ADVERTISING PROGRAMME OF MINDEF (Particulars)

Mr S. Chandra Das asked the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence (a) how much was spent on the advertising programme of the Defence Ministry; (b) whether MINDEF has gained through its advertising; and (c) whether the public understand Total Defence better.

BG Lee Hsien Loong (for the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence): Mr Speaker, Sir, Mindef spent $3 million on advertising last year. $1 million was spent on Total Defence advertising, and $2 million on recruitment advertising.

Advertising in newspapers and on television is one very visible way for Mindef to educate the public about the SAF, about the importance of defence, and about how citizens can contribute to national security. Singaporeans must know what the SAF is doing, they must identify with the SAF, and they must be proud of the SAF. This did not use to be the case, but increasingly it is, partly because of our advertising.

Mindef commissioned a public opinion survey late last year. The results showed various percentages of Singaporeans who believed that:

(1) we can discourage others from attacking us if we are serious about Total Defence - 74%.

(2) SAF training produces good soldiers - 82%.

(3) reservists are ready to fight at any time - 78%.

(4) the SAF is a modern fighting force - 73%.

(5) SAF officers are good leaders - 72%.

(6) full-time National Service is essential for our defence - 96%, nearly every Singaporean.

However, the survey also showed that there are some groups who still know little about the SAF and defence matters. Such people include about one-quarter of Singaporeans, more than 45 years old, and one-third of housewives, Furthermore, only half the population understand that SAF reservists are not only the largest part of our fighting force, but are also front-line soldiers, who will go into combat simultaneously with the regulars and full-time national servicemen, In other words, there is still the general belief that reservists are what you say in Mandarin ( ), ie, after the regulars have fought, after the full-time national servicemen have fought, then you call up the reservists. This is completely wrong. Clearly, the general public needs to be further educated on the front-line role of reservists.

Mindef's public communication objectives for this year are:

(a) to show particular groups, such as parents, teachers, employers, and senior citizens, how they can participate in Total Defence;

(b) to make the public aware that SAF reservists are front-line soldiers who will go into battle at the same time as regulars and full-time national servicemen; and

(c) to improve public knowledge of the SAF.

Advertising will be used again as appropriate.

Mr S. Chandra Das (Chong Boon): Sir, I would like to ask the Minister of State what are Mindef's long-term plans in bringing this message of Total Defence to the people at large.

BG Lee Hsien Loong: Mr Speaker, Sir, our Total Defence message last year was "Total Defence, because a generation's effort can be wiped out in days." That is the first thing which Singaporeans have to understand. As we go along, we plan to involve people in more and more concrete ways to do things connected with Total Defence. So they know what is their role, what is their contribution, what is expected of them. Housewives have to learn civil defence drills, learn first-aid, learn what happens if the building is damaged, learn how to cope with your neighbours. Employers have to learn, and we better educate them, how they can participate if civil resources are mobilized. As you are aware, Mr Speaker, Sir, there is legislation which is currently before the House. School children must be educated on how to grow up, so that ideas of Total Defence, so that consciousness of national security, is second nature to them, so that they do not grow up having a cold, intellectual debate about whether or not it is worth defending this country. They grow up believing, as an axiom of faith, that this is a country which is worth defending, and which they shall defend. That is our longterm plan for Total Defence education in Singapore.

Dr Arthur Beng Kian Lam (Fengshan): Sir, is the Minister of State satisfied that the $2 million spent on recruitment advertisement has been cost-effective?

BG Lee Hsien Loong: Mr Speaker, Sir, $2 million spent on recruitment advertising has to be compared, firstly, to the amount of money which we have to spend on salaries and on wages, and allowances for our manpower, which comes to about $600 million a year. So that is about one-third of a per cent. It is a very small proportion. It is worthwhile, not only for the bodies which it brings in to us, but also for the general education which it provides to the population. Because when you see an advertisement in the Straits Times or in the Zaobao or on television, it is not only the person who cuts out the little box who is affected, but everybody who sees it says yes, the SAF is an outfit which we can be proud of. And from that point of view, also, it has been extremely cost-effective.