SAF OFFICERS ON BONDS

SAF OFFICERS ON BONDS:

(Application and approval for leaving service): 2.

Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong asked the Minister for Defence (a) whether Singapore Armed Forces officers on bonds can apply to leave the service early and under what circumstances will approval be granted; and (b) how many applications have been made and approvals granted over the years.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence (Mr Teo Chee Hean): Mr Speaker, Sir, all officers who join the SAF and take up sponsorship are aware that they have a moral obligation to serve out the full period of their sponsorship bonds, which goes beyond the legal obligation to pay back liquidated damages if an officer does not fulfil the bond. The SAF has a range of important leadership or specialist roles available that serve the organisational needs while catering to officers with different interests and aptitudes.

Officers too are expected to do their best to fulfil their obligations to the organisation, unless there are strong and extenuating circumstances such as medical reasons, that prevent the officers from doing so. An officer who wishes to be released early while under bond can submit a formal application through the proper process. The application will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and the officer will be counselled and interviewed by his superior officers. Since 2000, we

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have allowed three officers to be released prematurely from their bonds.

Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong (Tampines): Sir, I would like to ask the Minister whether he can review the way the SAF contracts army personnel to make sure that before a person signs a bond with the SAF, the contract terms are clearly explained to him in language that he understands and confirmed with his parents, if he is below 21 years old. Would the Minister agree that while the bonded officer has the moral obligation to serve his bond, the SAF as an employer also has a moral obligation to create a work environment that makes him want to stay and be passionate about his job? Can I ask the Minister if the SAF's human resource policies ensure that? And, finally, this is related to the case of the late Dr Allan Ooi. Sir, as you know, the parents are still asking for answers –

Mr Speaker: What is your question, Ms Ng?

Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong: Can I ask the Minister, given that MINDEF has convened a board of inquiry and made findings that the matters related to Dr Ooi's service were managed appropriately, would he consider making the findings public or, at least, available to the family?

Mr Teo Chee Hean: Sir, as the Member's question is obviously motivated by this particular case, I will make my response with some reference to this particular case, even though, as MINDEF has said, it would have much preferred to have conducted such exchanges in private with the family, out of consideration for the family. Sir, the Member's first question is based on the premise that those who sign up for a MINDEF/SAF sponsorship or scholarship do not fully understand what they are signing. First, if anyone is signing a sponsorship deed

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and needs clarification on its terms and conditions, he can and should seek these clarifications, which MINDEF has and will continue to provide. The individual signs a deed voluntarily and is not compelled to do so, until he has fully understood the terms of the sponsorship or scholarship. This is particularly the case when it is an in-service officer who may already be well in his 20s or 30s, and decides to take up a scholarship or a sponsorship to go on a course for further career development.

Second, most of our sponsorships or scholarships require two sureties to also sign the deed. These sureties are usually one of the parents, a close relative or someone whom they know well enough to be comfortable in signing the deed. And MINDEF also provides clarification to these sureties.

The Member has also asked earlier what happens if a person wants to break a bond. As I have said, all officers who take up the sponsorship know that they have a moral obligation to serve out the full period of their bonds beyond their legal obligation to pay the liquidated damages if they do not fulfil the bonds. In the case of sponsorship, MINDEF has already taken the first step, which is to provide sponsorship for the course, sometimes with salaries for the officer while he is on course. So, MINDEF has already fulfilled a fairly major part of the obligations towards the officer by sponsoring him for the programme. These programmes may be six months or as long as six years, in the case of medical scholarships.

The SAF invests substantial public funds and time to train these officers. There is an expectation that such officers will fulfil their moral obligations to serve the organisation in return. The SAF is not an unreasonable organisation. The terms and conditions are quite fair and reasonable and that is why we do have people who are prepared to come forward

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to serve the SAF. There are many interesting and challenging jobs in the SAF. In fact, in most cases, because the officers whom we choose to sponsor are our better officers, they do have a pick of the better positions available. So, Sir, on balance, MINDEF does discharge its responsibilities to the officers who choose to take up sponsorship but it is also necessary for the officers to do their best to fulfil their moral obligation to serve the SAF and to serve the country.