Enforced Physical Exercises or Physical Drills as Punishment for Disciplinary Infringements by Servicemen in SAF

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Defence (a) whether physical punishments of Servicemen by way of enforced physical exercises or physical drills for disciplinary infringements are still allowed in SAF; and (b) if not, when have such punishments been prohibited in SAF.

Physical exercises in the form of push-ups and sit-ups or foot drills, and non-physical punishments, such as additional duties and weekend confinements, can be meted out by Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) commanders as disciplinary measures to soldiers for their disorderly behaviour and improper attire. These forms of discipline are strictly prescribed in the SAF's Joint Manpower Directive which states the number of repetitions that are allowed for specific exercises, the number and duration of additional duties or confinement and the seniority of the commander who are allowed to mete out such disciplinary measures.

SAF personnel who mete out unauthorised punishments or have willfully or negligently infringed training safety regulations in the conduct of punishments, have been dealt with and prosecuted within the SAF or criminal prosecution in the State Courts.