1 in 5 NS enlistees made up of new citizens and PRs, says Ng Eng Hen who slams PSP's Leong Mun Wai for 'misleading' claims

New citizens and Singapore permanent residents (PRs) form about 20 per cent of all national servicemen who are now enlisted. Of these, "slightly more than half" are citizens by registration and the remaining are PRs, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said on Tuesday (Aug 2).

He added that each year since 2000, an average of 3,400 new citizens register for National Service (NS). Under the Enlistment Act, all male citizens and Singapore PRs will be liable for NS registration upon reaching the age of 16.5 years old.   

Dr Ng provided these figures in Parliament in a ministerial statement on the topic of new citizens serving NS, which he said was prompted by “inaccurate and misleading” assertions by Mr Leong Mun Wai, Progress Singapore Party's Non-Constituency Member of Parliament.

Last month, Mr Leong claimed in Parliament— as part of his supplementary question for Dr Ng — that new citizens are not serving NS. Dr Ng had spoken then about NS disruption or deferment for those with sporting and arts talent. 

“Let there be no doubt that for every young male citizen, whether by birth, registration or descent, the NS liabilities are the same. We do not differentiate," Dr Ng stressed.