, while performing a period of full-time national service followed by Regular service. They are trained in domains such as artificial intelligence, supply chain management, and engineering, which allows them then to be deployed as digital specialists, supply supervisors, and technicians respectively. Two months ago, we also introduced a new scheme for NSFs to pursue Diplomas in Engineering (Mechanical Technology) and to be deployed as Naval Warfare System Specialists. Overall, 450 NSFs have enrolled in such Work-Learn Schemes so far. By 2025, we expect 500 NSFs to be enrolled in Work-Learn Schemes every year.

Our efforts to maximise expertise cover not only NSFs, but also NSmen. Some of our NSmen have skills that the SAF needs, which they have acquired in their civilian careers. The SAF has stepped up efforts to identify and redeploy these NSmen to make better use of their civilian expertise and skills. Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked for an update on the results. The results have been encouraging. Over the past year, the SAF has re-deployed 200 NSmen under the Enhanced Expertise Deployment Scheme. This represents a four-fold increase from the average number of 50 NSmen a year between the year 2014 and the year 2021. New areas to which NSmen were re-deployed last year included digital and intelligence, logistics, and engineering.

Improving the NS Experience

While optimising deployment is important, we also need to make NS processes more seamless so that our national servicemen can focus on their training – Mr Lim Biow Chuan and Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked about this. This brings me to the second thrust of the NSRC's recommendations, that of improving the NS experience.

A major administrative burden for employers and NSmen had been the filling up of Make-Up Pay claims for In-Camp Training (ICT). In the past, this was done manually. Entries were therefore sometimes incomplete, and payment delays happened.

In September last year, we introduced an automated system that draws income-related information from CPF Board and IRAS to calculate Make-Up Pay amounts. If they so wish, employers and NSmen can review the computed amounts and file adjustments. Otherwise, the amounts are paid out automatically and there is no action needed on their part.

We have had very positive feedback. The claim amounts derived from CPF Board and IRAS data have proven to be up to date and accurate. Since September, 92% of claims have been processed automatically. Based on our estimates, the automated system will save employers, NSmen, MINDEF and MHA more than 260,000 man-hours of processing effort every year. Apart from saving time, the automation has also allowed us to make payment much faster. Since September, 90% of claims have been paid within 10 days from the start of ICT. Essentially, the payments are processed when people may still be undergoing their period of ICT.

Alongside this automated system, we also introduced a base NS pay of $1,600 per month, whenever NSmen attend ICT or other operationally-ready NS (ORNS) activities. This means that if the data from CPF Board or IRAS indicates that an NSman earns less than $1,600 per month, MINDEF will top up his NS Pay to $1,600 per month, pro-rated according to the duration of the ORNS activity. As an example, if an NSman attends a 12-day ICT, then on a pro-rated basis, he will be paid at least $600. This provides additional support to NSmen who are students or not employed, or whose income from informal jobs may not be fully captured in CPF or IRAS data. We hope that this gives NSmen from lower income segments greater financial security when they attend ORNS activities. On this note, I would like to reiterate that MINDEF remains fully committed to the well-being and welfare of our national servicemen. We have given many examples of how we are doing so, and the public can be confident that we will regularly update such benefits.

Our efforts to digitalise NS transactions and touchpoints go beyond Make-Up Pay claims. Members who are NSmen would remember receiving physical vouchers from MINDEF and MHA in the past, as part of our recognition efforts. Since 2021, we have replaced cash and voucher-based NS recognition benefits with digital credits disbursed through the LifeSG mobile app. With the change, national servicemen are now able to receive, carry and redeem their credits via their mobile devices. The credits can be used with any business that accepts payment by NETS or by PayNow QR. Some businesses also offer our servicemen discounts for the use of the credits, as a show of support for NS. This has effectively raised the dollar value of the benefits.

As part of the NS55 Recognition Package, $100 worth of credits were distributed electronically in July last year to more than a million national servicemen past and present. When we checked in mid-Feb 2023, the 136,000 national servicemen who had rated the NS55 redemption eService on LifeSG app had given it 4.8 out of 5 stars. Over the past seven months, 76% of national servicemen have started using or have already used their credits fully. This is a relevant piece of data that shows the effectiveness of distributing credits electronically, as it took 18 months to achieve the same use for the physical vouchers when we them gave out for NS50. So I encourage all national servicemen to fully utilise your credits before they expire!

Ms Poh Li San asked about the use of the OneNS platform to improve the NS experience. The OneNS platform is a consolidation of NS-related services and transactions into a single mobile app. We have rolled out the first phase of OneNS to selected ICT units. NSmen in these units can register their attendance at ICT easily with the geo-location function on the app. This has allowed the units concerned to start the proper ICT programme earlier. OneNS will be extended to more units in the coming months.

Recognising and Providing Support for National Servicemen

I now move on to the third thrust, which is that of enhancing recognition and support for national servicemen, something which Mr Chong Kee Hiong asked about.

Last year, we conducted a year-long NS55 campaign themed "Generations of Strength." Mr Mohd Fahmi asked about the response to the campaign. Besides giving the NS55 Recognition Package to eligible national servicemen, MINDEF and MHA organised a series of commemorative initiatives that was well-received. As an example, the NS55 theme song "Back in the Day" accumulated over 6 million views online. The showcase at the Army Open House on the evolution of NS attracted 140,000 visitors. The community came together to organise activities, such as walking alongside our national servicemen under the NS55 Fitness Challenge.

All in all, the NS55 campaign achieved its objectives. Surveys conducted after the campaign showed that 80% of our national servicemen felt valued for their contributions to NS. 90% of the general public felt that NS was a source of pride for Singapore..

NS55 may have concluded, but our efforts to recognise and support our national servicemen and their families continue. In fact, we can already look forward to the opening of the new SAFRA clubhouse in Choa Chu Kang in May this year. This will bring an exciting host of amenities, especially to the 90,000 NSmen who reside in the northwest. Many of us saw the exciting photos of my colleague SMS Zaqy's recent hard-hat tour of the upcoming facilities. So look out for that one.

Beyond recognition benefits, MINDEF and MHA are also committed to strengthening financial protection for SAF and Home Team servicemen and volunteers. In January, we doubled the coverage for the Group Term Life and Group Personal Accident insurance, up from $150,000 to $300,000. We have also extended the coverage to conditions such as long-term hearing damage and decompression sickness. It is therefore fitting that the Group Personal Accident insurance is now called Group Personal Injury insurance, to reflect that extended coverage.

Ensuring Effective and Safe Training

I have covered the three thrusts of the NSRC, but these are not our only priorities. The SAF will always pay great attention to safe and effective training of our national servicemen. Mr Desmond Choo and Mr Henry Kwek had asked about these. We are investing heavily in our training infrastructure. Dr Ng had spoken about how SAFTI City will allow our national servicemen to undergo realistic training for a wide range of scenarios, as well as the SAF's plans to leverage technology, including simulators and real time sensors, to enhance training. The development of expanded overseas training areas, including those in Australia, will also allow our national servicemen to have more opportunities to participate in large-scale, integrated training.

While training must be realistic to be effective, we will never compromise on safety. Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked about how the SAF balanced safety and training effectiveness.

The sharing of safety practices and co-development of safety management plans have always been an important part of training exercises that the SAF conducts both for itself as well as with other military forces. Representatives from the SAF also attend international defence safety conferences in order to share experiences and gain insights on safety benchmarks and practices, which are then put into reviews and revisions of safety standards within the SAF.

The 3rd External Review Panel on SAF Safety, which began its three-year term in 2021, noted that the SAF had comprehensive systems to ensure the safety and health of our soldiers during training. This assessment was made after the Panel visited key SAF training schools and an overseas training exercise over the past two years.

Ms Cheng Li Hui asked about audit findings and learning points. The SAF Inspector-General's Office recently completed its second audit cycle across all SAF formations. The audit findings show that the SAF's safety management systems remain robust despite the ramp-up of training over the past year following pandemic-related disruptions.

I announced last year that the SAF was developing an enterprise Safety Information System. It has been fully adopted in the SAF, allowing quick spreading of safety lessons and easy submission of near misses and incidents by personnel across all ranks. The system enhances commanders' awareness and decision-making in order to better prevent accidents. The SAF will continue to invest resources and harness technology to strengthen our safety culture.

New Initiatives

This concludes my update on the implementation of initiatives in our priority areas. Work in these areas will never end, and we will continue to look for new ways to strengthen the NS system and to recognise our national servicemen. With that, I am now pleased to make two announcements.

First, in an effort to improve NS processes further, we have reviewed exit controls for NSmen, and concluded that we are able to further relax them. From April this year onwards, NSmen will only need to apply for an Exit Permit when they leave Singapore for 12 months or more, up from the current six months or more. This change reflects the growing mobility of Singaporeans, with many of our NSmen staying or working overseas for longer durations. Let me assure Members that we have studied this very carefully, and the SAF's operational readiness will not be affected as a result of this change.

Second, in appreciation of the contributions of our national servicemen, the National Service Resort and Country Club (NSRCC) will be building a social and recreation hub that will come with chalets, sports facilities and other family-centric amenities. More details will be announced in due course. We hope the effort to build this hub and enhance our services to NSmen, will cater even better to the leisure needs of a younger generation of NSmen.

Conclusion

Mr Chairman, we need an effective NS in order to safeguard our security and our sovereignty. We must build on the contributions of the previous generations, take care of our national servicemen, and ensure that NS is well-positioned to safeguard our way of life into the future.

Thank you.