Debated in Parliament on 7 Jul 2014.
Mr Arthur Fong asked the Minister for Defence among the 532,000 permanent residents (PRs) in 2013 (a) how many children of these PRs upon reaching 18 years old (i) have served or are serving National Service (NS); (ii) did not serve NS; and (b) how many in this group have relinquished their PR status.
Madam, the Member asked a number of questions related to Permanent Residents (PRs) who serve or do not serve NS and he based his question on the total number of PRs in 2013. In my reply, let me first say that the total number of PRs in Singapore in 2013 or in any year, is not the appropriate population to base the query or the answers on, for the simple reason that that number includes individuals who are not liable for NS. For example, they include female PRs and first generation PRs. It also includes male PRs who have already completed their NS and/or those who have not reached the age of 18 years to serve full-time NS. But I understand what the query is, so I will give the answer to them.
The majority of NS-liable PRs serve NS. Over the past five years, about 7,200 males who had become PRs under the sponsorship of their parents, what we term as second generation PRs who are liable for NS, were enlisted for and served NS. So, over the last five years, 7,200 males. Over the same five-year period, about 2,600 second generation PR males renounced their PR status, prior to serving NS. As MINDEF has cautioned, these ex-PRs who have not served their NS, will face serious adverse consequences when they subsequently apply to study or work in Singapore
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