REGISTRATION FOR NATIONAL SERVICE (Particulars)

Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Minister of Defence how many youths have registered for National Service; how many have been selected for two-year full-time military service and how many will be placed on part-time service, and from those selected how many are in employment either in Government service or elsewhere; and whether those who applied for deferment on the ground that they are sole breadwinners have been favourably considered and granted part-time service.

Mr Wee Toon Boon (for the Minister of Defence): Persons liable for National Service include civil servants employed since 1st January, 1967 and male citizens born on or between 1st January, 1949 and 31st December, 1949. So far, 1,842 male and 1.251 female civil servants have been registered. 9,504 male citizens born on or between 1st January, 1949 and 30th June, 1949 have also been registered. The number selected for two years' full-time service in 3 and 4 S.I.R. is 900. In addition to this, a number of youths have just been taken in for particular vocations in the Armed Forces, making a total of 1,350 persons selected for full-time service.

With regard to full-time service, those who proved that they were fully employed were not called unless they indicated preference for full-time army service. However, some of those in the national service age group employed in the public service were called up if they were of the quality required.

Students in Government or Government-Aided Schools or taking a full-time course of study in evening classes conducted by the Adult Education Board were not called up for full-time service. 2,133 students will be enrolled in the Special Constabulary and 2,550 employed and unemployed persons into the Vigilante Corps. Of these, 1,012 have proved that they are employed.

Those who applied for deferment within the stipulated period on grounds of social hardship, for example, that they are sole bread-winners, have not been called up. All such applications will be referred to an Advisory Board consisting of prominent citizens, and each case will be considered on its merits. Until a decision on the application is reached, such applicant will not be called up.

Mr Ng Kah Ting (Punggol): Will teacher trainees, for example, who have begun their teacher-training this year and are the sole bread-winners, also be called up for the two-year full-time military training?

Mr Wee Toon Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, as I have said in my answer, those civil servants who are of the required quality may be called up. But, of course, they can make a case to the Advisory Board for deferment on grounds of economic hardship.

Mr Tang See Chim: I understand from the Minister of State that the sole bread-winner of a household would not be called up. Can he explain? The Member for Punggol's question was whether a trainee teacher, who was also the sole bread-winner, would be called up. I should have thought that such a person would not be called up, according to the Minister of State's previous answer.

Mr Wee Toon Boon: The position is that exemption would be given on economic grounds, but the appeals of those affected would have to be considered by the Advisory Board. Therefore, those who are affected and who consider themselves that on economic grounds they could not be drafted into national service, would have to make an appear to the Advisory Board according to the National Service Ordinance, and the Advisory Board would duly consider their appeals. As I have said, this matter has to be considered by the Advisory Board.

Mr Ng Kah Ting: Can the Minister of State give me the number of applications on such grounds and how many applications have been favourably considered?

Mr Wee Toon Boon: I am in no position to give the number of applications that have been submitted for deferment. However, on the question of how many applications have been favourably considered, the Board has just been constituted and, of course, they will look into these cases in the not too distant future.

Mr Tang See Chim: Mr Speaker, Sir, is it the policy of the Defence Ministry that the sole bread-winner of a household would not be called up?

The Minister of Defence (Mr Lim Kim San): Mr Speaker, Sir, I think the Minister of State has made it clear that on grounds of economic hardship deferment would be given, and I can assure the hon. Member that it is not the policy of Government to cause economic hardship to families who have only one wage-earner in the family. May I add that in most cases where - we are quite satisfied even at this moment - the draftee is the sole bread-winner, he has not been called up yet.

Mr Ng Kah Ting: Will the Minister give me a list of those who have applied for deferment on such grounds, and how many have been favourably considered? Will the cases of those who have already been drafted into two years' full-time military training on the grounds that they suffer economically be reconsidered?

Mr Lim Kim San: The answer to the first question is "No". I am not going to give him a list of those who have appealed, but I can give him the number of those who have appealed. The answer to the second question is "Yes". Such cases will be favourably considered.