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Posted: 15 June 2004 1532 hrs

Full-time NS to be cut to 2 years from Dec 2004 intake: Defence minister
By S. Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : Singapore is shortening its full-time National Service by six months.

NSmen, who are 18 years of age and promoted to the rank of corporals or higher, will only serve two years instead of two-and-half years.

This takes effect from the December 2004 intake.

There will also be a graduated reduction in NS stints for batches enlisted earlier.

In a ministerial statement to Parliament on Tuesday, Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean assured the nation that the operational readiness of the Singapore Armed Forces and its ability to carry out its mission will not be affected.

Rear-Admiral Teo explained that two key factors have come together to allow for this change - the transformation of the SAF into a third generation fighting force and a projected surge in the NS intake over the next 10 years.

There will be a 15 to 20 percent increase in the annual intake of full-time NS men over 10 years from 2006.

This is because of a higher birth rate from the Dragon year in 1988, which lasted till 1997.

There will be no change for those serving two years full-time NS.

The Home Affairs Ministry will make similar cuts for those serving NS in the Singapore Police Force and Singapore Civil Defence Force.

Mindef is also working with local universities to realign their intakes from 2007 to be in line with the shorter NS stints. - CNA