NATIONAL SERVICE (Enlistment of girls and Number of Young Males studying overseas)

Mr Yeo Choo Kok asked the Minister of Defence and Second Minister for Health (a) in view of the fact that the success of family planning has reduced the manpower available to the Singapore Armed Forces and that many young males have left for overseas studies before they reached the age of 17.,, years old, whether the Ministry of Defence has plans to take girls into National Service in the near future to keep up the SAF's level; (b) how many young males have left the country to continue O" level or "A" level studies abroad in the past five years; (c) how many have not returned to do National Service upon completion of their studies; and (d) whether he will change the present policy in order to ensure that no males except for reasons accepted by the Public Service Commission or the Ministry are allowed to leave for overseas studies before they have completed their National Service.

Dr Yeo Ning Hong (for the Minister of Defence and ,Second Minister for Health): Sir, MINDEF is conscious of the effects of the failing birth rate on the number of males available for national service. Parallel to our success in family planning, the number of men enlisted into the SAF has fallen. Our projections indicate that the pool of 18-year old males for the next five years will continue to fall steadily from about 26,000 this year, 1983, to about 22,000 in 1987.

Sir, fortunately the profile of the national serviceman has also changed. Thanks to better nutrition, living standards and education, our young men coming into the national service at the age of 18 are now better educated, physically much fitter and stronger and in a better state of health than before. This means that a much larger proportion can be deployed for the combat vocations. Members of the House, I am sure, are aware of the efforts made by MINDEF over the years to increase the productivity of the SAF, to streamline the management systems, and to extensively computerize our administration and operations. All these factors have contributed to minimizing the effects of the dwindling intake. Therefore, at the moment, there is no plan to enlist girls into the national service.

Notwithstanding what I have just said, all of us, citizens of Singapore, know that in the event of war which we will obviously do our utmost to prevent, but in the event of war, every citizen will be involved in the war effort in all sorts of capacities. When the survival of our nation is at stake, there can be no bystander. It is therefore of utmost importance that our national servicemen and reservists take their full-time training and their in-camp training seriously.

It is also important that our Singaporeans of the fairer sex, be they sisters, girl friends, wives, mothers, of these national servicemen and reservists, should continue to give full support to their men.

Sir, coming to the second, third and fourth part of the question, a total of 358 young men before the age of 17 1/2 went abroad over the last five years to do their 'O' and 'A' levels. The number is small compared to the total number of national service registrants. Of these 358, 119 have returned from their studies having completed it and they are all doing their National Service. Some have completed it. There has been no case of abscondence. There is therefore no need to change the present policy since it is working very satisfactorily and there has been no abuse.

Mr Ho See Beng (Khe Bong): Mr Speaker, Sir, when the House was debating -

Mr Speaker: Mr Ho, are you asking a supplementary question?

Mr Ho See Beng: Not a supplementary question. It is a point of clarification.

Mr Speaker: On what issue?

Mr Ho See Beng: On the issue that was debated under Head N, Ministry of Finance.

Mr Speaker: When was that?

Mr Ho See Beng: Yesterday.

Mr Speaker: You were not here.

Mr Ho See Beng: Yes, I was not here. That is why I have to ask for clarification.

Mr Speaker: You are completely out of order, Mr Ho. Will you please sit down?

Mr Ho See Beng resumed his seat.