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Mr Kho Choon Keng, President, Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
Major-General Kelvin Fan, Chief of Air Force,
Ladies and gentlemen,
1 It is a pleasure and an honour to be here to join all of you for SAF60 and to wish all of you a happy SAF Day.
2 The defence of our precious, fragile city-state is not something that we can ever take for granted. Today’s occasion is not just symbolic. It is a time when we renew our commitment to defend Singapore and a reminder to pay tribute – to pay tribute to the generations of soldiers and national servicemen who have protected our independence and our sovereignty. This is absolutely essential if we are to secure our future as an independent sovereign nation and if we want to have the freedom to lead our way of life on our terms.
3 The bad news is that the world today, in fact, has become more complicated, more dangerous and more uncertain. I say this from personal experience, not just within Singapore but from my extensive travels and interactions all around the world. Global tensions are heightened, trade and supply chains are being rearranged, we see regional economic and strategic realignment, and new and emerging security challenges. I do not need to remind all of you – there are hot wars right now in the Middle East, in Ukraine, and in Africa.
4 For Singapore, because we are a tiny city-state, this is bad news. Because by definition, we will always be susceptible to external threats. The multilateral rules-based global order that we almost took for granted – this era is ending. We are entering a world, in fact, we are already entering a world where might makes right, and therefore, it will be more challenging – a more dangerous world for Singapore.
5 In these circumstances, a strong SAF is absolutely essential to safeguard our sovereignty and to protect us from any potential aggressors. As Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said at this year’s S Rajaratnam Lecture, Singaporeans know that if we are ever threatened, no one will come to our rescue. This is worth repeating – no one will come to our rescue. No one else has an obligation to defend Singapore, to safeguard Singapore’s interest or to secure our future. We can only depend on ourselves. Singaporeans must recognise this fact.
6 This is why unlike other countries that have scaled back conscription or cut back on defence spending, Singapore, on the other hand, has continuously invested in building up a strong and credible SAF. For the last 60 years, Singapore has spent between 3 to 6% of our GDP on defence consistently.
7 Our investment in our defence is not just in dollars and cents. It is not just in the financial sense. Generations of Singaporean men – fathers, brothers, sons and increasingly so, daughters and sisters – have served National Service, have served in the SAF. The young men and women of Singapore have dedicated at least two years of the best years of our lives for this noble cause of protecting our homeland.
8 This year, we celebrate SAF60 – 60 years since the formation of the SAF.
9 The SAF has come a long way over the past six decades. It continues to evolve, to improve, to adapt to the new challenges in order to stay ahead. In 2022, we set up the fourth Service – the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS) – to better integrate the SAF’s capabilities across the Services to deal with a spectrum of emerging security threats, including especially those in the digital domain.
10 The SAF also continues to build and develop new capabilities. Like the Navy, which will launch its first Multi-Role Combat Vessel (MRCV) later this year and its first four custom-made Invincible-class submarines, which are on track to be operational by 2028. In fact, I suppose by definition you should not see this, two of those submarines have started plying our tropical waters, under water, and are functioning well under local conditions.
11 In the air, the SAF has recently confirmed the purchase of eight additional F-35As.
12 The Army will acquire a new Infantry Fighting Vehicle called the Titan – with upgraded firepower and counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems capabilities. Those of you following the war in Ukraine and drones will know why this capability is essential. The Army’s HIMARS – or the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System – will be upgraded and will have more capable rockets.
13 This is like rowing a boat upstream – what that means is the moment you stop rowing, you will fall back. That is why the SAF cannot afford to stand still. It has to continually upgrade itself, remain prepared for any change, any emerging threat. If we fail to do so, we will regress and we will put Singapore in danger.
14 The other key aspect of our national defence is National Service. Our NSFs and NSmen fight alongside the SAF regulars and are just as capable of deploying sophisticated weapons, to use these powerful systems and to stay abreast of the latest advancements. National Service also fosters national identity, social cohesion and the development of a disciplined and responsible citizenship.
15 Our NSFs and NSmen are ready to be deployed when needed. In particular, I want to thank the SAF NS doctors who have joined other medical specialists to form an international panel to help treat patients with complex medical conditions in Gaza.
16 So our national service is a national institution, and it has become deeply a part of our way of life. It touches all Singaporean families, directly and indirectly. It requires the support of the entire nation to ensure that our servicemen can to train and can perform their operational duties, and to face the risk that comes with it, but to do so with peace of mind and the confidence that this is a cause that is worth sacrificing for. So let us all continue to rally behind every single national servicemen.
17 To all the national servicemen present here today, thank you. Thank you for your sacrifice, thank you for your dedication and your unwavering commitment to keeping Singapore safe.
18 We can never take peace and stability for granted. The responsibility for our national defence does not rest only on a few shoulders, but it rests on every single one of us – being prepared to stand up and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with each other. We will continue to invest in a strong SAF, we will do our best to train our soldiers, we will adopt the latest and most advanced technology, and we will upgrade our equipment.
19 But it is equally, in fact it is vitally important that as a society and as a community, we stand firm, united, regardless of race, language, or religion. If we stand united, then we can secure a brighter future for the many generations of Singaporeans to come.
20 So on that note, let me thank all of you and wish everyone here a meaningful SAF Day.
Photo Credit: Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Photo Credit: Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Photo Credit: Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Photo Credit: Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry
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