#3
Military Defence - Over the Years
How has Military Defence kept our nation safe from external threats over the years?
The forefathers of Singapore realised that, to defend
ourselves when attacked, or more importantly, to deter foreign intervention and
prevent our country from being attacked, we need a strong Military Defence.
This is the reason why the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) was built up. Being a
conscript armed force, the SAF requires all male Singaporean citizens and
non-first-generation permanent residents who have reached the age of 18 to
enrol for national service. The SAF depends not only on these Regulars, but
also on its NS men, NSFs, and their families. When a conscript completes his
full-time service, he is considered to be “operationally-ready” and it is his
responsibility to keep fit, train seriously and keep up-to-date with the latest
military doctrines and equipment. While the men do their part, the women of the
country are expected to provide the much needed encouragement and support.
Singapore is among the list of countries with a national
service exceeding 18 months and a reservist obligation lasting up to age 40 for
enlisted men and 50 for officers. Until June 2004, it had a mandatory national
service period of 30 months.
The Singapore Armed Forces is the military arm of the Total
Defence of the Republic of Singapore, as well as the military component on the
Ministry of Defence. It comprises of three branches, the Singapore Army, the
Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), and the Republic of Singapore Navy
(RSN), where they work together to protect the nation’s interests, sovereignty,
and territorial integrity from external threats.
The fundamental tenets of Singapore’s military defence
policy are deterrence and diplomacy. Over the years, the military has developed
extensive links with the armed forces of other countries. The emphasis on
international peace-keeping and relief operations has also increased in recent
years, such as the peace-keeping operations in East Timor and the Persian Gulf.
Singapore is part of the Five Power Defence Arrangements
together with the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Malaysia. This
was aimed to replace the former defence role of the British in Singapore and
Malaysia, where it obliges members to consult in the event of an external
threat against Singapore and Malaysia.
Furthermore, Singapore has increased its defence budget over
the years. The Ministry of Defence’s total expenditure in the financial year
2012 was said to be $12.28 billion, seeing an increase of 4.3 percent over the
previous year. The defence expenditure constituted 24.4 percent of the government’s
total spending in 2012, which made the ministry the biggest beneficiary of the
budget allocation. The city-state’s defence budget is also expected to hit
$12.32 billion by 2015, meaning that Singapore has the biggest defence budget
in Southeast Asia, and the seventh largest in Asia. Over the years, this money
has been used for the purchase of military equipment, maintenance of equipment
and camps, and the salaries and allowances of the nation’s soldiers with the
sole aim of being prepared in the event of an external threat.
Viyshnu (120868W)
MB1202
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