Don Wee on Singapore Armed Forces and Other Matters Bill

The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) has been running Singapore's military cyber defence and intelligence teams in the absence of a specific service branch, said MP Don Wee. Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday (Aug 2), he wanted to know why is it necessary to have a distinct service branch. He voiced concerns with Singapore's limited manpower resources, as the total fertility rate remains substantially below the replacement rate and the population is ageing rapidly. Mr Wee said national defence is not a sector that can be augmented with foreign manpower or talents easily. He wanted to know how MINDEF will ensure that it is able to recruit and retain talent for the proposed Digital and Intelligence Service. He said the situation is acute as it can only hire Singaporeans who have a strong sense of mission and commitment to the country.