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National Service in Singapore: Early years

Full-time National Service was introduced in Singapore in March 1967. When Singapore attained independence in 1965, it needed urgently to build up its own defence capability. However, it could not afford a large army of professional soldiers. Conscription was seen as the best way to build up a credible defence force without placing a heavy burden on Singapore's manpower and financial resources.

National Service under the British
It was the British who first introduced the idea of National Service in Singapore. During the Emergency, the Legislative Council passed a National Service Ordinance in 1952 which came into effect in 1954. However, it was not well received by the local population. In protest of the Ordinance, the Chinese Middle School students rioted and barricaded themselves in schools.  As a result, the policy came to a premature end.

A volunteer force
After separation from Malaysia on 9 August 1965, an urgent priority for Singapore was to build up its own defence capability. It immediately established a Ministry of Interior and Defence. The first Minister for Defence was Goh Keng Swee, his Permanent Secretary was George Bogaars, a professional civil service administrator. Goh and his team decided that the best way to raise a credible force without placing a heavy burden on Singapore's manpower and financial resources was to develop a small nucleus of regulars backed up by a large part-time volunteer reservist force. Calls for volunteers were announced in October 1965 and by the end of the year when the Parliament passed laws establishing a new Singapore Army and the People's Defence Force, some 3,000 Singaporeans had responded to the call.

A citizen army
By 1966, the Singapore Government had decided to transform the Singapore Armed Forces from a small force of regulars backed by volunteer reservists into a large citizen army based on conscription and long term compulsory reservist service. The impetus for this decision was Britain's intention to reduce its forces in Malaysia and Singapore, which meant that Singapore could no longer rely completely on the protective security cover provided by the presence of British troops here. On 29 November 1966, Goh announced that all new Government and statutory board members would have to undergo military training with effect from 1 January 1967. Following that, on 21 February 1967, Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew made a historic speech at the Toa Payoh Community Centre in which he revealed that the Government would introduce National Service on a large scale.

The full details of the new scheme were spelt out a few days later in an announcement on 25 February 1967. All 18 year old male Singapore citizens and permanent residents as well as civil servants and students would be called up for National Service. 10% would be called up for full-time training and after their full-time service they would return to civilian life but would be placed in the Reserve Service. The remainder would be called up for part-time service with the People's Defence Force, the Special Constabulary and the Vigilantes. The National Service (Amendment) Bill was tabled on 27 February 1967. The Parliament passed the Bill on 14 March 1967.

The first call-up
The first registration for National Service opened on 28 March 1967. By the end of the registration, over 9,000 young men of eligible age groups had registered. Ten per cent of the registrants were selected for full-time National Service in the army, while the rest were enrolled for part-time service in either the People's Defence Force, the Special Constabulary or the Vigilante Corps. The first intake of 900 full-time National Service men were enlisted on 17 July 1967 and were enlisted into two newly formed battalions; 3rd Singapore Infantry Regiment (3 SIR) and 4th Singapore Infantry Regiment (4 SIR). They completed their full-time National Service in August 1969 and passed into what was then called the "Reserves".

Impact
National Service has come a long way since its beginning. It has been an integral part of Singapore's defence, providing peace and prosperity for the nation for more than 30 years. Apart from fulfilling military requirements, National Service has also played an important role in nation building. By bringing young Singapore from diverse backgrounds together, it helps to forge unity and cohesion among Singaporeans. 



Author
Ong Eng Chuan



References 
Chiang, M. (1990). Fighting Fit: The Singapore Armed Forces (pp. 28-41). Singapore: Times Edition.
(Call no.: RSING 355.0095957 CHI)

Chiang, M. (1997). SAF and 30 years of National Service. Singapore: Armour Publishing.
(Call no.: RSING 355.22 CHI)

Huxley, T. (2000). Defending the Lion City: The Armed Forces of Singapore (pp. 1-14). St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin.
(Call no.: RSING 355.3095957 HUX)

Low. W. M. (1990). The Foundations (1965-1970). SAF at 25. The Pointer 16 (3), 10-23. 
(Call no.: RSING 355.005 P)

Singapore. Ministry of Culture. (1972). Singapore (pp. 98-100).  Singapore: Author.
(Call no.: RCLOS 959. 57 SIN )

Singapore Year Book (pp. 157-158). (1965). Singapore: Government Printing Office.
(Call no.: RCLOS 959. 57 SIN) 

Singapore Year Book (pp.174-176). (1966). Singapore: Government Printing Office.
(Call no.: RCLOS 959. 57 SIN) 

Singapore Year Book (pp. 5-10, 184-185). (1967). Singapore: Government Printing Office.
(Call no.: RCLOS 959. 57 SIN) 

Singapore Year Book (pp.171-172). (1968). Singapore: Government Printing Office.
(Call no.: RCLOS 959. 57 SIN) 



Further Readings
Call-up for the new citizens hints Dr Goh. (1967, March 15). The Straits Times, p. 5.

Call-up is launched: Reminder cards go out to 9,000 youths. (1967, March 18). The Straits Times, p. 6.

Chandran, R. (1967, March 29). Girls Help in Call-up: Registration Begins in Singapore. The Straits Times, p. 7

Lee, G. (1966, November 30). From Next Year in Singapore Army Training for New Civil Servants. The Straits Times, p. 1. 

How SAF and NS Began. (1992, June 30). The Straits Times, p. 19.

National Service Bill Passed in Singapore Parliament. (1967, March 14). The Straits Times, p. 20.

Registration dates for National Service. (1967, March 15). The Straits Times, p. 8.

Singapore Call-up: Military for the Girls Too. (1967, February 26). The Straits Times, pp. 1-2.


List of Images
A General View of the Registration in Progress at the Opening of Registration. (1967, March 29). Straits Times, p. 7. 

The information in this article is valid as at 2002 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.

Subject
Politics and Government>>National Security>>Defence
National service--Singapore
Law and government>>Security>>Army
Law and government>>Political ideologies>>Nationalism



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