Speech by Senior Minister of State for Defence, Mr Zaqy Mohamad, at The Committee of Supply Debates 2024

Introduction

Mr Chairman, Minister for Defence Dr Ng and Senior Minister of State Mr Heng have updated the House on our efforts to ensure that the SAF remains effective and ready to defend Singapore. To complement a strong SAF, Singapore needs a united and resilient population. I will address how we are building commitment to Singapore, and strengthening resilience through Total Defence.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Total Defence. Since its inception in 1984, Total Defence has been our overarching defence strategy, and a whole-of-society response against any threat to our sovereignty, our security, and our way of life. For 40 years, Total Defence has continued to be relevant and has helped us navigate economic downturns, global uncertainties, and even a recent pandemic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw Singaporeans step forward to care for one another. Singaporeans delivered food and essential supplies to those who needed help, supported various COVID-19 measures including vaccinations to protect our population, especially seniors, and reminded one another to be discerning against fake news and misinformation. This was Total Defence in action.

Today's Complex Challenges and Threats

Mr Vikram Nair asked about Total Defence lessons that we could learn from ongoing conflicts around the world. Even as we live in relative peace in Singapore, we must be prepared for threats that can disrupt our way of life and undermine our social identity. Europe enjoyed decades of peace, and many countries abolished conscription due to the "peace dividend". Then, the Ukraine-Russia conflict happened – right at Europe's doorstep. Sweden and Finland quickly applied to join NATO. The physical conflict in Gaza might be geographically far away from Singapore. But it has strong resonance and strong ripple effects on our population and our harmonious social fabric. We have seen how cyber hackers can attack energy infrastructure, as they did in Denmark, or disrupt public transport systems, like they did in Poland. These can affect public confidence and the economy. We have also seen the use of misinformation and hostile information campaigns. Such campaigns can sow distrust, increase anxiety, and create divisions within communities if we are not united and vigilant. This is why we stood up our newest pillar of Digital Defence.

Singapore must be ready for threats – both traditional and emerging ones. Hence, Total Defence is not just a concept or a narrative. It is an imperative for all of us here in Singapore. If and when crises and disruptions hit our shores, every one of us must play our part and stand ready.

40 Years of Total Defence - Strengthening Singaporeans' Resilience and Readiness

Ms Joan Pereira asked about how we are commemorating 40 years of Total Defence (TD40). We have planned a year-long campaign to raise Singapore's threat awareness as well as strengthen our resilience and readiness for crises and disruptions.

Over the past two weeks, education, community, commercial and government organisations, have participated in the inaugural island-wide Total Defence exercise, called Exercise SG Ready. Mr Chong Kee Hiong asked for an update on the exercise. With your permission, Mr Chairman, I have asked the Clerks to distribute a handout on Exercise SG Ready. Members can also access this through the SG Parl MP mobile app. We launched the exercise about two weeks ago, and as Mr Chong Kee Hiong has noted, we had 500 participating organisations then. Two weeks on, more than 800 participating organisations have come on board, and simulated some 250 power disruptions, 300 water or food supply disruptions, and 200 cyber disruptions. Nearly 200 evacuation drills were conducted too.

These include students and educators from over 330 schools. In some schools, students learnt about the value of water when they experienced water supply limitations during recess. In response to a simulated food supply disruption, some secondary school students ate Ready-to-Eat meals from the Singapore Food Agency and SATS, while others learnt to make do with alternatives from a smaller range of food items, which were made available in their canteens. During simulated power disruptions, teachers adjusted their lesson activities to teach outside of classrooms. Through these experiences, students said that they better understood Singapore's vulnerabilities, and the importance of being prepared and adaptable during times of disruption.

In the heartlands, residents adapted to simulated food and water disruptions, and learnt about facilities essential for civic preparedness. Some residents went to alternate places for their groceries and meals when their neighbourhood markets and hawker centres were closed for market cleaning to simulate food disruptions. Over 200 households living in Yung Sheng Road adapted to water disruptions by collecting water from PUB's water wagon and water bag filling machine. Visitors to community facilities such as the PA Integrated Community Hubs participated in evacuation drills. Last week, about 12,000 members of the public visited the Civil Defence shelters at three MRT stations where they learnt shelter procedures and about how these shelters protect civilians in an emergency.

Over 160 businesses took the opportunity to enhance and validate their business continuity plans. For instance, Pontiac Land Group, South Beach, Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa and others tested their business continuity plans in the event of a power failure. Other companies conducted their own simulated cyber phishing exercises, referencing playbooks from the Cyber Security Agency, which were developed in consultation with Google and Microsoft. I spoke to some of the CEOs and business owners, and they told me that the exercise was a timely one.

But what shone through was the spirit of care for fellow Singaporeans. 35 volunteers from the Taman Jurong Community Emergency and Engagement Committee distributed water bags and made house calls during a simulated water disruption. Mr Cheok Xin Lin, a nursing student at the National University of Singapore (NUS), was one of the volunteers, and used his professional training to ensure that all residents and volunteers could participate in the exercise safely. He said that this exercise allowed them to test their contingency plans and help those in need. It also helped them recognise that community support is crucial, as everyone had a part to play in times of crisis.

This year's Exercise SG Ready has provided just a slice of the disruptions that could hit us in a crisis. It has prompted us to think about what we can do, how we can respond, and why we must remain united. I am glad that it has resonated well with participants. We will continue to find ways to educate, and activate and inspire action for Total Defence.

Engaging Singaporeans on Total Defence

Beyond the exercise, we will continue to engage Singaporeans on Total Defence throughout the year. Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim and Ms Rachel Ong asked about these efforts.

We launched the Total Defence Exhibition, which showcases examples of Singaporeans putting Total Defence into action. Through the exhibition, we hope that Singaporeans can reflect on the role that they play to keep Singapore strong and prepared. Visitors are encouraged to make pledges in support of Total Defence. These pledges will be collated on a digital map of Singapore, showcasing Singaporeans' commitment to Total Defence. The exhibition is currently at the Singapore Discovery Centre and from March, it will move into several community spaces, including the National Library and SAFRA Choa Chu Kang.

This year, we also hope to bring the Total Defence community together. MINDEF and NUS will jointly organise a Total Defence Convention for our partners and practitioners in April. The speakers will be both local and international, and will provide perspectives around the theme of "Building Societal Resilience and Readiness in Disruptions and Crises". Our partners and practitioners will also have the opportunity to exchange best practices, network, and discuss ideas through a series of workshops.

Singaporeans Supporting Total Defence

Beyond the programmes planned for 40 years of Total Defence, we will continue to engage different groups of Singaporeans to strengthen Total Defence. Mr Chong Kee Hiong asked about how MINDEF engages our youth.

The Total Defence Sandbox was launched in 2022 to call for ideas from Singaporeans on how the community can put Total Defence into action. I spoke about this at MINDEF's Committee of Supply Debate last year. The Sandbox is now in its third year, and I am happy to update that we continue to receive many ideas, especially from our youth.

This year, we have shortlisted more proposals for implementation. You may have heard about TD@Singverse. Initiated and developed by Finute – a Singapore-based metaverse edutainment company – this proposal taps on the online platform, Roblox, to create a Singapore within the metaverse. Since its launch a week ago, over 3,500 players have joined the TD@Singverse virtual world, where they have learnt about the six pillars of Total Defence through mini-games. Another group of students from NUS proposed an idea to strengthen Digital and Social Defence by harnessing the collective wisdom and skills of an online community of volunteers to identify scam websites, and raise awareness and understanding of scam detection. These are good ideas, and MINDEF will continue to partner the community to implement them.

Together We Keep Singapore Strong

Mr Chairman, the theme of our Total Defence campaign this year is, "Together We Keep Singapore Strong". Our resilience and strength as a nation are dependent on each of us working together towards common goals. Similarly, in the SAF, our servicemen and servicewomen are steadfast in their commitment to Singapore's military defence.

Ms Denise Phua and Mr Faisal Manap asked about inclusiveness in the SAF. The deployment of service personnel to vocations is based on merit, capability and aptitude, as well as their commitment to the SAF and to Singapore, regardless of race, gender, or religion. This approach is fair and optimises our manpower for SAF vocations.

Support for Defence and National Service (NS)

Sir, we are heartened that Singaporeans continue to express strong support for defence and NS. According to an Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) survey on Public Attitudes towards NS, concluded last year, 98% of respondents agreed that NS was necessary in the defence of Singapore. Close to 90% would encourage their friends and loved ones to serve NS even if NS was not compulsory. However, we must not take the strong public affirmation for granted. We will continue to raise community awareness about the importance of NS and defence, as Ms Denise Phua and Mr Lim Biow Chuan highlighted.

One of our efforts is through the Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence (ACCORD), which like Total Defence, is turning 40 this year. Today, ACCORD continues to run a wide range of community outreach initiatives, to reach out to pre-enlistees, youth, new citizens, Permanent Residents (PRs), national servicemen, families, and women. Some Members of Parliament such as Ms He Ting Ru, Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, and Mr Don Wee, are also active members of ACCORD. The goal is to bring society together, to champion and to advocate for Singapore's defence and for NS.

ACCORD initiated NS info-sharing sessions with pre-enlistees, including those who are new citizens and PRs, to better ease their transition into military life. ACCORD also initiated the NS Family Camp in partnership with SAFRA, where families build bashas with full camouflage on and even belt out familiar military tunes.

Supporting our NSmen in their professional development is another key tenet of ACCORD's work. Last year, ACCORD signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with AETOS and Singapore Human Resource Institute. Under these MOUs, our NSmen enjoy concessionary rates for selected programmes to upskill, reskill and learn relevant security and Human Resource knowledge.

Mr Neil Parekh asked about the role of employers in supporting our NSmen, in recognition of their contributions towards the defence of Singapore. The best form of employer support for our NSmen is to support their NS commitments. For instance, some employers introduce flexible work arrangements before In-Camp Training, or celebrate our NSmen's NS achievements during company events. We are heartened to see that in the same IPS survey, 95% of employed NSmen respondents agreed that their employers were supportive of their NS commitments. I thank employers for their support.

Ms Denise Phua also asked about the role of women in defence. Today, women are already contributing to our military defence as Regulars and volunteers. Since 2015, more than 600 women have volunteered as part of the SAF Volunteer Corps and have been trained and deployed in roles such as in surveillance operations, engineering, and safety. Members might also be familiar with another ACCORD initiative, the Women's Boot Camp, which started in 2018 to provide women with a glimpse of NS life through participation in Basic Military Training activities. The experience has inspired some to even consider a career in the SAF. We continue to reach out to women to be our advocates for NS and defence, and encourage them to do their part, wherever they can.

Conclusion

Mr Chairman, reflecting on the past 40 years of Total Defence, we find a journey marked by strength, resilience, and a collective commitment by Singaporeans to safeguard our home and our way of life. Over the decades, we have continuously evolved our approach to Total Defence to adapt to evolving challenges. Yet, amidst all these challenges, what endures is the unwavering spirit of Total Defence and the understanding that everyone has a part to play. As we move forward, let us remember that keeping Singapore strong is a shared responsibility – not just during crises and disruptions but also during peacetime. Together, let us keep Singapore strong for many generations to come.

Thank you.