Proposal calls for tax on women and non-NS-serving men to fund increase in National Service allowances.
SINGAPORE: Former Nominated Member of Parliament Calvin Cheng suggested in a Facebook post on February 22 that allowances for National Service (NS) should be increased, but he proposed that the increase should not be funded by general taxpayers. Instead, he recommended imposing a special tax on all female citizens and Permanent Residents (PRs), as well as all male citizens and PRs who have never served in NS, to raise the allowance for National Servicemen.
Mr Cheng’s post came in response to a question raised by Workers’ Party MP Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC) in Parliament on the same day. Mr Giam asked the Minister for Defence whether consideration had been given to raising allowances for full-time National Servicemen (NSFs) amid inflationary pressures and rising costs of living.
In response, Senior Minister of State for Defence Mr Heng Chee How explained that NS allowances are designed to support basic personal upkeep, factoring in lodging, food, clothing, and medical care, as most NSFs stay in camp. Mr Heng confirmed that the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) regularly reviews and adjusts allowances, with the most recent adjustment made in March 2020.
Mr Giam followed up by highlighting that the most recent review was almost three years ago and pointed out that the cost of living, including basic upkeep, had risen significantly due to inflation. He suggested that NS allowances could be linked to increases in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or the MAS core inflation measure, in order to address rising costs more promptly.
In his Facebook post, Mr Cheng added that food and lodging should not be considered as part of the allowance calculation since National Service is mandatory. He argued that those who do not serve in NS are “free riding” on the contributions of those who do.
The proposal has sparked a variety of reactions, with some commenters calling it “beyond ridiculous,” while others expressed support, seeing it as a good idea. One netizen humorously remarked that implementing such a proposal could cost the next election.
This debate highlights the ongoing discussion about the fairness and adequacy of National Service allowances in the context of rising living costs.
