On Tuesday (2 August), Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen highlighted statistics on new citizens and permanent residents (PRs) who are performing national service (NS) in order to correct "misleading" claims made by Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Leong Mun Wai over the issue.
20 percent of the full-time national servicemen enlisted annually are PRs and young male new citizens, an increase from roughly 5 percent in the early 2000s, Dr. Ng stated in his Ministerial Statement to Parliament.
His statement was intended to refute Leong's prior claims in Parliament that "people by registration do not do national duty." Dr. Ng said that Leong reiterated the false statements in two Facebook postings in May and July.
In July, Dr. Ng responded to a legislative question posed by Mr. Leong on the eligibility requirements for deferral for male Singaporeans with the potential to achieve substantial achievement in sports and the arts.
All male Singaporean citizens and PRs between the ages of 18 and 40 for non-officers and 50 for officers are required to perform national duty under the Enlistment Act.
Dr. Ng confirmed a previous Ministry of Defence statement that males who gain citizenship as mature adults, often in their 30s and 40s, are not enrolled since they are unsuitable for full-time National Service at that age and did not get associated benefits prior to becoming Singaporeans.
New male citizens who grew up in Singapore and experienced the advantages of citizenship are recruited in the National Service when they reach the age of 18. Dr. Ng stated that they average 3,400 every year, or almost half of all new male citizens enrolled each year.
"Let there be no question that the NS obligations of every young male citizen, whether by birth, registration, or descent, are identical. We make no distinctions," he continued.
According to Dr. Ng, the Singapore Armed Forces' personnel requirements will be exacerbated without an influx of new citizens and PRs and in light of the lower birth cohorts.
Dr. Ng stated that it is crucial to address Leong's erroneous claims since they "attack the pillars of equality and universality."
"If pre-enlistees are mislead into believing that new citizens of their age are excused from national service, where will they find the motivation to serve?"
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