PART-TIME NATIONAL SERVICEMEN RESIDING IN PULAU TEKONG (Assignment of patrol duties on Island)

Mr Teo Chong Tee asked the Minister for Home Affairs and Education if part-time National Servicemen residing in Pulau Tekong can be assigned petrol duties on the island itself instead of being asked to report to the mainland where they have to incur additional expenses by having to remain overnight after duty, as there is no more launch service in operation from Changi Point to take them back to the island.

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Mr Speaker, Sir, there are 106 part-time Vigilante Corps national servicemen residing in Pulau Tekong and Pulau Ubin. They are all attached to G District. The problem in question has been overcome by releasing these men from training or duties earlier, at 9.30 p.m. This will enable them to catch the launch from Changi Jetty at 10 p.m. by prior arrangement with the launch operator. It is only on certain occasions that they are required to remain for training or duties for the duration of the normal period of training/duties of 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. One such occasion was the training practice to prepare for the "VC Today" celebration last year. In such cases, they are informed well in advance to make arrangements with their relatives or friends to stay overnight on the mainland.

The Vigilante Corps cannot assign these national servicemen patrol duties on the two islands as the low crime rate on these islands does not justify such patrols. Neither can the Vigilante Corps make arrangements for them to be trained on the islands as it is not feasible to establish a training centre with a full complement of supervisors, instructors, equipments and facilities on each island just to cater for 106 out of about 48,000 Vigilante Corps national servicemen.