SINGAPORE CITIZENS IN MALAYSIAN ARMED FORCES (Applications for transfer to Singapore Armed Forces)

Inche Mohd. Ariff Bin Suradi asked the Minister for Defence (a) how many Singapore Citizens had enlisted in the Malaysian Armed Forces during the time when Singapore was in Malaysia: and (b) how many of them have applied to the Ministry of the Interior and Defence for transfer to the Singapore Armed Forces.

Mr Lim Kim San: Mr Speaker, Sir, I cannot answer the first part of the question because we do not have figures showing how many Singapore citizens are serving in the Malaysian Armed Forces. The records are with them.

As for the second part of the question, to date there have been 46 applications for transfer to the Singapore Armed Forces from Singapore citizens who were enlisted as members of the Malaysian Armed Forces outside Singapore.

Inche Mohd. Ariff Bin Suradi (Kampong Kembangan): (In Malay): Sir, can the Minister say how many Singapore citizens have been transferred to the Singapore Armed Forces?

Mr Lim Kim San: Sir, out of the 46. 21 were rejected on grounds of unsuitable vocation, had record or due to lack of proof of citizenship.

Inche Abdul Aziz Karim (Kallang): Mr Speaker, Sir, will the Government accept the transfer of Singapore citizens now in the Malaysian Armed Forces into the Republic's Armed Forces with no loss in seniority or status?

Mr Lim Kim San: I cannot give an assurance that there will be no loss in seniority or status, because the training and the service that is required by us might be different from what the man has been accustomed to.

Inche Abdul Aziz Karim: Sir, can the Minister say what is the official attitude of the Government towards Singapore citizens serving in foreign armed forces including the Malaysian Armed Forces?

Mr Speaker: That is not a supplementary question which properly arises out of the original question.

Mr Lim Kim San: I say good luck and all the best to them.