SINGAPORE: Around 50 individuals are excluded yearly from acquiring "soldiering" skills or placed in positions where they may gain access to equipment that pose a threat as a result of screening processes in place by the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF).

This figure was revealed by Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen on Friday (Feb 28), in a written answer to a question asked in parliament by Progress Singapore Party's Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Leong Mun Wai.

Mr Leong had asked what was the percentage of National Service (NS) enlistees that had been identified by MINDEF's Military Security Department as "individuals who may pose security threats" for the years 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020 and 2024.

"At the current levels of screening, the number of individuals picked up for observation and exclusion annually are small at about 0.1 per cent (or about 50 individuals for an average number of close to 30,000 pre-enlistees screened each year) over the last 10 years," said Dr Ng.

In January, MINDEF confirmed screening processes were in place to make sure people who pose security threats are not put in roles where they can develop "soldiering" skills. 

This was in response to the detainment of three radicalised Singaporeans - all men - under the Internal Security Act. 

A spokesman for the ministry also then told CNA that it is a "legitimate concern and security threat" that national servicemen could use their skills learned in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to commit criminal acts or acts of terrorism.

Dr Ng said that MINDEF's Military Security Department has in place a security screening process to detect military personnel who might pose a security risk. 

"It is standard organisational capability for militaries around the world, to mitigate the risk of their trained soldiers inflicting harm on their peers or civilians."

These screenings take place during enlistment and throughout their course of service as national servicemen, with the department also closely working with other government security agencies in performing this role, Dr Ng said.

Those picked up by the screening efforts are excluded from "roles where they can acquire skills or gain access to information or equipment that pose a threat".

SCREENING A BALANCING ACT

"These screening efforts require professional judgement and calibration," he added.

"If the criteria are too tight, we may exclude from training an excess of soldiers who ultimately pose no threats. On the contrary, applying criteria that are too loose may result in high-risk individuals being missed during the screening process."

MINDEF's Military Security Department therefore calibrates these criteria periodically, depending on review of feedback and prevailing security conditions, said Dr Ng.

Each of the three radicalised men had taken steps to familiarise themselves with weapons, with one visiting a shooting range in Bangkok.

Another believed that the military training he had undergone, including weapons handling, when he served with the SAF, would be useful when he joined Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades (AQB).

He had also made plans to refamiliarise himself with firearms handling at a shooting range in Batam. All three were arrested in October 2024.