EXIT PERMITS FOR RESERVISTS

Mr Ang Nam Piau asked the Minister of Defence if he will consider scrapping exit permits for reservists as in the case of part-time National Servicemen in the Special Constabulary and Vigilante Corps.

The Minister of State of Defence (Mr Bernard Chen) (for the Minister of Defence): Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to inform the hon. Member for Thomson that we cannot equate our SAF reservists to those in the Special Constabulary and the Vigilante Corps. As a national service army the SAF depends critically on our reservists. For operational reasons, we would like to know where they are at any one time should they have to be recalled at short notice, unlike those in the Special Constabulary and the Vigilante Corps.

My Ministry has been trying its best to reduce or minimise the inconvenience faced by the reservists in getting exit permits. We have streamlined the procedures in CMPB so that reservists now can get their exit permits within 1 1/2-2 hours. When our manpower computer comes on-line in about six months' time, we will be installing on-line facilities at the Toa Payoh SAFRA House so that reservists need not come to CMPB, but they can go to Toa Payoh SAFRA House to get their exit permits. In future, when we establish two more SAFRA Houses at Queenstown and Bedok, similar facilities will also be introduced.

We are also exploring the possibility of issuing exit permits at post offices which will also make it much easier for reservists. But the introduction of this facility will depend on the extent to which we can computerise the various data required for the issue of exit permits. This is in hand and when these computerised facilities are ready we will introduce them at the post offices.