PRESS REPORTS OF COMPLAINTS OF NATIONAL SERVICEMEN (Lifting of ban)

The following Question stood in the name of Mr Chiam See Tong -

Mr Chiam See Tong: To ask the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence whether he will consider lifting the ban on press reports of complaints concerning National Servicemen.

Mr Chandra Das: Question No. 2, Sir.

BG Lee Hsien Loong (for the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence): Mr Speaker, Sir, there is no ban on press reports of complaints concerning National Servicemen. The press is free to report on any factual matters concerning National Servicemen, unless of course such information has security implications.

Servicemen may not communicate with the press on SAF matters without written permission from the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence. This is to maintain security and military discipline.

There are existing channels within the SAF for servicemen to lodge complaints. If a serviceman is not satisfied with the outcome, he can seek redress by writing directly to the Armed Forces Council, the highest body in the SAF.

The Minister for Defence has also written to inform all MPs of the procedures to follow should they wish to take up with Mindef any cases involving their constituents.

Mindef investigates every such complaint thoroughly. If any wrongdoing is found, the culprits will be punished. But if the complaint proves to be unfounded and vexatious, the SAF will take disciplinary action against the serviceman who made it.