Adequacy of $81 Monthly Transport Pass for Full-time National Servicemen

Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat asked the Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister for Defence (a) what proportion of full-time national servicemen (NSFs) are in stay-out postings without lodging or meals; (b) whether the Ministry considers the current purchasable $81 monthly transport pass adequate for NSFs earning $790 per month; and (c) whether the Ministry will provide, by default, free public transport for NSFs, as Austria does for their conscripts.

The vast majority of Full-time National Servicemen (NSFs) in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are deployed to roles where their lodging and meals are provided. Only around 12% of NSFs in the SAF are stay-out personnel who are not provided lodging.

All NSFs, including stay-out personnel, are provided with the same monthly base allowance that is sized for their basic personal upkeep. In doing so, the transportation needs of NSFs have been considered, including the cost of the public transport concession card.

The cost of providing free transport for NSFs would need to be cross-subsidised by other commuters through higher fares, or by taxpayers. Some countries choose to provide conscripts with a national travel pass to cover their travel expenses. In Singapore, we have included the cost of public transport for NSFs in their NS allowances. Either way, the costs are funded by the Government and ultimately, by taxpayers.

We choose to take care of our NSFs by providing them with cash through their monthly NS allowance, rather than directly prescribing specific provisions for them. In this way, we give NSFs the agency to purchase items according to their needs.