TOTAL DEFENCE SPECIAL EDITION

MCI (P) 031/10/2021

MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022

NOT SO BASIC TRAINING

The army's national service has evolved
mightily since 1967. p12&13

Everyday
heroes People power keeps
the nation strong.

PILLARS IN ACTION
How six parts of TD came together
to fight Covid-19. p2
 2 TOTAL DEFENCE DAY 2022
How Total Defence pillars
support the Covid-19 fight
Two years have passed
since the World Health
Organisation declared
Covid-19 a public health
emergency. To cope,
Singapore has relied on its
Total Defence mentality.
SERENE LUO looks at how
being prepared helped the
nation reduce the fallout
from the global pandemic.
ECONOMIC DEFENCE
Singapore ploughed $11 billion into the fight
against Covid-19 in 2021 alone. The money sup-
ported workers and businesses hit by the pan-
demic, and bolstered the healthcare sector.
This was on top of the close to $100 billion
spent over four Budgets in 2020 to fight the
virus.
Much of this money came from the reserves,
essentially Singapore’s “savings”.
It was a lifeline. People who had lost jobs or
income could still get a small handout; while
the money also paid for things like the vaccina-
tion programme and support for businesses.
Separately, Singapore has always maintained
a stockpile of essential items – from rice to
household items, even medicine and masks.
Even though countries had closed borders or
instituted lockdowns, various government agen-
cies here worked to ensure that essentials, such
as vegetables and eggs from Malaysia, contin-
ued to be imported to prevent shortages.
CIVIL DEFENCE
Healthcare workers have been the backbone of
the civil defence effort against Covid-19.
Barely a few months into its official opening
in September 2019, the National Centre for In-
fectious Diseases was swamped by the out-
break.
Healthcare workers had to screen hundreds
of patients and care for their physical and men-
tal health. And as they also looked after those
seriously affected by the virus, their risk of catch-
ing it was higher.
Protecting the nation was a whole-nation ef-
fort. For instance, the Health Ministry turned
convention halls, like Singapore Expo and
Changi Exhibition Centre, into community care
facilities. This was to deal with the outbreaks in
migrant workers’ dormitories that were partly
caused by their tight living quarters.
As for the Singapore Civil Defence Force, its
emergency responders worked 24/7 in shifts,
ferrying patients to hospital or quarantine facili-
ties.
SOCIAL DEFENCE
At the start of the pandemic, masks were in
short supply. But community groups
stepped up.
One of them, Masks Sewn With Love,
brought together volunteers who donated
fabric and elastics. They made at least
250,000 cloth masks.
The masks went to places like crisis shel-
ters and homes, to front-line workers, chil-
dren and the elderly from vulnerable fami-
lies, as well as domestic workers, among
others. SingPost waived the postage
charges for the masks the group sent out.
Separately, when more than 58,000 mi-
grant workers fell ill with Covid-19 in the sec-
ond half of 2020, various community groups
came forward to help.
Some raised funds to treat them to local fare
or baked goods, such as brownies or cakes. Indi-
viduals also donated their Rediscover Singa-
pore vouchers to migrant workers.
These initiatives helped strengthen social fab-
ric and build community spirit.
MILITARY DEFENCE
Soldiers were not deployed in a conventional
military way in the fight against Covid-19.
Instead, servicemen helped by packing
masks that were distributed to the population,
and with contact tracing during the early days
of the pandemic.
In 2021, when the Ministry of Health hotline
was overwhelmed during the introduction of
the Home Recovery Scheme, the Singapore
Armed Forces also provided manpower to be
“buddies” of the patients isolated at home.
PSYCHOLOGICAL DEFENCE
People have been stressed out during the pan-
demic.
A recent Institute of Mental Health report
found that 8.7 per cent of the surveyed Singa-
pore respondents met the criteria for clinical de-
pression, while 9.4 per cent had anxiety. It also
found that 9.3 per cent had mild to severe
stress.
It was not just adults who suffered pandemic
stress – due to fears of losing one’s job, money
woes or contracting Covid-19. Young people
were also identified as a vulnerable group.
Among other things, the National Care Hot-
line was started in September 2020 so that any-
one in need could reach out for help.
Separately, during the May 2020 school holi-
days, the Ministry of Education sent “holiday
care packs” home with students, to teach them
MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES
ST ILLUSTRATION: CEL GULAPA
how to better support their peers and to pro-
mote healthy activities that could improve their
mental health.
It also started Youthopia, a portal where
young people could access resources to help
them cope with the restrictions of living with
the virus.
Access to authentic information was a prior-
ity for the Government as it would help ease
the public’s worries. Prime Minister Lee Hsien
Loong made several televised speeches to
keep Singaporeans informed of developments,
while reassuring them that things were under
control. He also promised he would stay on as
prime minister at least until the Covid-19 crisis
was over.
DIGITAL DEFENCE
The misuse of social media became a cause for
concern, especially during the early days of the
pandemic.
Trolls and liars circulated false and fake infor-
mation that was unwittingly amplified by care-
less users.
As of December last year, 19 of the 33 times
Singapore’s fake news law was used was in
cases of Covid-19 misinformation.
For instance, some social media posts
claimed that Singapore’s mask supplies were
running out while, in another case, local author
Cheah Kit Sun claimed without evidence that
Covid-19 vaccines were “the most dangerous
ever developed in recent memory”.
Another post even claimed that a new vari-
ant of Covid-19 had developed in Singapore.
All these are false. The law had to be used to
make those who posted these untruths take the
posts down or issue corrections.
Covid-19 Mental Wellness Taskforce report, ST File
 3 TOTAL DEFENCE DAY 2022
Seven Singaporeans tell LEAH D’CRUZ how they do their part
in their everyday lives to keep Singapore’s defences strong
“
I am proud that I contribute to
Singapore’s social defence. One way
that I do so is by greeting my
neighbours with Chinese greetings
such as ‘gong xi fa cai’ and ‘xin nian
kuai le’ during festive celebrations.
I also have a cordial relationship
with my neighbours, they do not
complain when my family plays loud
music during Hari Raya.
As an early childhood education
student who interacts with children a
lot, I like to inculcate the value of
being socially accepting of every
race.”
Ms Nur Dini Qistina Imran, 21, student
“
I remember that we could start
classes slightly later because of Total
Defence Day and that was
something I looked forward to.
Although I did not pay much
attention to it then, I realised as I
grew older that I do have a part to
play in Total Defence. Covid-19 has
forced firms, including small
businesses, to have an online
platform.
As a social media coach, I help
small businesses gain more traffic
and engagement on their social
media platforms. This contributes to
economic defence, which I am very
happy to be a part of!”
Ms Sindhu Mohan, 20, social media coach
“
As a front-liner for Covid-19, I
wanted to go the extra mile as I
know I have a part to play in
Singapore’s defence.
In 2020, I volunteered as a nurse
to take care of our migrant workers
when they contracted the virus.
I will never forget their excitement
to interact with us front-liners during
this tough time.
I am proud to have practised
psychological defence and will
continue doing my best to make
Singapore a safer place.”
Ms Dorothy Chong, 34, nurse
MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES
“
As I am a model, I am very exposed
to social media because it is where I
can expand my connections. This has
made me more cautious of what I
post and see on the Internet.
Fake news is everywhere, it is in
our hands to determine if what we
see on the Internet is real.
I do my part by calling out fake
news whenever I see it. For example,
when my mother sends links in our
WhatsApp family group chat, I am
the first to tell her if the links are
fake and to stop spreading them.
This small step ensures that our
digital defence is well-protected.”
Mr Srri Ramm, 21, model
“
I did not think much of Total Defence
Day as a student, but national
service changed my mind.
It made me conscious of how
Singapore can be a vulnerable
country – the peace and security that
we have is often taken for granted.
One way I ensure Singapore’s
defence is strong is by taking
ownership of my personal hygiene.
For example, I make it a point to
adhere to safe management
measures, such as checking in,
temperature taking, Antigen Rapid
Testing, and wearing my mask at all
times whenever I’m out.”
Mr Alexander Yong, 26, research officer
“
I save about 50 to 60 per cent of my
monthly income.
Saving is an important habit
because it allows us to sustain our
lifestyles during rainy days.
I develop this habit by setting a
goal for myself. For example, as I
wanted to get a new DSLR camera
and lighting equipment, I decided to
set aside a percentage of my
monthly income so I could buy it.
I am happy that this habit actually
contributes to the economic growth
and defence of Singapore.”
Mr Danial Iskandar, 26, photographer
“
During the circuit-breaker period in
2020, gyms shut and training
sessions were cancelled. I had to
think of a way to stay fit.
I bought weights and trained at
fitness corners and parks.
I stay fit as it keeps my mental
health in check and helps me to
de-stress whenever I feel tense.
Covid-19 has stretched all of us,
but what matters is how we go
about tough times, rather than just
wait around and do nothing at all.”
Mr Gundu Mahidhar Reddy, 22, basketball player
 4 TOTAL DEFENCE DAY 2022 MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES

NATURAL THREATS

Emerging stronger
2016 that Singapore saw its first locally transmitted case
of the Zika virus.
The virus was first discovered in 1947 and is named af- Town councils work with the
Before the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, Singa- ter the Zika Forest in Uganda. National Environment Agency to
pore had weathered two scary situations within the past For about 80 per cent of people who catch it – usually inspect and fog estates to
minimise mosquito breeding.
generation or so. through Aedes mosquito bites – they suffer no symp- One key strategy of this is to
In 2003, severe acute respiratory syndrome, more of- toms. But others may have fever, muscle or joint pains, detect and destroy potential
breeding sites.

after troubling times

ten referred to as Sars, spread across borders, affecting rashes and, for some pregnant women, their babies may The NEA raised the penalty
mostly Asia. Also caused by a coronavirus, 238 probable be born with microcephaly, a condition where they have for repeated mosquito breeding
cases of the disease were detected here. in 2020. From a flat fine of $200
very small heads and brain damage. for households found breeding
It killed 33 people, which meant it had a 14 per cent Stamping out the breeding of mosquitoes has been a mosquitoes, the fine has gone up
to $300 for a second offence, or
fatality rate. constant battle here year after year, as a way of fighting if the place has more than one
And while dengue has been endemic here, it was in both dengue and Zika. breeding spot; and $400 if it is
more serious.

The invasion of Singapore 80 years ago is not the only conflict the nation has experienced.
SERENE LUO breaks down the evolving threats and different types of ‘wars’ the country has
faced since it gained independence.

WHAT IS A HYBRID
THREAT?
In the past, military
threats from other
groups were usually
conventional forms of
aggression – usually an
army advancing with
weapons to take over
land.
And you could see
them in front of you – Investors of a Lehman
soldiers, big vehicles and Brothers-linked product leaving a
so on. dialogue session in 2008. That
year, the investment bank Lehman
ECONOMIC FAILURE to global investment banks and companies, including
the infamous Lehman Brothers, going bankrupt.
But warfare has Brothers collapsed. It triggered
what is called a “credit event” that Lehman had acquired five mortgage lenders, but lost
changed. Threats are About a decade or so ago, from 2008 to 2009, Singa- so much money on them that it ran out of cash. Some
wiped out any value in a product
now hybrid, meaning called DBS High Notes 5.This pore went through its worst-ever recession. banks and brokerages in Singapore had sold products
they not only make use caused massive losses for more A recession is when trade and industrial activities are linked to Lehman, and these investments soured, anger-
than 1,400 retail investors here, reduced, and the amount of money an economy earns
of military force, they including elderly customers, who ing the people who had bought them.
also make use of covert, bought some $103 million worth goes down. Among other things, companies retrenched workers,
meaning secretive, of the product. A few things led to this. In the United States, uncon- cut wages, froze salaries and more to ride out the crisis.
tactics. trolled borrowing of money and rising housing prices led The Government had to take out more than $23 billion
Hybrid threats can to many people being unable to repay their loans. It led to help companies and workers cope.
destroy from within, for
example by making
people panic or have
less trust in their country
or its systems.
For instance, a cyber
army may sow distrust
through fake news (or
intentional
The authorities negotiating with the terrorists who tried to blow up the Shell Oil Refinery in Pulau Bukom Besar in 1974. The attackers had hijacked the disinformation) so
ferry Laju to escape and were holding its crew hostage. ST FILE PHOTO
people in a society start
fighting among
TERROR ATTACKS They pretended to be leisure fishermen when hiring a themselves.
boat, but took over the craft. Carrying sub-machine guns Or, cyber attacks
and explosives, they detonated bombs at three oil tanks, could be used to tamper
Singapore has been directly affected by terrorism a few which caused minimal damage. They then escaped by hi- with stock markets or
times over the years. jacking a ferry, the Laju, and forced the crew to sail into create havoc within
Terrorism refers to when violence is used to force an international waters. infrastructure like
authority, such as a government, to give in to or help fur- Negotiations to free the crew took more than a week. reservoirs, power
ther the terrorist’s political or social goals. The hijackers were then flown to Kuwait, where they stations and banks.
In 1965, before Singapore gained independence, were handed to the authorities there. Had the hijackers And these threats Climate change has led to more
succeeded in destroying the refinery, there might have now originate not just extreme weather conditions in
there was a bombing here. Indonesia had opposed the
formation of Malaysia, and had been launching guerrilla been a worldwide shortage of oil, as Singapore was then from nations, but also CLIMATE CHANGE above sea level, meaning there could be disastrous ef- Singapore, such as torrential rain last
April that caused flash flooding and
the world’s third-largest oil refinery. non-state groups, such fects if sea levels continue to rise at its current pace. the 2019 dry spell that “fried” grass
attacks in Malaysian states. as religious, social or As climate change intensifies, the weather gets and reduced water reservoir levels.
In more recent years, two attacks against specific com- This might be a familiar scene to many of you: Wet ST FILE PHOTOS
On March 10, 1965, two Indonesian soldiers set off a political organisations, or warmer, and rainfall increases. This means sea levels are
munities at their places of worship were foiled in 2020 school shoes and socks as you squelch your way to
bomb in MacDonald House, in Dhoby Ghaut, which then and 2021. In one of the cases, the would-be attacker was individuals even. school in a morning thunderstorm; public bus or car also rising.
housed HSBC bank. The explosion caused a lift to So while climate change is a worldwide phenomenon Go to page 6 to read
just 16 years old and had been influenced by a domestic The European Centre of stuck in traffic because roads are flooded. about the current and
plunge down the shaft, and rubble littered the street out- terrorist who killed people in New Zealand. Excellence for Countering Bad news: If more is not done to combat climate and threat, it is an extra-serious threat to Singapore. future threats that
side. Three people died and several were injured. Such incidents not only struck fear or dread into peo- Hybrid Threats change, this scene might play out more often. Roots.sg, Singapore Terrorism Threat Assessment Report Singapore faces.
Separately, four men tried to blow up the Shell Oil Re- ple’s hearts at those times, they also created longer- Overall, almost all of Singapore is 15m or lower than 2021, cdc.gov, Ministry of Health Singapore, Gleneagles
finery in Pulau Bukom Besar in 1974. term psychological damage too. sea level. And at least 30 per cent of Singapore is just 5m Hospital website, National Climate Change Secretariat
6 TOTAL DEFENCE DAY 2022
Keep calm and carry on
NUR SYAHIIDAH ZAINAL looks at three pressing issues facing the world this year
US-CHINA RELATIONS
The United States and China are the world’s
two largest economic powers.
Their ties – often already marked by tension
and suspicion – reached new lows last year.
The two giants crossed swords over trade,
technology, the Covid-19 outbreak, human
rights issues, the South China Sea and Taiwan.
This jockeying for global influence has led
some to compare it to the Cold War, which was
a conflict between the US and the Soviet Union
that ended in the early 1990s.
The current rivalry is more complex as the
US and China are dependent on each other as
major trade and business partners.
GOING FORWARD
Despite the tension, many experts believe that
US-China ties this year will remain non-con-
Container ships waiting off the
coast of the congested Ports of
Los Angeles and Long Beach in
California, US, last October.
PHOTO REUTERS
COVID-19 VACCINE INEQUALITY
Covid-19 will remain a global threat as long as
it exists anywhere in the world.
While wealthy countries were able to re-
spond to the threat by securing enough vac-
cines to jab their populations several times
over, poorer countries could not.
This unequal vaccine distribution has cur-
rently left millions of people vulnerable to the
virus. It has also allowed deadlier variants to
emerge because mutations occur within bodies
that have no defences.
Scientists have long called on wealthy na-
tions to share vaccines with poorer ones, as
tackling vaccine inequality is the only way to
fight the global threat of Covid-19.
These warnings went mostly unheeded, and
the result is Covid-19’s Omicron variant.
GOING FORWARD
There has been a scramble for booster shots in
richer nations to deal with the Omicron variant.
That stretched vaccine supplies to the limit,
frontational as both countries focus on domes-
tic affairs as opposed to foreign politics.
Large-scale events are taking place in each
country, including the Winter Olympic Games
and the 20th National Party Congress in China,
as well as the midterm elections in the US.
Many hope that this pause in tensions will al-
low both sides some time to lay the ground-
work to improve relations.
THE SINGAPORE LINK
Singapore strives to keep its relationships with
other countries balanced.
The US is a major security partner and is also
the biggest investor in Singapore, while China
is its largest export market and its economy has
benefited greatly from China’s rise.
While it avoids taking sides between the two
nations, frosty ties between the two superpow-
ers is of utmost concern to Singapore.
making it even more difficult for poorer coun-
tries to access vaccines.
It also means that richer countries have not
honoured their pledges to share vaccines.
Last September, the World Health Organisa-
tion and other sponsors of the Covax pro-
gramme, which provides Covid-19 vaccines to
poor countries, announced that it would fall
short of its target for 2021 by almost 30 per
cent, or around 0.6 billion doses.
THE SINGAPORE LINK
Last July, Singapore announced that it was do-
nating its excess Covid-19 vaccines under the
Covax initiative, even as it contributed a total
of 122,400 doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19
vaccine to Batam and the Riau Islands in Indone-
sia last September.
And last November, Singapore delivered
100,620 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine
to the Johor state government through the Sul-
tan of Johor’s foundation, Yayasan Sultan
Ibrahim Johor.
MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES
GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN CRISIS
In the past year or so, the many difficul-
ties plaguing global supply chains have
captured the world’s attention.
From Nintendo Switch consoles to
French fries, product shortages and de-
livery delays are now major problems in
many parts of the world.
Much of the crisis can be traced to
the outbreak of Covid-19.
When the pandemic first began,
many factories had employees who fell
sick or had to comply with lockdown
rules, so they massively reduced produc-
tion or simply shut down. Shipping com-
panies responded to the slower produc-
tion of goods by drastically cutting
down their shipments globally.
However, as the pandemic dragged
on, online shopping skyrocketed be-
cause more people were house-bound.
Factories tried to ramp up their pro-
duction to meet this demand, but were
unable to do so due to several factors.
First, they lacked the raw materials
for producing goods as they had cut or-
ders for them when their production
lines shut down.
There was also a lack of workers –
many were sick or quarantined – to
process, pack, transport and unload
goods at any one time.
That led to a huge backlog in the sup-
ply chain.
Meanwhile, as demand for shipping
grew incredibly intense, the cost of mov-
ing goods shot up.
The situation became even worse
when a giant container ship got stuck
in, and blocked the Suez Canal, which is
a major shipping lane; and when several
major ports in China closed in response
to new Covid-19 cases.
GOING FORWARD
Some industry insiders are optimistic
that the supply situation may improve in
the latter half of the year.
They believe that this may be due to
factors such as a decrease in demand
from consumers, an increase in the
amount of stocks that factories are pro-
ducing, as well as an increase in ship-
ping capacity.
However, many others believe that
these supply chain issues will likely per-
sist for the next year, or even longer, as
there is no end to the pandemic in
sight.
THE SINGAPORE LINK
Like everywhere else in the world, Singa-
pore too is affected by delays, long wait-
ing times and increasing prices.
It now costs a lot more and takes a
lot longer to ship items to Singapore
from various places in the world.
The Straits Times, The World Health
Organisation, The United Nations, The
Guardian, NYT, The Economist, CNBC,
Council on Foreign Relations, Vox, France
24, Politico, Deutsche Welle
 7 TOTAL DEFENCE DAY 2022
Taking terror down
NUR SYAHIIDAH ZAINAL
looks back at how
Singapore dealt with its
biggest terror threat
L
ast December, the Internal Security De-
partment (ISD) marked the 20th anniver-
sary of its operations against the Je-
maah Islamiyah (JI) terrorist network
here.
Two decades on, the plots by the network re-
main Singapore’s closest shave with transna-
tional Islamist terrorism to date.
The operation that began on Dec 8, 2001, ef-
fectively dismantled JI’s local chapter and
thwarted multiple terror plots that the group
had planned to carry out here.
ORIGIN OF THE THREAT
In 2001, the World Trade Center towers in New
York were destroyed in a terror attack on
Sept 11. Security agencies around the world
were put on high alert as they tried to under-
stand the attack’s implications for their coun-
tries, and what it meant for national safety.
Singapore was no different. The ISD swung
into action to ensure that there were no immi-
nent threats to the nation.
One approach it took was more active com-
munity engagement. It urged the public to re-
port suspicious activities and individuals here.
The department’s efforts paid off just days af-
ter the 9/11 attack. A “vigilant” Singaporean
provided a lead on a man named Mohammad
Aslam Yar Ali Khan, a Singaporean of Pakistani
descent who claimed to know terrorist leader
Osama Bin Laden, and said he had fought
against the Soviets in Afghanistan.
The ISD began to watch Aslam and his asso-
ciates closely. In October, Aslam left Singapore
for Afghanistan, and in December, the media
published a report on his arrest there.
This increased media attention led the ISD to
bring forward its operation against Aslam’s asso-
ciates here, before they went underground or
left the country to escape arrest.
Twenty-three people were picked up for inter-
views, and 13 were eventually detained at the
Whitley Road Detention Centre.
TERROR PLOTS UNCOVERED
The ISD found that the group had identified
WHAT IS TERRORISM?
In the broadest sense, terrorism can be de-
fined as the use of violence to achieve goals
that are strongly motivated by political or ide-
ological beliefs or ideas.
However, it is important to note that there
is no universal agreement on the definition of
terrorism, because the term “terrorism” is in-
credibly charged.
Different governments and security agen-
cies, which often have different thoughts on
various ideologies, find it difficult to agree on
one common legal definition.
Extremist groups that carry out acts of ter-
Hand-drawn maps were some of the items that were used by
the JI here to plot their attacks. PHOTO ISD
close to 80 targets in Singapore, with some
plots better developed than others.
One notable plan was to blow up a shuttle
bus that ferried United States military person-
nel and their families in the Sembawang area to
Yishun MRT station.
JI members had drawn up maps of the sta-
tion. They had also filmed the station and its sur-
roundings, paying special attention to areas
where explosives could be planted.
The operation also uncovered the nature and
extent of the JI as a regional terror organisa-
tion, and the ISD sounded the alarm on the
threat and shared intelligence gathered with its
foreign partners.
It also exposed JI’s connections to Al-Qaeda,
which was the terror group responsible for the
9/11 attacks.
The ISD’s investigations also led to another
21 people being arrested in August 2002. With
the second batch of arrests and detentions, the
Jl network in Singapore was severely disrupted.
Had the group succeeded in its plans, there
would have been catastrophic damage to Singa-
pore’s communal harmony and social fabric.
BELIEVING IN REHABILITATION
To neutralise the threat posed by JI members
and ensure that they do not re-engage in terror-
ism-related activities, the ISD has adopted a
ror often fall under several broad ideologies.
These include:
L Religion-oriented groups: These groups
have a very extreme interpretation of faith.
Members often believe that they are supe-
rior to those who do not share their faith, or
even their version of it.
Dealing with such groups is often more chal-
lenging, as they believe that they are called to
commit violence by their faith. The JI is an ex-
ample of a group committing acts of terror in
the name of religion.
L Far-right groups: These groups often sup-
port racial or ethnic supremacy, as well as
anti-government or xenophobic ideas, among
MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES
holistic rehabilitation approach.
It involves community partners and com-
prises religious, psychological and social rehabil-
itation.
Since 2002, the ISD has partnered the Reli-
gious Rehabilitation Group, a voluntary group
of Islamic teachers that provides religious coun-
selling to correct radical beliefs. They have also
extended the counselling to the families of JI
members, as well as self-radicalised individuals.
Another partner is the Inter-Agency After-
care Group, a network of community groups
that offers financial and social support to the
families of the detainees.
The ISD’s rehabilitation approach has been ef-
fective. Most of those detained have been re-
ceptive, while their families have been generally
supportive. Most of the former detainees have
successfully reintegrated into society.
ISD officers stay in contact with them, offer-
ing guidance and support, to ensure they do
not fall back into their former beliefs.
Only four of the local JI members who were
detained since 2002 remain in detention, while
another six are currently on Restriction Orders.
LURKING IN THE REGION
While the Singapore JI has been dismantled by
the ISD, the regional JI network remains quietly
active, especially in Indonesia.
There, it continues to conduct outreach and
recruitment activities.
Indonesia’s counter-terrorism agency has
warned that JI militants have adopted a new tac-
tic towards achieving its ideological goals by in-
filtrating mainstream religious organisations,
government institutions and political groups.
While it still presents a serious long-term se-
curity threat, at this juncture there is no indica-
tion that JI’s activities in the region have spilled
over into Singapore.
In the third edition of its Singapore Terrorism
Threat Assessment Report, the ISD stated that
while Islamist terrorism remains a primary con-
cern, far-right extremism (see box) is an emerg-
ing threat as well.
The report, which was released last June,
also pointed out how, domestically, the terror-
ism threat stems mostly from self-radicalised in-
dividuals who are influenced by violent materi-
als online.
The Straits Times, Ministry of Home Affairs, The
Guardian, Al Jazeera, Politico, Federal Bureau Of
Investigation, Global Terrorism Index, The Center
for Strategic and International Studies, Time,
Reuters
others. Now often more organised and capa-
ble of mounting attacks, they have emerged
as a major concern overseas and are the
fastest growing threat in some western coun-
tries. In the US, for example, the Three Per-
centers and the Proud Boys are examples of
groups driven by right-wing ideologies.
Apart from groups, another significant addi-
tion to the terror landscape includes self-radi-
calised individuals, who are also often charac-
terised as “lone wolves”.
These individuals are often influenced by vi-
olent materials and ideologies perpetrated by
terror groups through the Internet and other
forms of media.
 8 TOTAL DEFENCE DAY 2022
Lessons of 1942 linger on
This year is the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Singapore that took place
between Feb 8 and 15. JJ QUEK looks at the days leading up to this dark chapter
in the nation’s history and what can be learnt from them.
ILLUSION OF CONFIDENCE
At the start of 1941, it was business as usual in
Singapore. There was an air of confidence. The
island had a massive naval yard and huge anti-
ship guns had been built at the south and west
of the island to deter coastal attacks.
But that illusion of security was shattered in
the wee hours of Dec 8.
When the Japanese invaded Malaya, they
also launched an air raid on Singapore.
Reports vary, but between 60 and 200 were
said to be killed and scores more were injured
as bombs hit Chinatown, Battery Road, Killiney
Road and Raffles Place, as well as various air
fields.
A lack of training prevented the Allies’ planes
from taking to the air to defend Singapore.
There were also few or no air raid measures and
shelters for the majority of the people.
The civilians on the island were simply caught
off guard both mentally and physically for the
conflict because the colonial authorities had not
been active in mobilising them.
As the British had tried to keep the idea of
“business as usual” going on for as long as pos-
sible, there was very little urgency in develop-
ing serious plans to protect the population.
▲ With the civil and psychological defence
pillars in mind, what plans would have
helped to reduce civilian casualties? Name
three possible actions.
Singapore 1942 by Chris Brown, The Fall Of Singapore by Justin Corfield, The Surrender Of Singapore by Stephen Wynn, roots.gov.sg
O
n Feb 15, 1942, Lieutenant-Gen-
eral Arthur Ernest Percival and
his fellow officers surrendered
Singapore to the imperial Japa-
nese army.
Landing in northern Malaya, Japanese
troops had swept through it in just weeks.
The British were well aware of Japanese
intentions in the months leading up to the
invasion of Malaya. But in just a matter of
weeks, the seemingly mighty Allied forces
were pushed back by a smaller force.
The Fall of Singapore was not, as some
think, because only of the lack of military
defences. Mistakes, indecision and infight-
ing weakened the Allies.
And their efforts were not supported by
the pillars we know today as Total Defence.
Could this have, in some way, contrib-
uted to the eventual Fall of Singapore?
BARELY READY FOR A FIGHT
By Jan 31, 1942, Allied soldiers had retreated
from Malaya into Singapore and parts of the
Causeway were blown up to slow down the Ja-
panese.
Extra effort was then put into building defen-
sive positions in the north.
Even though there had been more than a
month to properly build better defences, those
early efforts were hampered by a lack of labour
as the British army was not allowed to pay an ad-
equate wage to attract local labourers to such a
risky task.
Also, some of those in charge had believed
that such an undertaking was bad for morale so
they did not pursue it.
▲ With the social and civil defence pillars in
mind, what could have been done to better
prepare the island for the inevitable conflict?
Name two possible actions.
MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES
Scan or click this
QR code to watch a
video version of this
article.
Far left: Workmen clearing rubble after an air raid in 1942.
Left: Dense smoke rising from fires at the Naval Base in 1942.
Above: Lt-Gen Percival heading towards a meeting with
Japanese commanders to discuss the terms of surrender.
PHOTOS ST FILE, ARGUS NEWSPAPER COLLECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS,
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA
LEFT OUT OF BATTLE
The Japanese attacked the western part of the
island, which was lightly defended as the Allies
did not expect them to come from that direc-
tion because of the swamps and lack of roads.
The Allies had spread its forces all over the is-
land instead.
During the invasion of Singapore, the major-
ity of the island’s population were bystanders in
the fight. Yet many of them were the ones who
suffered the most during the Occupation.
More locals could have been mobilised and
trained for the defence, but were not. The colo-
nial administration also seemed wary of arming
the locals. But recruiting them would have been
a positive step as they would have been fight-
ing for the very survival of their homeland.
For instance, in the battle of Bukit Chandu on
Feb 13 and 14, the Malay Regiment fought
valiantly although outnumbered by Japanese
forces. Eventually, they were wiped out after
running out of ammunition and engaging the
enemy in hand-to-hand combat.
▲ With the military and civil defence pillars in
mind, who could have been called up to
improve the defence of the island? Name one
local group.
 9 TOTAL DEFENCE DAY 2022
Keeping hunger at bay
DEBRA ANN FRANCISCO
looks into recipes that were
influenced by desperate
wartime conditions
I
have memories of my late grandmother, Nel-
lie, speaking of tapioca and sweet potatoes
as foods she hated.
Yet when it suited her, she would whip up
delicious dishes starring these humble ingredi-
ents as though she found comfort in eating
them.
Nellie was a teenager when the Japanese oc-
cupied Singapore between 1942 and 1945.
Most of her large family’s meals would have con-
tained tubers in some shape or form.
Perhaps, in her mind, eating them out of her
own free will in peacetime made her memories
of the war a lot easier to bear, especially know-
ing that the horrors of the past were truly be-
hind her.
Her story is also the story of thousands of indi-
viduals who suffered from food deprivation in
occupied Singapore.
BUYING ON THE BLACK MARKET
By the end of the first year of the Japanese Oc-
cupation, families lived on very limited quanti-
ties of rice and vegetables. Meat was consid-
ered a luxury and, for the poorest of families, a
rarity.
The Japanese military controlled all essential
items, such as sugar, salt, milk, flour and rice, on
the island. At that time, food prices were 12 to
15 times higher than in the pre-war years.
Very little rice could be imported as the war
had severely disrupted supplies. According to
historical records, even the richest families were
down to a single meal of rice a day by 1944. In
fact, most families had just a few handfuls of
rice a day, even with the rationing system for all
essential staples.
The Japanese military wanted to ensure Sin-
gapore was self-sufficient, and embarked on
campaigns and schemes aimed at getting the lo-
cal population to grow their own food supply
on any available plot of land, but were largely
unsuccessful at achieving an adequate supply of
vegetables for the population’s survival.
Out of desperation and hunger, many people
resorted to buying and selling on the black mar-
ket – a term used to describe the illegal trading
of goods, usually at exorbitant prices.
CREATIVE COOKS & EXOTIC FOOD
In wartime Singapore, imagination and creativ-
ity were in abundance while food was in short
supply.
Many families went in search of food in
forested areas and would eat whatever they
could catch in order to survive.
Some historical accounts mention mouse
deer and iguana as sources of meat.
Eels caught in monsoon drains and snails
were other exotic meats which found their way
onto the dinner table.
When wild boar was caught, its tough meat
would usually be tenderised by a slow braising.
MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES
A street hawker selling
steamed tapioca in 1950.
The versatile tuber kept
many bellies filled during
the Japanese Occupation.
ST FILE PHOTOS
skin of the tapioca with toasted coconut, and
toss these in sambal chilli to make a tasty Ja-
vanese salad known as urap-urap.
Steamed tapioca balls were also rolled in
grated coconut and palm sugar, and eaten at
breakfast. White sugar was expensive and hard
to find.
Squeezing Tapioca, when finely ground, was used as a
grated
substitute for flour in cake and biscuits.
coconut is
how you get
coconut milk.
L Sweet potato
A favoured substitute for rice and noodles, it
provided more nutrition than tapioca.
Mashed sweet potato was used in cakes and
even in bread. It was particularly useful in
dessert-making as it was naturally sweet.
Eating wild animals,
like mouse deer, is A tasty dish that is still prepared today is
not advised as they made with sweet potato leaves stir-fried in a co-
may have viruses conut milk and sambal chilli gravy.
that your body
cannot handle.
L Coconut
The perpetual shortage of oil, salt and sugar
meant that many cooks were hard-pressed to
find alternatives to make their dishes tastier.
The addition of coconut milk, which was
squeezed from grated coconut, provided
flavour and richness to many dishes. Coconut
milk was used to thicken soups and enhance
desserts.
Grated coconut was also used to make
desserts and candy.
The hard life and rampant hunger forced
many home cooks to come up with ingenious
recipes for their family meals using available L Meat
vegetables, beans and rice substitutes. Whatever meat people could get their hands
on would be stretched for use in as many meals
Here are some easily obtainable ingredients
as possible.
that were used by many households.
Before the war, various parts of an animal,
such as the neck and bones, would have been
L Tapioca discarded. During wartime, such parts were
To supplement meagre provisions, housewives thrown into such stock to make the soup tastier.
found new ways to use tapioca and sweet pota- Even if there was meat to use, it would be
toes. boiled in a soup stock with vegetable trim-
They added them to rice or porridge to mings.
stretch their meals so all family members could Wartime Kitchen: Food And Eating In Singapore
have something to eat. 1942-1950 by Wong Hong Suen, NLB Singapore
People would mix the shavings of the inner Infopedia
 10 TOTAL DEFENCE DAY 2022
Answering the nation’s call
More women have been volunteering in the SAF and police force over the years. ZAN SAM
and FATIMAH MUJIBAH meet two who take pride in making a difference.
Ms Chua covers administrative duties, like making sure her
team’s first aid or shooting certificates are up-to-date, and
handles disciplinary problems, if any, on top of her usual
patrols. From handling calls about noise pollution to
complaints about scams, she has seen them all.
ST PHOTO FELINE LIM
AUXILIARY SERVICE TROOPER
JOLENE HO CHIEN YEE
G
rowing up, family meals for Ms Jo-
lene Ho Chien Yee were peppered
with her dad’s anecdotes of his life in
the army.
They also visited the Army Open House ev-
ery year, where he would show them around
and talk about his own experience with the vehi-
cles on display.
“My dad was the one who helped me under-
stand the importance of national service and mil-
itary defence, and that kind of sparked my inter-
est,” she said.
However, she had eczema and was worried
that should she choose to sign on as a regular,
spending prolonged hours outfield would cause
it to flare up.
But at one of the Army Open Houses, she
spoke with volunteers from the SAF Volunteer
Corps (SAFVC) and realised that there were
other ways to play a part.
In 2017, when she was 23 years old, she ap-
plied to be an auxiliary service trooper with the
SAFVC and started her basic training in 2018.
In two weeks, she learnt to fire the SAR-21 ri-
fle, trudged through mud in a field camp, and
learnt foot drills.
Getting used to the discipline was easy, said
the 28-year-old, explaining that she used to be
a Girl Guide in school.
But handling a rifle was another story, and
she felt like she was one of the slowest to pick
THIRD SERGEANT CHUA CAI YUN
B
y day, she is a property agent. By
night, Ms Chua Cai Yun Yvonne is
Third Sergeant Chua, ditching her of-
fice wear for the police blues.
The 33-year-old is a Volunteer Special Con-
stabulary (VSC) officer with Rochor Neighbour-
hood Police Centre.
The VSC was formed in 1946 to assist
regular police officers. VSC officers have
Over 840
the same powers as full-time police offi- serve in the
cers, including those of arrest. Volunteer
Ms Chua spends about 20 to Special
30 hours a month in various roles, such Constabulary
as assisting police officers and patrolling
the neighbourhood.
Back in 2013, Ms Chua chanced on the VSC
when looking on the Internet for volunteer posi-
tions. She had briefly considered signing on
with the RSAF in the past after getting her
diploma, but did not. So when she realised that
there was an opportunity to volunteer with the
police force, she leapt at the chance.
“I felt like volunteering was a good way for
me to do both my day job and give back to soci-
ety,” she said.
She kept her application process a secret
from her friends and family, only telling them
when she was accepted. “I didn’t want to say
anything in case I didn’t get it,” she said.
Her parents were shocked that she had ap-
plied, but were very supportive of her decision.
Her grandparents even urged her to sign on
Ms Jolene Ho (back row, first from left) with her fellow
volunteers after their basic training in 2018.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOLENE HO
up the skill. “It was my first time touching
a weapon and it was a steep learning
curve,” she said. “I even tried to read
up beforehand but it didn’t help.”
Fortunately, her fellow volunteers
were patient and constantly encour-
aged her.
“None of us had to struggle alone… ev-
eryone was very nice and I really treasure the
friendships we made,” she said. She still keeps
in contact with some of them even after their de-
ployment to various postings.
As an auxiliary service trooper, Ms Ho is in-
volved in events which require more hands on
deck. For instance, she worked in crowd control
MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES
as a regular police officer, citing it as an “iron
rice bowl”, a Chinese phrase used to describe a
stable form of employment.
Now a deputy team leader, Ms Chua assists
her team leader in overseeing a group of
20 VSC officers.
The first time she had to arrest someone, she
was so afraid of doing the wrong thing that she
ended up hanging back and letting the regular
officer make the arrest instead.
But she learnt from her experience and
was better prepared the next time.
“I told myself that I had to do the job,”
she said, adding that she would think
through the steps she wanted to take so
she would not be caught by surprise.
Now, when responding to 999 calls to
break up fights, she no longer bats an eyelid.
From handling calls about noise pollution to
complaints about scams, she has seen them all.
She has even gone on covert ops, including a
raid on an unlicensed massage parlour. How-
ever, she declined to go into details lest the bad
guys get wind of police tactics.
Ms Chua plans to continue volunteering for
as long as she can.
“It has been an amazing experience, and ev-
ery deployment is a chance for me to learn how
to better serve the community,” she said.
When asked how others could play a part in
Total Defence, she said: “Always stay alert and
be vigilant about your surroundings. Even
though Singapore is very safe, things can al-
ways happen when you least expect it.”
for large-scale events like the Basic Military
Training graduation parade in 2019 and the Na-
tional Day Parade last year.
But her most memorable deployment experi-
ence thus far was helping out at a Covid-19 call
centre in 2020.
There, she spent hours calling close contacts
of Covid-19 patients and explaining to them the
measures they had to follow. Even though the
job was repetitive, she found joy in it.
“It really impressed on me that it’s not just
about fighting (wars), but helping the health-
care sector also comes under Total Defence,”
she said.
At that time, she was working as a researcher
in the geriatrics department of Sengkang Gen-
eral Hospital, so she saw first-hand the toll
Covid-19 was taking on the healthcare system.
She is currently pursuing a full-time degree
More than
in occupational therapy.
800 serve in Ms Ho summed up her volunteering
the SAF experience with one word: grateful.
Volunteer “I’m very grateful that I even have this
Corps opportunity to do my part. Without the
SAFVC, I wouldn’t be able to contribute in
this manner.
“Sometimes, I do wonder if my efforts are
even sufficient, but any contribution is still a con-
tribution,” she said.
And if you are debating the merits of volun-
teering when you are old enough, you might
want to heed Ms Ho’s advice: “If you feel like
you have a strong calling, there’s no need to
think too much. Just join.”
 11 TOTAL DEFENCE DAY 2022 MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES

Govts get creative to

bolster national services
Many countries impose a
form of compulsory national
service on its citizens. ZAN
SAM looks at the different
approaches.
RANDOM CONSCRIPTION
For young men in Thailand, coloured cards de-
termine their fate. When they turn 21, they be-
come eligible for conscription. If they do not vol-
untarily join the military, they will have to partici-
pate in a lottery that happens yearly in April.
Drawing a black card means exemption, but
picking a red card means one will serve for two
years without exception.
If they do not want to leave their future to
chance, they can volunteer. They will then serve
just six to 18 months, depending on their educa-
tion level. University graduates often serve
shorter stints.
Only those considered physically incapable
of service, the mentally ill and those with signifi-
cantly altered physical appearances – such as Above: A recruit is congratulated after he was judged eligible
transgender people – are exempt. for conscription after medical check-ups at the office of the
Military Manpower Administration, in Seoul, South Korea.
Students in full-time education can request
to postpone their call-ups until the age of 26. Left: A Thai man drawing a card to determine if he will be
exempted from military service in Bangkok, Thailand.
Military service has been compulsory in Thai- PHOTOS EPA-EFE
land since 1905, and the lottery conscription sys-
tem was introduced to make up for the short- from duty after three years with no criminal
age of volunteers. Every year, about 100,000 record. In contrast, other South Koreans serve
men are recruited. in the military for up to 21 months.
Thailand is the only country in the world to
still use a lottery conscription system. But dur- TOTALLY VOLUNTARY SERVICE
ing the Vietnam War in the 1960s and 1970s, The United Kingdom was one of the first coun-
the United States also used a lottery system to tries to abolish conscription. It has relied on a
decide the order in which young men would be volunteer force since 1960.
drafted into service. The minimum age to volunteer is 16, while
Blue plastic capsules containing the 366 days the maximum is 35 years and six months. How-
of the year were mixed up and drawn one by ever, once a soldier enlists, he is generally not
one. All men from the age of 19 to 25 who allowed to leave until he has served for at least
shared the same birth date would be called up four years.
of conscience. They will then be employed on Despite providing good benefits, like child-
to serve at the same time. Active conscription
farms, in hospitals or in refugee care. care and tax relief, volunteer numbers have
came to an end in 1973, when the US armed
In general, about 40 per cent of them choose been dropping. In 2020, the British Army re-
forces became a voluntary military.
this option when they are called up for enlist- ported an 8,000 soldier deficit from its target of
ment. 82,000.
ALTERNATIVE CIVILIAN SERVICE In South Korea, almost all of the country’s India has the world’s largest volunteer army,
In many countries, refusing to serve compulsory conscientious objectors are Jehovah’s Wit- with more than two million active and reserve
national service will result in a person being nesses who oppose bearing arms. troops. Many Indians see the army as a stable
charged in court. But some governments Jehovah’s Witness is a religious group whose job with regular pay and pensions, and are ea-
around the world have offered their military con- activities have been banned in Singapore since ger to join its ranks.
scripts alternatives, though they often have 1972. Members refuse to participate in military In 2020, the government introduced a “Tour
longer service periods. service, swear oaths of allegiance to the state or of Duty” scheme where young adults can join
People pick these alternative services be- salute the state flag. the army for a three-year stint and experience
cause of various reasons, such as ailing health or Prior to 2020, they would have been jailed as life in the army without committing to it as a ca-
religious beliefs. criminals in South Korea. reer.
For instance, male Austrians can opt for alter- But following a new court ruling, they will per- Al Jazeera, NYTimes, The Guardian, USA Today,
native service of nine months as opposed to six form alternative service while still in prison – as Federal Ministry Republic of Austria, World
months of military service by declaring a conflict cooks and cleaners. They are then released Population Review
 12 TOTAL DEFENCE DAY 2022 MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES

Raising the standards

of national defence
As one of the main contributors to the Total Defence pillar of military defence, the role of
national service in the Singapore Armed Forces has changed over the years. JJ QUEK looks at
how some parts of NS have evolved to meet current and future challenges.

I
n 1967, Singapore enlisted its first batch of ter the nation gained independence. In the be- was $15.36 billion. The spending provided for PHOTOS CMG FILE, STI FILE, MINDEF

NEW FIRST STEPS, SAME EMOTIONS
The last embrace and a few tears a recruit experiences before going off to
Basic Military Training is still played out at every enlistment, but what fol-
lows is now less jarring.
Recruits used to get their last glimpses of civilian life from the back of a
roaring, noisy army truck, but now most of them would ride a shuttle bus
before boarding a ferry to Pulau Tekong.
Whatever the first steps are though, most of them would feel a mixture
of anxiety and excitement as they enter a new phase in their lives.
national servicemen. Since the first 9,000 sol-
diers were conscripted, over a million young
men have put aside civilian life to defend the
country.
National service (NS) was hard to accept
when it was first proposed, but the bombings
the country experienced during Konfrontasi and
the violent racial riots of 1964 led people here
to realise the need for this duty.
NS is now a vital component of Singapore’s
military, which was built almost from scratch af-
gining, training and equipment were basic and
limited to what a young nation could afford.
But, over the decades, the military has consis-
tently built itself up to deal with current as well
as future challenges.
National servicemen have since enabled the
country to respond to various military chal-
lenges, such as fighting international piracy and
terrorism. They have also assisted neighbouring
countries in disaster relief.
The Ministry of Defence’s budget last year
new hardware, such as fighter jets, and the
launch of new facilities and initiatives.
The Singapore Armed Forces works together
with the Singapore Civil Defence Force and the
Singapore Police Force to preserve the coun-
try’s independence and way of life.
NS has also become a rite of passage that
many Singaporeans believe helps instil disci-
pline and values. After serving their country,
many young men find themselves transformed
for the better.
EXERCISE MADE MORE EFFECTIVE
Physical training at the crack of dawn is a staple done by soldiers, some
who are sometimes literally still half-asleep. For decades, they went
through the five basic exercises (5BX) – jumping jacks, high jumper,
crunches, push-ups and running – before breakfast.
These were good for fitness but were not really effective for develop-
ing the physicality required for combat scenarios.
So, just last year, the 5BX was replaced by a range of Prehabilitation
Exercises (PX), which were designed to improve flexibility, as well as re-
duce common injuries in the knees, ankles and back. They help a soldier
build the strength and stamina needed for modern warfare.
However, there is no change to waking up early.

FROM JUST EDIBLE TO ENJOYABLE

Instead of hearing the clink of metal on metal at
the cookhouse, soldiers now eat amid the clack-
ing of plastic utensils.
The metal mess tray (inset) is a thing of the
past, while the simple food cooked by their fellow
soldiers has been replaced by professionally pre-
pared, tastier, and more nutritionally balanced
fare (below).
Gone also are the long queues at sinks as sol-
diers wait impatiently to wash their trays, as that
task is now outsourced.
But handwashing is now a must.

TAKING TRAINING TO A HIGHER LEVEL
Within some army camps are swathes of training
areas where soldiers stumble up sandy hills, navi-
gate thickets of trees and climb concrete slabs to
get combat fit.
Though these outdoor training zones still exist,
more time is now spent in multi-million-dollar
high-tech facilities (above).
These virtual simulations of combat zones and
training environments are safer and more detailed
as soldiers can “see” what they are facing, much
CLASSIC COURSE REBOOTED
The original format of the Standard Obstacle
Course was around for more than 40 years before
it was revamped in 2010.
As the areas soldiers now defend feature less
greenery and more buildings, the new course
(above) reflects the hazards of modern urban com-
bat, such as blind corners and sewers.
Another change is that troops in active combat
better than simply charging at sandbags while units will have to clear the obstacles in teams, to
screaming “bang, bang!”. mirror how soldiers fight together in groups.
Much better than running around what was es-
sentially a large fitness corner.
NO TIME WASTED
In 2004, the duration of national service was cut MADE-IN- SINGAPORE RIFLE
from 30 months to 24 months, affecting those In 1999, the locally produced Singapore Assault Ri-
who held the rank of corporal and above.
fle or SAR 21 replaced the American M-16 assault
The reduction came about as advances in train- rifle in the SAF.
ing technology allowed every training hour to
The SAR 21 (above) was developed to better
count for more. Believe it or not, but some NSFs suit the physical and operating requirements of
do extend their service for a few more months. the Singaporean soldier.
Among its other advanced features, it was the
first rifle in the world to have a built-in laser aim-
ing device, which trials showed made the rifle to
be 20 per cent more accurate than the M-16
(above, right) at 300m.
MATURING OF THE ARMY GREEN
The army green donned by soldiers has kept up
with trends, not in terms of just looks but also func-
tion. It started with the original monotone green,
changed to the camouflaged print in 1983 and
then the harder-to-spot pixel pattern in 2008.
In 2018, a faster-drying hybrid uniform (right)
for outfield training was issued. It allows soldiers
to cool off quicker while training in humid condi-
tions.
However, the sweet and sour sweaty smell of fa-
tigue is still the same after each outfield session.
The Straits Times, cmpb.gov.sg
 14 TOTAL DEFENCE DAY 2022 MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES

You have more control over

where you are posted in

Proud to serve your national service now

than ever before. Here are
some new schemes that you

in specialist
can apply for should they
suit your talents or interests.

CYBER NSF SCHEME

police unit For those interested in con-

tributing to Singapore’s digi-
tal defence and have the apti-
tude for it, there is this.
● Since 2018, pre-enlistees in-
terested in serving NS in a cy-
ber role can apply.
● Selected applicants un-
dergo a rigorous two-stage se-
lection that tests both cyber
skills and aptitude.
● Successful applicants will
be offered the Cyber Special-
ist Award, which is a short-
term contract for an addi-
tional one or two years. Oth-
ers may serve as cyber opera-
tors.
ST PHOTO THADDEUS ANG
More information:
BY ANG YIYING rity-sensitive locations, and providing event security www.mindef.gov.sg/CyberNSF
for major events here.

S
ince national service (NS) became compul-
sory for all 18-year-old male Singaporeans
from 1967, NS has evolved to keep up with
changing challenges and threats to security.
From end 2016, pre-enlistees for full-time national
service from 2017 could indicate which vocations they
would like to serve in, which would make their NS
time more meaningful.
Furthermore, now there are newer vocations and
newer schemes (see sidebar) that did not exist a
decade ago.
IN speaks to one full-time national serviceman
about his current vocation.
KEEPING SINGAPORE SAFE
National Service Probationary Inspector (NSPI)
Muhammad Irsyad Abdul Jalil is a deputy officer-in-
charge (Troop) of a protective security unit team in the
Protective Security Command (ProCom).
When his family or friends ask him to describe what
he does, the 22-year-old (above) says: “I am part of
the deterrence force that conducts terrorism patrols
to protect Singapore.”
His job is an important one. ProCom has the largest
number of NSFs and operationally ready national ser-
vicemen in the police force.
It is a standalone counter-terrorism specialist unit
within the SPF that was set up against the backdrop of
an increasingly complex security climate, and it
turned five last year.
The unit’s mission: to protect strategic events and
critical locations during peacetime and in times of na-
tional emergencies.
ProCom teams are often spotted on patrol or con-
ducting security sweeps in public venues, such as the
Esplanade or Ion Orchard, or at events such as the Na-
tional Day Parade.
NSPI Irsyad said: “As such, my officers and I are
armed with mid-range firearms with higher firepower
during deployments, in readiness to respond to pub-
lic security-related and counter-terrorism incidents.
“During major security events, we will work tire-
lessly to ensure the safety and security of the events.”
As a supervisor, he also assists his officer-in-charge
(Troop) in the planning of manpower and the re-
sources needed for deployments. This could include
deterrence patrols, carrying out operations at secu-
ARMED WITH SPECIALISED TRAINING WORK-STUDY
After completing his basic military training and get- PROGRAMME FOR NSF AIR
ting posted to the Singapore Police Force as an offi- FORCE TECHNICIANS
cer-in-training, he took a seven-month-long officer The 21/2-year programme was
cadet course to pick up leadership skills.
When he was posted to the ProCom unit, he took launched last year.
an intensive five-week security specialisation course, ● It enables NSF air force
during which he had weaponry training and picked up technicians to gain a diploma
tactical skill sets such as fighting in built-up areas. in aerospace engineering
His current routine includes alternating two days of
12-hour shifts, excluding preparation time, with two while contributing to the de-
rest days. fence of Singapore.
“On shift days, I will report early to prepare myself ● The programme is open to
mentally for the deployment. We have a pre-deploy- NSFs with relevant aerospace-
ment briefing together, inspection of equipment as
well as checks on our turnout and bearing.” related Institute of Technical
Education qualifications.
He said he always feels a sense of pride when recit-
ing the police pledge before a shift, as it reminds him ● Participants complete two
of his roles and responsibilities as a police officer. modular certificates to first ob-
tain a work-study certificate,
STAYING VIGILANT KEEPS THE PEACE
Places his team may patrol include national installa- before completing three more
to attain a diploma in engi-
tions or places of high interest that are off limits to
most people, such as industrial refineries. neering (aerospace).
In instances of such patrols, NSPI Irsyad might ● After obtaining the
come across unauthorised persons who are not aware
of the sensitivity of locations they are at. When told, diploma, participants con-
they usually comply with his advice to not loiter there. tinue serving with the Repub-
If major incidents happen and terrorism cannot be
lic of Singapore Air Force
ruled out at first (for instance, a car going out of con- (RSAF) for about one year to
trol and hitting pedestrians), he and his team would
be among the first responders, though he has not en- see out a four-year contract.
countered such an event so far. The RSAF also collaborated
He said of the 12-hour shifts: “It’s challenging at with ITE for a work-study
times... but working with the troopers, makes it seem
diploma in aircraft mainte-
easier.” On shifts, he is in charge of around 30 troop-
ers. nance engineering.
He said of his perception before and after joining
ProCom: “I definitely thought it was tough because it
was a specialist unit... It is much more social than I Learn more about the various
thought. I did not expect to be in charge of so many vocations and what it takes to
troopers. serve in each of them:
“After completing every shift, I feel a sense of ac- W www.cmpb.gov.sg/web/
complishment knowing that we have contributed to portal/cmpb/home/ns-vocations
the safety of Singapore. Even though there are no inci- W go.gov.sg/mysfdefence
dents, it still means we have done a good job for the
day.”
 15 TOTAL DEFENCE DAY 2022
Know your ‘click traps’
BY ANG YIYING
W
ith laptops, mobile phones and
tablets everywhere these days, it is
easier than ever for people to do
anything online, from making
friends, to making an appointment for services,
to making a purchase.
But it can also make you or your family easy
prey to people with malicious intent.
Last year, the Cyber Security Agency of Singa-
pore released the results of a survey that found
that 37 per cent of people here – roughly two
out of five people – reported being victims of at
least one cyber-security incident.
What are some “click traps” and digital dan-
gers you or your family may face?
Click, click
Picture this: Your receive a text message from
SingPost, or a delivery company, saying you
have a parcel on the way. But you need to first
make an outstanding payment of a few dollars.
The amount is small, so you follow the instruc-
tions: Click on a link to a website, enter your de-
tails and a one-time password.
It takes just a few seconds.
Wait, why did your parents’ credit card just
get an unauthorised transaction for thousands
of dollars?
If this happens, you have just become the vic-
tim of a phishing scam. It was not SingPost nor a
delivery company that sent you the message.
Last year, during year-end shopping events,
more than 300 people fell prey to such scams,
with losses totalling at least $759,000.
Why it matters: Of course, losing money brings
about heartache. However, a phishing scam
sometimes targets more than money.
Scams can also get victims to hand over per-
sonal information which can be used to access
other online accounts.
Did you know?
The most commonly spoofed government or-
ganisations in Singapore are the Ministry of Edu-
cation, the Ministry of Manpower and the Singa-
pore Police Force, said the Singapore Cyber
Landscape 2020 report.
click, click
Picture this: Your family has not been able to
make online banking transactions for several
days.
Your parents are in a state of panic, as they
wonder if their cash is safe and if you have
enough money to go about your day-to-day ac-
tivities.
These are some of the effects of an unfortu-
nate digital breakdown when online banking
services go offline. It did, in fact, happen in No-
MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES
vember last year with DBS Bank. Its
faulty access control servers disrupted its
online banking services, including
PayNow, a widely used way of transferring
money between accounts.
Why it matters: The DBS incident resulted
from a server fault and not from a criminal at-
tack, but it still caused anxiety among the pub-
lic.
With more transactions moving online, and
society becoming more cashless, such disrup-
tions can disrupt daily activities. For instance,
ST FILE ILLUSTRATION
not being able to transfer money to your friends
who have paid for you first, or for companies malware that gave hackers access to the organi-
that use such methods to pay their bills. It might sation’s database.
also reduce people’s confidence in the banking
The theft of patients’ particulars took place
system.
between June 27 and July 4. It affected about
Did you know? 1.5 million patients who visited SingHealth’s
There have been at least 10 incidents of service specialist outpatient clinics and polyclinics.
disruptions at Singapore banks over the past
10 years. Why it matters: A lot of our information is now
being digitised. At the same time, organisations
are facing more cyber attacks which target per-
Click, click sonal data.
This data can be used to access other per-
Picture this: Your personal data has been
sonal accounts or, worse, it could be used to
leaked after a clinic you visited was hacked.
The leaked information includes your name, open accounts that are used to commit fraud.
address, identity card number and patient infor- One common attack involves ransom soft-
mation. ware that works by “hijacking” data and hold-
Some people found themselves in that situa- ing it hostage. Ransomware hackers usually ask
tion in August last year. Private clinic Eye & for money or cryptocurrency in exchange for
Retina Surgeons suffered a ransomware attack the data.
that affected the data of 73,500 patients. The in- But even if organisations gets back control of
formation included personal details and clinical the data, there is no guarantee the information
information such as patient notes and eye has not been copied and stolen.
scans.
No credit card or bank details were compro- Did you know?
mised and the clinic did not pay any ransom. Cyber-security firm Trend Micro found that Sin-
The clinic subsequently took steps to prevent
gapore was among countries increasingly tar-
breaches from recurring.
geted by ransomware. Singapore’s ranking as a
This was just one of a number of such ran-
ransomware target moved from the 44th spot in
somware attacks on organisations here. One of
the biggest hacks happened in 2018 at the first half of 2019 to the 11th spot in the first
SingHealth, which manages hospitals and poly- half of last year.
clinics here. The Straits Times, Cyber Security Agency of
A front-end workstation was infected with Singapore, Reuters
 16 TOTAL DEFENCE DAY 2022
Lies & theories chipping
away at public trust
DEBRA ANN FRANCISCO
looks at the unrest, violence
and mistrust incited by the
spread of fake news
CULTS DECEIVING THEMSELVES
Most religious cults in South Korea use some
form of Christianity that has been distorted by
their leaders’ unorthodox and made-up beliefs.
In the era of Covid-19, the public health mes-
sages of the authorities have been severely im-
pacted by some South Korean cult leaders who
have used their influence over their congrega-
tions to further their anti-government agendas.
In March 2020, an explosion of Covid-19
cases was linked to the cult Shincheonji Church
of Jesus, which has a following of more than
200,000 people, in Daegu, South Korea’s fourth
largest city.
Their style of worship, with hordes of mask-
less followers kneeling in crowded halls, contrib-
uted to Covid-19’s rapid spread among its con-
gregation. By the end of March, the cluster
grew to more than 5,000 infections.
In August 2020, Sarang Jeil Church became
the second religious group at the centre of an-
other coronavirus wave when more than 700 of
their members tested positive for the virus.
The authorities said the cults’ leaders refused
to provide complete lists of their members for
contact tracing, or institute social distancing.
The cults and their members pushed back by
spreading fake news that the government had
been fabricating Covid-19 test results as part of
a plot to persecute them.
THEORIES MISTAKEN FOR TRUTH
Stories of cannibalistic Hollywood celebrities;
US officials who are plotting against a former
US president; a flat Earth; and Sept 11 attacks
that were orchestrated by the government –
these are just some of the conspiracy theories in
the United States that have been spreading on
social media for years.
Conspiracy theorists and their followers have
been making use of social networks to recruit
people and spread their bizarre ideas.
QAnon is one such group. It is behind the
conspiracy theory that cannibalistic celebrities
and US Democrat politicians run a child-kidnap-
ping and paedophile ring.
Its members also believe that former US pres-
ident Donald Trump is on their side. This is be-
cause he has repeatedly lied that the US govern-
ment has plotted against him.
QAnon members were visible during the
storming of the US Capitol in Washington on
Jan 6, 2021. Those who showed up believed
Mr Trump’s false stories of the presidency being
stolen from him because of a rigged election.
A mob of Trump supporters breaking into the Capitol Building on Jan 6, 2021. A Capitol Police officer who was attacked by
rioters died the following day. Four other officers who were there that day later took their own lives. More than 100 officers
were injured. Four participants in the riot also died, one of whom was shot by an officer.
Social media companies, such as YouTube
and Twitter, have since cracked down on
QAnon’s followers following the riot in order to
tackle misinformation online.
Twitter has closed 70,000 accounts support-
ing such theories and banned those who break
social media regulations, including Mr Trump.
HATE SPEECH AND LIES KILL
Fake news circulated on WhatsApp have trig-
gered lynchings in India and undermined the
work of the police.
In June of 2018, two men were mistakenly
beaten up by 50 to 60 villagers after a What-
sApp text had circulated in some districts of In-
dia’s central Madhya Pradesh state.
The message had lied that 500 people dis-
guised as beggars were roaming the area to kill
people for their body parts. It also urged recipi-
ents to forward the text to friends and family.
Police later clarified that the content of the
message was fake.
Weeks before the incident, false messages
warning of child traffickers in India had spread
over WhatsApp and Facebook. They led to the
deaths of at least three people.
Last October, after the killing of several Hin-
dus in Muslim-majority Bangladesh, several Mus-
lim-owned homes and businesses were ran-
sacked and four mosques were vandalised in vi-
olent mob attacks in India’s Tripura state.
Following the violence, the police said it was
looking into 100 social media accounts that
were accused of spreading lies and fake news
that encouraged the revenge attacks.
MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES
GLOSSARY
L Disinformation:
false information
spread in order to
deceive people
L Misinformation:
wrong information, or
the fact that people
are misinformed
CRITICAL THINKING
The words
“disinformation” and
“misinformation” look
similar, but they do
not mean the same
thing.
Using facts about
Covid-19, discuss with
your partner some
current examples of
“disinformation” and
“misinformation” that
you may have
encountered.
PHOTO REUTERS
ANTI-VAXXERS SPREAD TALL TALES
Closed chat groups and Telegram group broad-
casts are being used by anti-vaxxers to spread
false claims about Covid-19 vaccines.
Checks by The Sunday Times last October
found at least 17 such Telegram groups and
channels. They each have about 1,000 to
14,000 members, who share dubious articles,
videos and unverified personal anecdotes.
Locally managed website Truth Warriors is
one source of unverified and misleading infor-
mation. It carries articles claiming that anti-para-
sitic drug ivermectin is safe and effective for
treating Covid-19, and that other countries
have been using the drug for early treatment (of
the virus) with high success rates.
The Ministry of Health has repeatedly refuted
these false claims, adding that ivermectin is a
prescription-only medicine registered for the
sole treatment of parasitic worm infections. This
clarification came after it received reports of
people requiring hospitalisation after self-medi-
cating with ivermectin on the advice of friends.
Conflicting online claims that are shared
within social circles, and anxiety about the rising
number of community cases make the elderly
particularly vulnerable to misinformation or
facts that have been taken out of context and
misinterpreted without medical expertise.
When these circulate on social media chan-
nels, they erode public confidence in vaccines
and in the public health system.
thediplomat.com, Nikkei Asia, Reuters, Irish Times,
Agence France-Presse, Cambridge Dictionary
 17 TOTAL DEFENCE DAY 2022 MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES

You’re part of
TD, but you just
don’t know it
Match the
memes to
any of the
10 examples
below and
figure out
which pillars
of Total
Defence each
one is linked
closest to.

Many everyday things you
do play a part in Total
Defence. LEAH D’CRUZ
picks out 10 small actions
that have real big impact.
1. Changing passwords regularly
Hands up if all your passwords are the same.
Part of digital defence means making sure
you are secure, alert, and responsible online.
Passwords that are too simple are easy pick-
ings for hackers. On top of that, if you use the
same password for all your accounts, it means
that a criminal needs to guess only one pass-
word correctly to access all of your accounts.
Use strong passwords that have combina-
tions of upper- and lowercase letters and sym-
bols.
Better yet, change your passwords regularly,
so that hackers cannot exploit an old password
that may have been exposed.
2. Teaching the elderly how to
navigate social media
The next time your elders ask you for help with
tech, it is a chance for you to contribute to the
nation’s social and digital defences.
For instance, if they know how to use social
media, they will be able to stay updated and
connected with the world. It would also help
them feel less lonely, especially if they are iso-
lated during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
This improves their social well-being and
mental health.
3. Keeping your cool while gaming
It is common to hear and see swear words pop
up on multiplayer games.
Often, people get caught up in the heat of
the moment, especially when they are not do-
ing well, and become overly emotional.
Although this behaviour is part of human na-
ture, it weakens Singapore’s social defence as
these types of social interactions hurt, degrade
or discriminate those around them.
So do be mindful of your language the next
time you game!
4. Calling out fake news
With so many free-to-use tech tools, it has be-
come easier than ever for people to create fake
news. In worst-case scenarios, such lies can
bring about civil unrest and cause riots.
Sometimes, such content is spread because
people are simply unaware.
You can call out or debunk fake news when
you see it circulating, for example in a family
chat group, and be part of digital defence.
5. Check in on a friend
Mental health matters just as much as physical
health. It affects the way you function, behave
and think.
This Total Defence Day, you can maintain psy-
chological defence by checking up on a friend’s
mentalwell-being. Developing strong family
bonds and friendships can also help build re-
silience and the will to overcome difficulties.
6. Attending a POP ceremony
National service is compulsory for every male in
Singapore, and going through basic military
training is a huge milestone for them.
Transitioning into this new period is not easy,
and life in NS can be quite jarring for some.
You can show your support and encourage-
ment by attending the Passing Out Parade
(POP) ceremony of any of your family members
or friends.
7. Supporting small local businesses
Many small businesses in Singapore have found
it tough since Covid-19 hit.
These include minimarts, hawkers, and even
local Instagram or blogshops.
So, if you need to buy things, do be sure to
support these home-grown businesses instead
of overseas outlets.
You can also spread the love by simply post-
ing a review on social media about a good find
or hidden gem.
8. Learning the languages of others
Besides “ni hao”, “apa khabar” and
“vanakkam” do you also know “kamusta ka”,
“sawadee krap”, “konichiwa” and “ann
yeong”?
Many people come here to study and work,
and when you try learning simple phrases of
their languages and strike up a conversation
with them, you start building social bonds with
them.
Building mutual trust and understanding be-
tween one another is important for social de-
fence.
Also, wouldn’t it be nice if Singapore were
known for being a welcoming country?
9. Finding a job after graduation
Calvin: Eh, we are graduating soon. Do you
want to look for a part-time job before going to
JC, poly or ITE?
Alston: I want a job that pays at least $10 an
hour so I can save up to get the latest pair of
sneakers!
Calvin: Omg, I’ve been eyeing a pair too. I
know of a restaurant that pays $11 an hour.
Want to go check it out?
Alston: Can! Let’s go check it out after our last
paper!
Here is a shout-out to those who want to look
for a part-time job after secondary school gradu-
ation.
You are on the right track. Getting a job is a
way to maintain economic defence, as you be-
come part of the labour force here.
10. Helping someone figure out if a
phone message is a scam
Scammers are getting increasingly creative
about their ruses, making it harder to figure out
if something is real; even for digital natives such
as yourself.
Can you imagine how much more of a prob-
lem this is for an older and less tech-savvy rela-
tive?
By informing them about the latest scams or
being available to advice them, you are con-
tributing to Singapore’s digital defence.
 18 TOTAL DEFENCE DAY 2022 MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022 THE STRAITS TIMES

What’s your
‘TD-type’?
This personality quiz will reveal to you
which aspect of Total Defence influences
your decisions the most
1. A Reddit user is posting nega-
tive comments because he is up-
set that safe management mea-
sures are always changing – and
he needs to postpone his meet-
up plans with friends. Other
users chime in with vulgarities.
What do you do?
A. You reassure the post’s author
and remind him why the measures
are put in place, while giving him
some options on what else he can
do within the rules.
B. You ask everyone to refrain from
using rude words and to keep dis-
cussions civil.
C. You message the user privately
to ask him to delete his post, as he
is being unappreciative of efforts
taken to keep the pandemic under
control. He is stirring up more un-
happiness with his post, which
would lead to disharmony.
2. Someone in your class had his
TikTok hacked and lost access to
his account – and all the videos
he had created.
What do you do?
A. Ask him how he is feeling, and
buy him a drink to cheer him up.
B. Get your classmates to make a
cool video for him, which he can
post on his new account.
C. Go around reminding your class-
mates to set up their two-factor au-
thentication and change their pass-
words regularly.
3. When someone says “CPR”,
what comes to your mind?
A. Knowing CPR would really be
handy in case of emergencies.
B. You wonder if your school’s uni-
formed groups can conduct a free
CPR workshop for the community.
C. You read up about a viral
“cough CPR” technique that is ac-
tually fake news and let your
friends know about it so they do
not get duped.
4. You notice a classmate has
been skipping recess because
she does not have enough
money to buy food at the can-
teen.
What do you do?
A. You offer to buy her food and
ask her if she needs anything else. ST ILLUSTRATION: CEL GULAPA
B. You inform your form teacher so
he can check to see if everything is mind her to call you next time with pride, and encourage your
well with your friend and if she something similar happens. friends to join you.
needs further help. B. You stop her and you later cre- B. You remind your classmates
C. You think of starting a crowd- ate a post on Instagram to warn about the history of Singapore by
funding page for her, and begin re- others not fall for the same scam. putting together a ‘Did you
searching how to do it. C. You help her by downloading know?’ fact sheet that you paste
“ScamShield” on her phone to on the class bulletin board.
5. Your grandmother just re- avoid scams. You also remind her C. You share the YouTube link of
ceived a text message from an un- to never give out credit card infor- the National Day Rally in your class
known number that asks her to re- mation online to random callers. group chat and on your social me-
veal her credit card information. dia accounts, and gather the im-
She is almost ready to hit “send”. 6. National Day celebrations are portant and relevant highlights
What do you tell her to do? going on in school. from the Rally to share with your
What do you do? classmates the next day.
A. Stop her. You tell her that it is a
scam, block the number and re- A. Sing the National Day songs Fatimah Mujibah

L If you’re mostly A’s, you’re the kind of per-
son who helps everyone get along or get
over troubles.
You are the person people call when
they’re down, or need a shoulder to cry on.
If psychological defence had a face, you’d
be it.
L If you’re mostly B’s, you’re a “community
contributor”!
You’re the kind of person who is always
spreading useful information and sharing
your knowledge and talents with those
around you. You care about others’ well-be-
ing and experiences, and contribute greatly
to social defence.
L If you’re mostly C’s, you’re a digital warrior!
You’re the kind of person who adopts digi-
tal technology in your everyday life and helps
everyone better understand life online.
You are someone your friends and family
can depend on when they need help.
You’re the mirror image of digital defence.