FULL-TIME NATIONAL SERVICEMEN IN POLICE FORCE

Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Defence (a) what percentage of full-time National Servicemen (NSF) do their national service in the police force and what is their ethnic breakdown; (b) what are the criteria used for channelling these NSF into the police force; and (c) what percentage of these NSF join the police force as regulars after their national service stint.

The Minister for Defence (Dr Lee Boon Yang): Mr Speaker, Sir, every eligible male Singaporean is called up for full-time National Service. Full-time National Servicemen are deployed to the SAF, Police or Civil Defence which are all part of our Total Defence system. About 8% serve in the Police Force. Of those deployed to the Police Force, about 3% to 4% join as regulars after their full-time National Service.

Taking our Total Defence system as a whole, the ethnic composition of the NSF corresponds to the ethnic profile of the population. However, each individual's service does not necessarily follow the overall ethnic profile. Currently, there are proportionately more Malays in the Police and Civil Defence than in the SAF. This reflects the operational and security requirements of each Force as well as the educational qualifications, physical attributes and vocational aptitudes of the National Servicemen.