Gerald Giam proposes changing NS ‘allowance’ to NS ‘salary’

SINGAPORE: In Parliament this week, Workers’ Party MP Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC) proposed a change in terminology when referring to the amount of money received by National Servicemen from “NS allowance” to “NS salary.”

“As a first step, the terminology should be changed from ‘NS allowance’ to ‘NS salary’, and it should attract CPF contributions,” he said.

He added that a review is needed of the present mindset of giving National Servicemen an “allowance for basic upkeep,” given the considerable rise in living costs and NSF’s opportunity costs.

Mr Giam made these remarks on Thursday (Feb 29) in a speech during the Committee of Supply debate on the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) budget.

“National Service (NS) is an obligation that every male Singaporean or second-generation PR must fulfil. However, it is undeniably an opportunity cost that is disproportionately levied upon one segment of society,” the MP said.

He added that because of the two years of National Service, men in Singapore start their careers later than their male peers, first-generation PRs, new citizens and foreigners.

Mr Giam also pointed out that for would-be professional athletes, NS disrupts their training and competitions, often at the time when they are reaching their years of peak performance, which, as a result, hinders their “world-class aspirations.”

“The median NS salary should be at least the Local Qualifying Salary of $1,600 per month. This still won’t be a market salary, but it will go some way to compensate NSFs for the opportunity cost of two years of service and help them contribute a little to their household income,” added Mr Giam, who also said:

“just because we pay our NSFs fairly doesn’t mean their service is any less of a national duty.”

Senior Minister of State for Defence Heng Chee How responded to Mr Giam’s speech by clarifying that national service is a duty to Singapore, not employment.

“Instead of a salary, NSFs receive an allowance to support their basic upkeep, and this allowance is regularly reviewed — most recently in July 2023,” he said, adding that the allowance NSFs receive has been under review four times in the past decade, and will continue to be reviewed to ensure that it remains “relevant.”

Mr Giam, however, then cited the case of SAF regulars, who are employed but also serve their national duty. He added that the amount NS men receive should “reflect the realities of the opportunity costs that national servicemen have to incur.”

This is not the first time the WP MP has spoken on the matter in Parliament. In Feb 2023, he asked the Defense Minister if raising the allowances of full-time National Servicemen (NSFs) could be considered, given inflationary pressures and higher costs of living.

In May, it was announced that all national servicemen in the Singapore Armed Forces, Singapore Police Force and Singapore Civil Defence Force will be receiving a bump in their allowances of up to $200 starting from July 1.

“This is welcome news for the tens of thousands of NSFs who are supporting and defending the Constitution, preserving and protecting the honour and independence of our country, upholding the law, and protecting and saving lives,” wrote Mr Giam at the time. /TISG

Read also: Salary increase for NS men ‘welcome news’ says WP MP Gerald Giam, who called for it in Parliament in February