NATIONAL SERVICE

Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam asked the Minister of Defence and Second Minister for Health whether he will ask the proper authority under the Enlistment Act to ensure that those who are not called up for national service soon after they become liable for service are informed whether they will be called up and, if they will be called up, the likely date of their call up so as not to prejudice their chances of finding employment.

Mr Goh Chok Tong: There are four national service intakes each year, at the end of March, June, September and December. MINDEF's policy is to enlist national service registrants at the first opportunity after they reach 18 years of age. They are given one to two month's notice.

Generally, all male citizens, other than those who have been given notice of exemption from national service on medical grounds, can expect to be called up by 18 years 3 months. But there are two exceptions: the first comprises those who are deferred from national service for approved reasons like full-time study, temporary medical unfitness, and temporary financial hardship. They are enlisted soon after expiry of their deferment period.

The second group comprises those who are deliberately called up later, so that there may be a spread of quality and quantity of national servicemen among the four intakes. They are normally enlisted before they turn 19. Any registrant who is liable for full-time national service but has not received his enlistment notice by 19, can always contact the Central Manpower Base to find out whether he will be called up. MINDEF has always been willing to inform the registrant, and even his prospective employer, his national service status. This arrangement has been working well. There is no compelling reason to change it.

The Central Manpower Base cannot state definitely before a registrant attains 19 years of age, that he will not be enlisted for full-time national service. This is because the numbers required for each national service intake cannot be finalised many months in advance. Applications for deferment often come late. Some registrants want to repeat school examinations. Others who were medically fit have become unfit. The list goes on. For the same reason, the Central Manpower Base cannot specify the call-up date for each registrant, other than observe the general rule of enlisting as many as possible at the first opportunity after they turn 18, and of giving one to two month's notice of enlistment.