Women, new citizens can join proposed volunteer military corps

SINGAPORE — Women, new citizens and first-generation permanent residents (PRs) can sign up to do their bit for national defence, such as protecting key installations, under a new military volunteer corps proposed by the Committee to Strengthen National Service (CSNS).

They will have to commit to serving between one and two weeks a year, for at least three years.

They also need to first go through four weeks of training in basic military skills and values before they will be deployed alongside full-time national servicemen and regulars. Specifics of the training as well as other details, such as whether an allowance will be paid or how much this will be, are still being worked out.

The CSNS’ recommendation follows calls that have been made from time to time for new citizens and first-generation PRs to fulfil National Service (NS).

At a press conference yesterday, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said that while there are some valid arguments behind such calls, most people accept that it would be difficult for those who came to Singapore late as working adults to serve.

“Moreover, NS must be for a real and critical need to defend Singapore, neither tokenistic nor symbolic. The committee therefore recommended that the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) set up a volunteer corps to allow those who do not have NS duties to defend Singapore, too,” he said.

Under the proposal, volunteers can either serve under an Operations or a Specialist track. The former is open to those aged between 18 and 35, who want to help in areas such as protection of key installations and access control for big events, as well as supporting medical and information roles.

For the latter track, they can do so up to the age of 45 in the legal, psychology, information, medical, engineering and maritime fields.

The scheme is targeted to start by the middle of next year, with about 100 to 150 expected to sign up.

Currently, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) has a volunteer scheme, which began in 1946, with almost a thousand volunteers today, said Commissioner of Police Ng Joo Hee yesterday. The SPF website said Voluntary Special Constabulary officers go through twice-a-week non-residential training at the Police Academy for nine months before they can be deployed.

They don the same uniform and have the same powers as regular policemen. Junior officers — those below the rank of Inspector — perform 16 hours of duty per month, while senior officers must commit at least 24 hours monthly. They receive an allowance of S$3.60 per hour, regardless of rank.

Private trader Ali Zaidi, a PR who has applied for citizenship, expressed interest in signing up for the SAF Volunteer Corps, saying it can create a sense of shared experience that binds people. “(It is) something I didn’t have growing up in Pakistan.”

Polytechnic student Arifa Khadijah, 20, also said she would be keen. “I am interested to know how the army works. It doesn’t require two years, so it is much more feasible,” she said. Xue Jianyue