Permanent Residents Leaving Singapore Prior to NS Enlistment

Mrs Lina Chiam asked the Minister for Defence in the past five years, what is the number of male Permanent Residents who leave Singapore within the two years leading up to enlistment for National Service and later return to Singapore on a student pass/Employment Pass or on PR status.

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The Minister for Defence (Dr Ng Eng Hen): Mr Speaker, Sir, Permanent Residents who are liable for National Service but who leave Singapore before enlistment and fail to register or enlist for National Service have committed an offence under the Enlistment Act. They are NS defaulters. Under the Enlistment Act, NS defaulters shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or both. They would have to fulfil their National Service obligations thereafter.

None of them are allowed to return on student passes or work passes or on PR status, without resolving their NS offence and serving out their NS liability.

Mrs Lina Chiam (Non-Constituency Member): I thank the Minister for the answer. I have one supplementary question to ask the Minister: whether the Ministry will allow male foreigners below the age of 40 who did not have to do NS, to be made to serve community service for an equivalent period of 24 months?

Dr Ng Eng Hen: Mr Speaker, as I said and it stands, those who default on their NS liabilities or fail to register or enlist are NS defaulters, and that is in our Enlistment Act, and that Act stands.

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