It may be another 18 years before their sons become
soldiers, but parents of newborn boys are getting an early reminder
from the Government about the importance of national service.
Along with the baby's birth certificate when they
register the birth, parents now receive a letter from the Ministry
of Defence (Mindef).
The letter touches on NS policies, such as applying for
exit permits and deferment for full-time studies. It also states
that the Government may withhold an individual's renunciation of
citizenship if his NS liabilities are not fulfilled.
The Sunday Times understands that Mindef started giving
out the letters early this year.
Mindef said
that the new initiative was "implemented in response to feedback
from some parents that enlistment information would be useful to
them when their children were very young".
It is an
"additional touch point" to parents, on top of the letters which
the ministry sends out when their sons turn 13 and 16 ½.
The first, at
age 13, is to inform the family that an exit permit is required if
their son travels overseas for three months or more, and the
second, to register for NS.
"As part of
Mindef's ongoing engagement efforts to enhance awareness and
understanding of NS commitments, we reach out to parents and
pre-enlistees at various touch points to provide information on NS
policies," a spokesman said.
Not all
parents think that the letter at birth is necessary. Operations
manager J.Y. Lim, 30, whose son was born last month, said: "It's
kind of too early to inform us about NS, since the baby is just
born, but I believe Mindef has its reasons."
Teacher Lim
Lee Choon, 32, who also had a baby boy last month, felt the letter
was informative. While she knew that every male Singaporean would
need to serve NS, she "never knew that implications come on from as
early as when they are 13", until she read the letter.
IT manager
Andy Lee, 43, who has three sons aged 10, 12 and 14, said: "Some
parents may find it a turn-off to be informed of their son's NS
liability at such a young age.
"Still, I
think there's no harm done. Some parents may have been thinking of
relocating overseas with their children at an early age to help
them avoid NS."
The issue of
NS evasion was cast in the spotlight last month, when the High
Court imposed harsher sentences for three NS defaulters, allowing
the prosecution's appeal for a tougher punishment.
Among them was
Ang Lee Thye, 43, who evaded NS for 231/2 years, and was jailed for
two years and nine months - up from the initial sentence of two
years.
Lawyer
Laurence Goh, who has acted for NS defaulters, said the letter can
help clear misconceptions.
"There are
many who moved overseas at a young age and lived there for a long
time. Maybe they got married with children and hold another
country's citizenship," he said.
"But as long
as they have not fulfilled their NS obligations, they can't
renounce the Singapore citizenship." With the letter, parents
cannot claim ignorance as an excuse, he added.
"They have to
be fair to their children to ensure that they do not get into
unnecessary trouble with the law," said Mr Goh.
MP Cedric Foo,
a member of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Defence,
said: "I see the letter at birth as a good reminder to parents
about their sons' NS duties and key milestone dates...
"More
information cannot be bad. Is it premature? I think not. It
actually obviates the need for parents to do research on NS."