They once said,"Discipline is the refining fire by which talent becomes ability." Do our fellow Singaporeans have that refining fire?Frankly,I don't think so.We are talking about a country where crimes are a trend.From gangsters to gambling, the crime situation has increased by 19.6% on 2005.Due to the introduction of National Service,the situation has decreased by about 11%,not saying that NS was introduced recently but for sure,it plays such an important part to nurture youths to adults,or boys to men.Hence,National Service should or must be mandatory for all male Singaporeans as discipline,an important quality that one should possess,can be taught through National Service.How you may ask.From simple things like waking up on time or even the temptation of pointing your gun to your own platoon.By these simple things are where a person knows what is best for them and so that they are mature enough to make their own and right choices in life..How can a person live without discipline?He would have no sense of direction and would do anything that he thinks is right.Therefore,I conclude that National Service is very important and it should not be 'abolished' just because of tiredness and so on.With no doubt,I think that National Service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans.Thank You.

National Service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans as it is important to protect Singapore, our only home. Although National Service can be tough, this could be a good chance to train the guys to be more disciplined as getting up early in the morning may not be an easy task. Other than that, having good health and a fit body is very important when there is a war. Not only must we be mentally strong, we must be physically fit too in order to protect Singapore. However this does not mean that only males can protect Singapore. Females can also do their part by taking care of family as females are physically weaker than males. Also due to our small population as compared to those bigger countries with more people, we could only rely on our own citizens and advanced weapons to protect Singapore thus it is really important to train male Singaporeans to ensure that they have the mental power and fitness to fight during a war hence I think that National Service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans.

National Service(NS) SHOULD be mandatory for all male Singaporeans as all of them have protect our nation in times of war. Let assume if there isn't any NS in Singapore, during wartime, Singapore will suffer alot so we have to be prepared in case of such times. Males that attend the NS can also build up their physical standards though the process is tough and the male Singaporeans can learn to endure hardship during the training. Although I feel that NS should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans, I think that women can also play a part in protecting our country. Singapore is our home so we have to do all we can to keep it safe. I personally feel that it is very important for Singaporeans to protect our country so regardless of male or female, all of us have to do something for Singapore to become a peace and war free country for the locals and tourists to stay in.

Ns should be mandatory for all male singaporeans as we should let all men experience the physical and mental "toture". This is the time where all men are treated equally, be it rich or poor.Singapore is a small island with a relatively low population compared to our other neighbouring countries such as malaysia and Indonesia.If these countries were to attack us, Singapore would be powerless as we have not enough men to defend Singapore from these external threats. Adapted from "the man and his ideas" by Mr Lee Kuan Yew "It will not do to depend on others to defend us.We would be in a very difficult situation if there is trouble one day in our country,if there are enemies invading us and those defending us belong to another state,people not loyal to our nation,but only soldiers employed by us. It would then be too late to feel sorry about it"

In my opinion, I feel that NS should be mandatory.

Conscription in Singapore, called National Service (NS), requires all male Singaporean citizens and second-generation permanent residents who have reached the age of 18 to enroll in the military. They serve a two-year period as Full Time National Servicemen, either in the Army, Police Force or Civil Defence. NS allows youths to gather together and forge a strong bond as residents of the same country serving together. With global resources being a rising demand, there is a higher chance that war will break out due to disputes between countries. Thus, we will need an army to ensure our own safety in times of war. Moreover, there have been a rising number of terrorist attacks throughout the globe and Singapore might be targeted sooner or later as Singapore is a very densely populated country and an easy target due to its size.

Firstly, National Service ensures that we build up a defence against invaders instead of leaving our country defenseless. Additionally, it helps to ensure that our youth are kept fit and thus lower the obesity rate, keeping us in the pink of health and this will eventually lead to males having less health problems in the future. This means that less of the country’s finance can be spent on building medical facilities. If NS is not compulsory, very few people would decide to enrol into the army and the army would probably be very small in number. This would result in having an undersized army and we would not be able to defend ourselves properly. We once relied on the British to defend Singapore, but they eventually retreated and let the Japanese take over during World War II. This eventually led to Singapore being dominated by the Japanese and many lives were lost in that period of time and it was a period of great turmoil. Thus, we must ourselves defend Singapore and we will need our own military force. Thus, having mandatory NS would help to stabilise the military defence of Singapore and thus help protect our country against attackers. Singapore would also be a safer place to live in. These are some of the nation-related reasons of why National Service should be compulsory for men.

Secondly, many commentators have stated this generation of graduates that have just come out has been labelled as the “Strawberry Generation.” This is because we have shown little resistance in whatever we do, and we have proven ourselves to be unable to cope with stress. There is also a lacking of perseverance and the older generation has complained that we are not determined enough. There has been a declining trend in Singapore in terms of character development, and the calibre of Singaporeans seems to be decreasing rapidly. This can all lead down to one problem---having a lack of fundamentals in character. Boys (including some teens and youths) are getting spoilt by their parents and there have been many situations where the child has not been disciplined well enough due to their parents’ soft-heartedness. NS, however, solves this basic problem by instilling discipline in our children. It is only through imposed discipline that self-discipline can be instilled. In the Army, we have to wake up at the crack of dawn and this is an example of having disciplined. Many youths nowadays wake up close to noon, and such habits can be seen as a sign of laziness. Even with an alarm clock, we refuse to take note of it and simply shut it off. The minority have been able to cultivate good habits like waking up early and thus there is a need for National Service in Singapore to guide our youths back on the right track of life.

Thirdly, National Service also helps in developing mental resilience. When we enter the workforce, we will be bound to meet daunting situations that may overwhelm us. If our mental capabilities are not well honed, we might just crack under the pressure of the project. Also, in NS, we will meet with people from all walks of life. This is something that will help us see what the outside world is like. Having to work with all kinds of people will help to cultivate our teamwork skills and experience many different feelings. Being subject unto the officers who seemingly give pointless tasks helps to train your patience and this can help a lot in worklife when your boss may give you assignments just because he wishes to. NS is the place where “boys become men”. It brings out the fullest potential of every man in every person in NS, making sure that we have a competent military force. Unlike other big countries like the U.S, where NS is not compulsory, many people that are just doing office work are untrained in combat and they will become burdens in the country should a war occur. I believe that the government has reviewed the NS policy many times and the current system is a result of much consideration. Although Singapore has a lack of manpower, if all of our men have both brains and brawn, the calibre of capability will help us to par with those countries with more manpower and larger armies.

Many people say that NS should not be mandatory. They claim that NS is a waste of two years and that time can be used to pursue a career. This is not true as those two years in the army can help to train a person to tackle the challenges of being in the Singapore workforce more efficiently and thus contribute to the Economic Defence of Singapore in an improved manner compared to throwing a bunch of inexperienced scholars, who have no experience in handling people. Many times in school, we are spoon-fed by our teachers and we do not have the ability to take care of ourselves. Without the NS, we will not learn to take care of ourselves. Without that ability, how are we to take care of our future families? If we cannot take care of our families, how do we raise up the next generation of Singaporeans? It is also said that we should have an army that is willing to serve. However, is this possible with the current situation in Singapore? Our youths are all intelligence-orientated and we are taught that “brains are better than brawn”. In National Service, there is a misconception that we need more brawns than brain. This leads to people becoming disinterested in the Army, and who knows how the enrolment for the Army will drop if NS becomes voluntary? The result will certainly leave Singapore in an extremely vulnerable position for other countries to take over. Besides, much of Singapore’s current population is made up of foreign talent who have become Permanent Residents (PR) in Singapore. Why is it that we take up the same space, live in the same country, but they have no obligations to defend it? Should they decide to live here or even become a citizen here, it has become their responsibility to help defend their home here in Singapore.

With this I conclude my comment. For a greater cause and a safer, more reliable place to stay in, I strongly support NS being mandatory. People say that “it is better to be safe than sorry”, and having men to be trained in the Army for general knowledge does not harm anyone. We require balances in all Five Aspects of Singapore’s Defence and Military Defence is something that is not to take lower priority. The government has made the right decision, and there is no need for any change in the government policy. Our males complain about NS, but sometimes “you have to be cruel in order to be kind”. War is ensuing in many countries, and it might just become inevitable that Singapore get involved in one. If that is the case, we will need the Army to show that we are NOT some small country, but we are a country that CAN fight back and we are not to be taken lightly.

To all previous comments:

Singapore is not a country that relies purely on manpower and military force. Under the leadership of our government, we have forged alliances with many strong countries and have many allies to assist us. Such examples are China, U.S, Malaysia and many others. War alone, is not a reason for National Service to be mandatory.

@Li Xuan:

I can’t believe a lady would actually want to enrol in the NS; you must be the rarity amongst the millions of ladies in Singapore. For this, I would like to put down my thoughts concerning this. I support NS for ladies as well. We all stay in the same country- so why do only the men give 2 years of their lives into the army while the females can move on? Defending the country is a role for all and it is also important that we maximise the manpower that we have as Singapore is considered to have a small population when compared to other countries. However, Military defence is a very large scope- the ladies do not necessarily need to be on the frontlines. Additionally, try to imagine what would happen if the women were to be captured as POWs. However, if guys were to be captured they would most likely be tortured or killed. Also, it has been scientifically proven that females have lower physique compared to males. After all, guys would rather sacrifice their life then let a lady die in war. Thus, Ladies would be more suited to work a bit more “behind the scenes”, having roles such as medics, intelligence or admin staff. This would allow the men to be able to learn other things that can be more relevantly applied in battle, e.g. tactics or rifle handling. They would also be able to concentrate in battle more. However, there are some disadvantages of having ladies in the Army. For example, the ladies might pose as a distraction to the men’s training. At the age of 18, many men are beginning to start looking for girlfriends and they might find a lady which attracts them within the camp. This might manage to spur him on to excel further, but what would happen if more than one person likes a single girl? This would eventually lead to fights and things may become lethal if the soldiers have easy access to the weapons. The contributions that women make for NS will be much different from what males will put in. For a start, they must be willing to accept this change in the system as girls in Singapore tend to lead over-protective lifestyles and for them to be involved in Singapore’s defence might be something that they may need time to cope with. Their contribution will often be more indirect as their roles would involve taking care of the men and ensuring that they are in the best condition to go for war. Thus, women would be more ideal for contributing to the “behind the lines” defence. NS should be introduced to women and the youth should be educated on the importance of military defence. We should not take NS as a form of torture- Instead, we should think of it as a way to contribute to our country by defending our homeland. Ladies should also strengthen themselves so that they will not become a burden to the men during wartime. By introducing these changes, Singapore will become a better place for us all.

Sorry Miss. Sam, this is Sean here, please pardon me I forgot to put my name inside my username.

EVERYONE, PLEASE REFRAIN FROM PERSONAL ATTACKS EVEN IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH A SPECIFIC PERSON.

This is online debate, so there is no need for personal attack.

Many of the comments have sidetracked and people are beginning to attack others.

Indeed, those that sit in front of the computer playing games and looking for girls (when carrying a immature mind) is precisely why we need to have NS for our dear Singaporean men.

This are my reasons why National Service should be mandatory for all male singaporeans.

Putting aside the daily routine scheduled for you in various units, you probably will have ample time to think about what you truly want to do after NS. Perhaps you might want to further your studies locally or overseas, or start a full-time job.

Ever feel glued to your couch, watching brainless programmes on television while your mind slips into oblivion? Well, NS is the time to kiss your comfortable couch goodbye! You would definitely be working out more during NS and this discipline instilled in you could, in turn, strengthen your mental power and aid you in making decisive choices in other aspects of life.

I believe at the end of your service in NS, you would have a story to tell. A story that you can be proud of, and the best part is, you get to create it. With the right mentality and attitude during the whole course of your Service, you would learn and experience new opportunities— and share them with friends. It will be a story of becoming a real man.

Many times we take the people around us for granted, be they family, friends, or even a significant person. The time you spend during NS would make you cherish the ones closest to you and allow you to realise their importance because you only have a few days per week to spend with them. So, you will have to make a choice on how and who you are going to spend this period of time with.

Lastly, NS would aid in understanding yourself better. Never thought that you could survive in the jungle? Found out that you are actually a good leader? Realised that you’re willing to sacrifice anything for Singapore? Stepping out of your comfort zone can help you discover things about yourself that you’re not even aware of.

Should National Service be mandatory for all male singaporeans?The answer is yes.National Service is a time when all males are trained to be a man.Even though it may be tough and the officers and sergeants are strict and demanding,it can aid us in facing lots of challenges and facing them one by one without fear.The physical trainings and morning exercises will help us be physically fit too.In the national service,it is when all kinds of people are bonded together.Be it you are rich or poor,indian or chinese,in there,it is always a one big family and all will be treated equally.Also,without National Service,males will not be trained and not able to defend the country.Thus,Singapore will be vulnerable to attacks from other countries as we are not mentally and physically fit.Therefore,to prevent this from happening,National Service is a mandatory thing so that we could face these enemy attacks without any fear and face them with responsibility.Hence,National Service is mandatory for all male singaporeans.

I agree that National Service is compulsory for all males in Singapore. We certainly do not know what the future has in store for Singapore , we may be attacked by neighbouring countries , at that point of time , we will require the help of our National Servicemen to fight the war for us. And if National Service is not made mandatory , we would have very little or no soldiers at the battlefield , leaving Singapore totally defenseless. There is a video on youtube that lists many bad points about going to NS. Some of them are , while females of their own age are already working full time , the guys are still serving the NS , thus not earning any income at all. The video also lists that male singaporeans try every way to get excused from the NS , by either getting too injured to exercise or plainly just getting an MC by deliberately hurting themselves. I think that male singaporeans should see the NS as a form of repayment towards the government for ensuringa high standard of education , the cleanliness of the country and oeace throughout Singapore.

Video ( NS Song ) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK3wi2Tt4Pc

I feel that National Service should be compulsory for all male Singaporeans.

Singapore is a small country, and we are in a rather vulnerable situation. It will be extremely simple for other countries to attack us, seeing that we are just a “little red dot”. National Service helps to train male Singaporeans so that they will be able to protect Singapore if there is a war. Other than helping males to keep fit, National Service also helps to train males to be more disciplined, such as waking up extremely early even after a whole day of training the day before. Assuming that there is no National Service in Singapore, what would happen during war time? Singapore would probably suffer, since nobody will be able to protect our country and ensure our safety.

Not only protecting our country, National Service also teaches males different values, for example: perseverance and teamwork.

National Service is extremely tough, and many are bound to feel like giving up half way, since this generation is also known as the “strawberry generation”. However, in NS, there is no such thing as giving up. You can only keep trying, and keep trying.

Teamwork is also a very essential value in NS. Like what Mr Liu said, “Go far, go together”. If you want to go far, then you have to work together as a team and solve the problems together.

I’m Yee Leng by the way.

I think that National Service should be mandatory. In NS, they can not only learn to be fit physically, but also fit mentally. With fit mentally i mean discipline, teamwork, perseverance and resillience. Men are physically fitter than women, and they will have to take up the task of protecting their country, their family and friends should Singapore get invaded and attacked one day.

In NS, they have to abide to strict rules, like having to wake up early in the morning, just like @MyDebateNub had said, that Signaporeans are labelled as "The Strawberry Generation" by many, one of the reasons to be the current level of technology allows the people to do things online without having to move from one place to another or with just a click on the mouse, we can buy things from other countries. Another reason could be as Singapore's economy is going stronger and better, hence many families have better finances, and many families are getting maids to do their housework and things so this generation of men and women are getting lazier. I have even read an article that some foreign pupils who are studying in Singapore are quite shocked when they saw that some Singaporeans don't even know how to do household chores. This is even more of the reason why they should have compulsory National Service. To train them to be more independent without the help of maids, technology and such.

Some men complain that going to NS is a torture, a waste of time and a horrible "nightmare". Then, if NS is not compulsory, there will be definitely a huge decline in enrolment for the NS. Then, who will know when another country will just suddenly sttack Singapore? By that time, won't all the men no matter they have gone to NS or not, have to go out and fight to protect their country? Will they even win against the other countries who have bigger number of trained army forces with only their small amount of trained men? That is, a really small chance. By the time, the men who do not go NS and train, how will they be able to protect their families and loved ones?

Everyone in Singapore has good education, we all learn of a lot of things and have knowledge. However, could one with lots of knowledge yet little physical abilities just use wit to beat the enemies with weapons? Or do they just stand there and get scared out of their wits? Training strictly and "torturously" allows the men to become more mature and not be just a "frog in the well" who has never seen the reality of the world outside. No enemy is so kind to do things our way. If one just uses textbook knowledge and try to "talk their way out", (no offense) but they will just get killed or blasted out of their way.

In conclusion, NS should be mandatory to train the men to be better, since they are "gifted" with a better physical fitness which some women might be really envious of (like me, for example). If women had been blessed with better physical fitness than men, then going to NS to train and to protect the country, I for one will not complain. However, since the men are the ones who are fitter physically, the ones who complain of exhuastion and things, they have to train even more to mature and drum into their heads that they are the ones most capable of protecting the country.

In my opinion , National Service should be mandatory for all Singaporeans due to the fact that Singapore is a small country. Singapore does not have any major natural resources and the only resource that we have is human resource , also known as manpower. The only thing that has kept Singapore going through the years since its founding is the booming economy as Singapore is placed smack in the middle of the commercial trade route. Back to the topic , National Service should be mandatory as we do not have enough manpower to defend ourselves in times of war and conflict. Like my father used to say ''A single nuclear bomb could wipe out almost 3/4 of the population of Singapore'' , i feel that we should be well prepared to face tough times. As many Singaporeans have the mindset that a soldier's pay is not that high and that soldiers have to undergo tough trainings makes the local Singaporeans less interested in working as a career soldier. Hence , there will not be much Singaporean males who have been trained militarily. By enforcing the law that National Service is mandatory , Singaporean males will be trained militarily and can be put into action in times of conflict. In conclusion , i feel that National Service should be mandatory as Singapore does not have enough manpower to fight in conflict.

yes it should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans to undergo National Service. Singapore is a small country, it can only rely on her own people to protect her. The reason National Service became enforced was because Britain intended to reduce it's forces in Malaysia and Singapore, thus it became obvious to the government that they had to set up an army on their own as they were no longer able to rely on the British troops for denfence. An earlier result of lack of defense in Singapore was when the British surrendered to the Japanese within 2 days of the invasion, which left us defenseless thus we fell into the Japanese's clutches easily. To prevent history from repeating itself, we have to rely on our own army no matter how small it is. Not only is National service needed to defend our country, it also teaches values like responsibility. National service trains the male population to be strong mentally and physically, preventing the development of too many "strawberry generation" otherwise known as fragile and weak people.

Every male Singaporean citizen and permanent male resident will be serving two years of National service in Singapore.

I strongly feel a need that National Service to be mandatory.

Although most people claim it to be a waste of time, and that the two years could be spent into developing skills and furthering studies, think about it. Without strong security in psychological defence, economic, civil, social and military defence, what use would knowledge and the learnt skills be when the time is to come for war?

NS should be mandatory as firstly, we need to ensure Singapore is ready for war at anytime. History told us about the Japanese occupation. It was a painful and torturous time for everyone affected by the war. If we strengthen up our security and defences by NS, such painful wars might not happen again, and there will be peace in the country. We should not just wait and regret the next war that might be happening at anytime.

NS trains the mental and physical fitness of most of our male Singaporeans and permanent residents, it is an important part of building up in a male's life. It will certainly train the individual to be more independent and stronger in both mental and physical and will definitely train the male individual to be ready for work/studies or etc when the male is out of NS.

NS will build up one's character, and that is an important thing in life. Thats why the army officers in charge will be strict and unlenient.

NS will also strengthen Singapore;s bond together. In NS, the males will meet new people and will learn to communicate, make new friends, take time to bond in the two years well. This will certainly strengthen our social defence. With NS, we can't guarantee that all the 5 defences of Singapore are very strong, but we can promise that as long as NS is mandatory, there will be less possibility of war considering our war defences and there will never be a repeat of the Japanese war ever again.

NS will give the male individual ,experience that will teach them not to be naive . The NS experience that the males will get will guide them better in life and lead them to make correct choices. In NS, the males learn better what is right and wrong so that they wont make the wrong decision and regret.

Lastly, two years in NS will give them more time to think about what they want to be in the future. Maybe after NS, they will want to serve NS full time? No one will know. NS will give people opportunities to think slowly for the 2 years and make a permanent decision on what they want and can become. In NS, the males will know their strengths and weakness much better than before and this will lead them to career planning and choosing the right career for themselves. In a job the males are good in, they will generate more productivity and will make a bigger contribution to the country in some way or another.

All of this sums up my belief that NS SHOULD be mandatory in Singapore and it will definitely not be a waste of time on anyone at all.

National Service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans as Singapore is a small country with no natural resources at all. But why can we be on the same level or even higher than other big country is because of our citizens. People is what make Singapore what she is today. To have all the citizen all fit and healthy is very important to maintain the economy of Singapore. Other than that, as we have lesser people as compared to huge country, our army is also lesser. If other countries attack Singapore one day, we will just be take over easily due to our lack of soldiers that's why National Service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans.

Since female is physically weak than male, the male should take over the job for protecting the country while the female will take the job of taking care of family.

National Service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans as it serves some purpose. It changes the mindset of a youth to an adult one. So that we boys will be fully mature, independent, responsible and discipline. After National Service, we would know when to make the right decision when not to, like being on time. This is exactly the problem with teenagers nowadays, we are spoil, dependent on others, too used to being told what to do. National Service just seems to be only way to solve all this. Besides that, National Service has one more purpose. Teaching boys to protect Singapore. If National Service is not mandatory, who are the ones that is going protect us from invaders, enemies? Are we just going to just sit back and watch the war? Are we going to let 46 years of efforts just go down the drain just like that? So i conclude that National Service be mandatory for all male Singaporeans as it trains us to be a real man and protect our only Singapore from invaders, enemies.

NS should be mandatory as it is an important key factor that moulds male cadets into better men who work for both the nation as well as the social society. Even through NS there are still several men who are 'pampered' too much and these men are not going to be able to survive in case of a serious threat. the reason why i say that some NS men are pampered is because of a recent news article in yahoo which shows a NS man walking empty handed while his maid is trailing behind him helping him carry his army bag. These show how 'weak' our NS men are and yet we have people complaining about tough training in the army. We must know that NS plays an important role in the Singapore's history. While building the noble quality of discipline in the male cadets, NS has also made close bonds with other nations. Like Operation Wallaby which takes place in new Zealand recently and Exercise Thunderstrike which took place in Australia.

While NS is a painstaking 2 years, it forges friendship between soldiers that would last forever. Such tough bonded friendship cannot be obtained easily as soldiers go through alot together before they have close relationship with each other.

NS provides a fit body for those who are obese with forcing BMT(Basic Military Training) every single day for around 9 weeks and another 9 weeks for those who failed their first BMT. This thus reduces the obesity problem in our nation from growing on.

With that i would like to end my argument.

By the way this is Kishore, Ms Sam.

thatonal Service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans as they have to be trained in order to protect Singapore in the future. National service may be difficult, but it trains them to be physically fit and also moral qualities such as discipline. They will also learn some war commands from their sirs in the camp and do foot drills. These males will be more mature and their mental ability to care for our country will increase. One will never know reality and terrorism may occur in Singapore or wars would occur in the future, that’s when national service comes in handy. At that critical stage, Singaporeans must know how to react and defense themselves. Without the proper training, there would be pandemonium in Singapore and it would be more vulnerable for the enemies to attack us. We must be mentally strong when this happens. In addition, males are believed to be physically stronger than the females, thus they should all the more go for National Service to protect those females citizens. In conclusion, National Service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans, only then Singapore will have a strong military force. National service is a must.

National Service should be and made mandatory for all Singaporeans is because of the small community we have compared to others. Without enough manpower, the males will have to sacrifice without a choice. It gives males a sense of discipline, teamwork and respect. At 18 years, the start of military life will allow this values to be nutured in them as they are turned from a teenager to a soldier. This time is the best as teenagers are turning into young working adults and such morals are important in building their character and personality. This will make them feel more matured and make the right decisions in life as they grow to be more responsible for their family and the nation. The physical training helps in improving one's stamina and fitness which makes them feel stronger physically and mentally. Such things can bring them far in life as they are braver to carry on to new heights and overcome challenges that are tough like how National Service are feared by some. Therefore, even people who thinks they are unfit to do tough jobs will still get experience in such areas which makes them a less weaker person. National Service also breaks the line where different men are separated because of their identity in life. Like how clever people may be called nerds, rich people being arrogant and gangsters ruling over small people. In National Service, all of them would be treated the same way, being rich or having such attitude could not escape. When everyone is treated equally, it is harder to have fights breaking out among ourselves which reduces the crime rate in Singapore. The crime rate in Singapore had decreased from 680 in 2009 to 650 in 2010. It also help one to be more thoughtful of others' feelings and respect their decision in time to come.

National Service (NS) in Singapore is compulsory for all males and it is 2years. It purpose of having NS is to be always ready in case there is a war. Also, NS is a process whereby males can learn new stuffs which they do not and also train themselves to be both mentally and physically fit.

Firstly, males are usually more fit as compared to females, physically and that is why they are serving NS and not the females. Well, there are also some males that are physically less fit and that is why they are in NS.

Secondly, if NS is not compulsory for all males and they have the choice of going to serve or not. This will result in lesser people taking the initiative of serving NS and there will be lesser people being there to defend the country if there is really a war.

In conclusion, based on those reasons (above), i strongly think that NS is compulsory for all male Singaporeans.

I feel that National Service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans.

In the past, Singapore has to depend on the British for our country’s safety. And when the British decided to withdraw, we were left defenseless. Hence it is necessary to build a substantial military force to protect our homeland.

Conscription seems to be the best option due to Singapore’s limited resources and economic constraints. It helps to build up a defence force without placing a heavy burden on Singapore’s manpower and financial resources.

Moreover, due to the small population or rather a limited male population, Singapore does not have the liberty to implement a National Service programme whereby males are selectively drafted.

National Service helps to foster cohesiveness among male Singaporeans. It brings Singaporeans from diverse background together and also requires them to go through similar experiences and thereby identify themselves with a common destiny of defending the nation.

Furthermore, National Service is an ideal opportunity to train the males, physically and mentally. Nowadays, teenagers are spoilt. We depend on others and are not determined enough. When obstacles surfaced, we often choose to give up. The series of intensive physical trainings will certainly build up the males’ resilience and their fitness level. Males that undergo National Service will also become more independent.

To conclude, National Service has been an integral part of Singapore’s defence and also played an important role in nation building. Adding on, it benefits the males as they will be physical trained and will also become more mature. Thus, National Service should be mandatory for all males Singaporeans.

I think National Service should be mandatory to all male Singaporeans as National service can strengthen physical abilities as they go through a lot of training. And after National Service, they may become more manly. Their mental abilities will also increase as they become more confident. And NS brings together people from all walks of life—different races, different religions—they will learn to live and work closely with different kinds of people and make friends with other races of people and developed a brotherhood between each of them as they go through some tough times during the NS training. At the end of it all, they will become more mature and independent—no longer the boy they once were.

Also,after they finished their NS training and they become a full time NS men , they can get advantages. For example, they can get financial assistance if their families have financial problem or have a personalised ez-Link Card that can have privilege when they board the public transport etc.

It is also the guy's responsible to defend Singapore as after the NS training , they are stronger and more fit. Even if Singapore let girls into the NS training , our strength will never match the guys.

So I think National Service be mandatory for all male Singaporeans.

I think that National Service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans. One of the obvious reasons are that Singapore is small country, and can only rely and trust the citizens to protect and put their life in the line for their home. Take the Japanese Occupation for example. The British surrendered just one week after the invasion. With them gone, we were left on our own to fight the Japanese, however we do not have our own soldiers. That is why NS is important. If the government did abolish this rule, there would not be many male volunteers. With just so few men, there would not even be an army. What would Singapore do if there was a war? Without receiving proper training from NS, how could a man protect his family? The government just wants male Singaporeans to receive proper training for 2 years. Reservist is just so you could always be ready for any events. Hence I think it should be mandatory.

Yes, in my opinion, National Service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans as it helps to turn males into strong fighting men who can help to defend our country during a war.

Not many are willing to join the army because of the strenuous and tough training so if National Service wasn't mandatory, then there'll be very little people in the army and we will have insufficient people to help fight and protect Singapore in an event of an attack. Singapore is a relatively small country and our only resource is manpower, therefore, it's important for us to have a large army that is always ready and on standby to protect us during a battle.

National Service also helps to create a bond between all male Singaporeans and help them to develop a sense of patriotism so that they know they all have a part to play in protecting Singapore. Of course, women do have a part to play too. However, as women tend to be more weak physically and may not be able to take the arduous training and hard work, instead of joining National Service, they can help by protecting and taking good care of themselves and their families while men help to fight during a war.

Men will also learn more about teamwork during National Service as they will all be working together towards a same goal and mission. Stepping out of their comfort zone will also teach them to persevere and not give up easily and learn to take and endure hard work.

Hence, I feel that National Service should be mandatory for male Singaporeans.

National Service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans as they help to train male Singaporeans to be both physically and mentally fit. Though National Service is hard, those that finished the 2 years of National Service come out being both physically and mentally strong. Singapore has a small population size, unlike other countries. If we do not make National Service to be compulsory for all male Singaporeans, we would not have enough men to protect Singapore. Though some might say that we do not have much chance to win if other countries decided to go to war with us, we would still be able to at least resist and have some chance of winning. As for the photo with the NS man having a maid to carry his bag, this shows us that more and more male Singaporeans are becoming "as fragile as strawberries". (Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong described young Singaporeans as"fragile like strawberries" on the Singapore Scout Association's 100th anniversary dinner . Said SM Goh 'Fortunately, we have our National Service. Otherwise, we too may have a "strawberries" generation.' adapted from http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/04/singaporean-strawberries/) )

This tells us that more and more Singaporeans prefer to stay in front of the computer instead of going out. That's why National Service should be mandatory for these male Singaporeans so that they would be physically and mentally strong instead of being as fragile as strawberries like that NS man we saw in the picture which needs his maid to carry his bag.

National Service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans as it serves some purpose. Like

- There will be people to protect the singapore if there is an invasion occur. NS teach the teenagers how to protect the country. As Singapore is an independant country, so we had to protect the country on our own!

- It help to train the teenager in both physical and mental. Physical training like running will help the teenager to put on muscles and have a better stamina. This will help the teenager to have a better quality of health condition. The military training is tough and strict, there is a fixed time timetable for the teenager to process on. This will help to train the teenagers to become more responsible , more descipline and more independant. In the surrounding of mature people, the teenager will also become more mature and know how to make a wise decision.

- The NS will also help the teenager to develop senses of patriotism through education or activities. This sense of patriotism can be the engine for the warriors to keep them fighting.

When there is an invasion occur to singapore who is going to protect us? It must be the singaporeans so the teenager must be train hard to protect the singapore~

Yes, National Service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans as it is the job of all Singapore citizens to protect our homeland, Singapore. Although NS is not compulsory for women, for some reasons, it is compulsory for all males. Hence, it is a good chance for our fellow male Singaporeans to show how much they care for our country. NS helps you to understand yourself better as stepping out of your comfort zone will help you discover things about yourself that you may not know. It will make you realise that you too can be a good leader. The discipline instilled in you will, in turn, strengthen your mental power and help you in making decisive choices in others aspects of life.

It is true to a certain extent that the Army makes a man out of a boy, and no man can deny the good it has done for them in terms of mental and physical strengthening. In the event of war, military training will save lives. Hence, both the soldier and his family that had made the ultimate sacrifice do deserve to be honored and respected accordingly.

For all the good that National Service does, it is worth to be mandatory for all male Singaporeans.

National Service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans. Mandatory means necessary and I believe that all male Singaporeans are necessary to serve the National Service. National Service, or army conscription in Singapore, was first introduced in 1967 due to pressing issues such as national security after Singapore's "forced" independence in 1965. In 1971, the British completely pulled out of Singapore. It has been 41 years since the introduction of NS.

Firstly, when a male completed his full-time service, he is considered to be "operationally ready", and is thereafter known as an Operationally-Ready National Serviceman (NSman). When such, it means that he is ready for any wars regardless of age or time and be prepared to serve the nation without fail. In such a small island, Singapore is indeed lack of manpower. Thus, all male Singaporeans should serve National Service because if they do not serve the nation, no one else does. Foreigners will definitely support their own countries and do Singapore expect females to defend our country? Definitely no.

Secondly, National Service also benefit males in mental and physical. Its a new challenged to them and let them know, are they going to take up the challenge, or are they giving up halfway. In 2years of National Service, males are trained to be fit and also mentally strong. This benefit both the nation and themselves because when males are out finding jobs, they will not easily give up because they know that the worry or difficulty is nothing compared to the time in National Service.

Concluding, National Service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans. Although in the past 41 years, there are no sight of wars between countries with us, there is still a must to continue in case of any wars in the future.' Prevention is better than cure' . This sentence indeed come in hand for the situation of this. Always be ready, rather than sorry.

Yes, National Service should be mandatory for all male singaporeans. National Service may seem useless, making us(Males) suffer two years in army, wasting time as females would have been way ahead after the we have served their N.S but it is actually really important and serves a great purpose. First of all, the main purpose- To train all of us and when there is a crisis, a war, we would be capable of defending our own country. Secondly, it turns 'boys' into 'men'. The training is tough and it toughtens the 'boys'. In the process, our character changes too. A childish and immauture boy like us, might be trained into a serious and solemn man. When under National Service, males will get an experience all kinds of hardship. Regardless you rich or poor, you will be treated the same. There is a saying that goes like this,'When the going gets tough, the tough gets going'. During the whole training, it will bring out the best of us. Only the ones with strong determination will survive the training. Well, it isn't the end of the world, if you have weak determination. They will make sure you will be trained and pass all the tests.

I think that National Service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans. First i would like to explain what is National Service. National Service is also known Conscription in Singapore, it requires all male Singaporean citizens and second-generation permanent residents who have reached the age of 18 to enroll in the military. They serve a two-year period as Full Time National Servicemen (NSFs), either in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Singapore Police Force (SPF), or the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

When a conscript completes his full-time service, he is considered to be "operationally ready", and is thereafter known as an Operationally-Ready National Serviceman (NSman).

Why is National Service be mandatory for all male Singaporeans? First it helps to discipline our male teenage Singaporeans and by doing so, it also lowers Singapore's crime rate from 19.6% on 2005 to about 11%.

Secondly, it helps to build up the country's defense against invaders and with all the training in the two years, the male Singaporeans will be strong and fit and thus making our country a more healthier one. NS will build up one's character, and that is an important thing in life. NS also helps in boding male Singaporeans together, this will certainly contribute in building our social defense.

Lastly, two years in the army will definitely help to train a person's character and teaches him on how to tackle the challenges in his life.

So i strongly think that National Service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans.Thank You.

Yes, I strongly feel that National Service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans.

As Singapore is a "little red dot", it's essential to have a strong and powerful army to defend and protect Singapore in any cases of war or attack in the near future. Hence, through national service, males can be trained to be fitter and at the same time, strengthen their physical abilities. They will also learn to be more independent and disciplined since the trainings will be tough and they will not have their parents spoon-feeding them in any ways. In this way, Singapore will be more or less ready in times of war.

During this national service period, males will learn lots of new stuffs, persevere more, forge good friendships with their fellow mates and experience things that we don't do in our daily lives.

Since women are weak in terms of physical attributes, they can help and play a role by taking good care of their families, ensuring their family members are healthy and fine.

Hence, in conclusion, i feel that national service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans.

Firstly, as everybody know, NS is a phase whereby Singaporean males are being prepared to protect and defend the country in times of need. Therefore, I strongly believe that NS should be mandatory for Singaporean males.

One of the reason that NS should be mandatory is so that Singapore would already prepare a defense system so that Singapore would not be left defenseless during the time of crisis. This will help to maintain order in the country and also this will let the citizens of Singapore feel safe and secured, knowing that there are soldiers that are protecting their homeland. However, having said this, why cant we let women be involve in NS? Here are the reasons.

There is a common belief among people that men are stronger than women. Therefore, this would be another reason that I would like to elaborate on. Although a majority of people will not agree to what I mention, I strongly believe that it is one of the main factors why the government did not entitle women to join NS. This is because males have more strength, willpower and mental power. As NS consist of many physical exercises that are tough,challenging and harsh, women are believed not to be able to endure these challenges. This is because women are weak and are not able to handle the thought of constantly being shouted at. Here are three links to videos that will show you why I stress on the point whereby women cannot handle the harsh and high standard that are required in NS.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qgbe0xbswGU&feature;=related (episode 7)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rNTgRiNN3Q&feature;=related (episode 9)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiOO_m2J6jM&feature;=related (episode 12)

Therefore, having said all this, I strongly believe that some of you will already grasp the idea why NS should be mandatory for Singaporean males. This is because without being able to depend on women to defend our country, the only choice left is to make sure men does it instead. Without men, our country will be left defenseless.

We should also take into consideration that if NS was not made as mandatory, who would defend Singapore? Is we actually made it as a choice, who would volunteer? We should not assume that there are a lot of patriots in this country. Therefore by making it mandatory, we can relax as we know that there are people serving the nation.

I feel that National Service should be mandatory for all male singaporeans. As you know, we might not know when there will be war and when there wont be . So its better to be safe than sorry , preparing beforehand . National service not only prepare male singaporeans for war but also build up their physical attributes . I feel that it is compulsory to all males because the trainings they receive in there would be very tough and therefore their minds would mature into adults and would behave better. It should be mandatory also for the sake of the country . To prepare for the war, they need to have the strength to go out on a war and beat others. Therefore , if a war happens , there will be enough soldiers to go out on a fight. If national service is not introduce, when there is war time, everyone will not know what to do and will eventually get defeated. So , i feel that National Service should be mandatory for all male singaporeans.

In my opinion, national service should be mandatory. I feel that it is a very important process for singaporean males. National service trains males in physical and mental terms. It helps them to become a better person, physically fit and mentally build. I think this is what all Singaporean males should go through. The 2 year course for all 18 year old males is also useful if Singapore happens to be in any emergency, for example, if a war breaks out, Singapore would need the males to help defend our country. Without trained men, Singapore would be in danger during those times. The NS also trains men to have courage, and be able to fight for our country , and not back out during Singapore's times of need. Thus I think National service is a very important process for Singapore males.

I strongly believe that national service is madatory for all male singaporeans.Firstly if our country does not have national service our country's defence will be very poor and weak.hence singapore will serve as an easy target for other countries to attck. Secondly, if a war broke up between Singapore and another country, singapore will definetly lose as we do not have enough manpower to fight and protect our country.it is important that all male singaporeans at the age of 18 to serve the military. National service trains people to be physically and mentally prepared when a war breaks out.it also ensures that males will be brave enough to fight and protect our country and the people of singapore when a war breaks out.males would have the courage to fight with others and not run away like a coward.in order for Singapore to be a country that is strong,powerful,it is absoulutely important they all male singaporeans to go to the national service.We Would then be able to defend ourselves

Yes, I think that it is mandatory. Firstly, national service is a 2 year course that every 18 year old boy have to go. The reason why it is compulsary for all boys to go is such that Singapore will always be prepared for any emergency situations. Not only does NS help to protect the country, it also helps to improve the stamina of those who are weaker physically and maintain their physical fitness. For example, if there is a terrorist attack, the army will always be there to try and counter the attack. In order to provide the country with a good army, they are bring trained from morning to night on weekdays. Not only does this benefit the country, it also benefits your ownself

In my opinion, I feel that National Service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans. The reason why the National Service act was made mandatory for all male Singaporeans, since 1967, was because the Singapore government felt that Singapore needed a substantial military force. We needed a strong military force to defend our country as Singapore is a small country; it is very easy to become the target of others. Therefore, in order to achieve this goal, it is compulsory for all male Singaporeans to enlist into the army after age eighteen.

If National Service is not made mandatory for all male Singaporeans, I doubt that there would be any 'volunteers' at all, especially in the twenty-first century where competitive between anyone for everything is strong. It is highly unlikely that parents would encourage their child to enlist into the army as this will mean that the child will have to sacrifice two years of time of studying and contributing to the society at a later age compared to those who did not go for the National Service.

The most frequently debated issue is about the fairness of having only male Singaporeans to be mandatory for National Service. Let me share my opinions on this issue. I feel that National Service should be mandatory to only male Singaporeans. Although every Singaporean has the responsibility to protect your own country, Singapore, when in threat, I feel that young men should be in the frontline when it comes to defending your own country. This is because the physical ability between women and men are vastly different. It is a fact that when it comes to physical strength, males are definitely stronger than females in this area. Meanwhile, there are many other ways for women to protect their own country. One way is to take care of their own families while their husbands are defending the country another is to work as nurse by treating to the injured.

There are many other advantages for National Service to be mandatory for all male Singaporeans too. One of the advantages is that by making National Service compulsory for all male Singaporeans mean that the level of physical strength, mental strength, sense of responsibility and discipline will greatly go up in all male Singaporeans once they finished their National Service. This will prepare them well enough when they start to contribute to the society as well as overcoming obstacles in the journey of their lives.

In conclusion, I feel that it is extremely important for National Service to be mandatory for all male Singaporeans based on the above points that I had discussed about.

Yes, National Service should be mandatory. Man who have passed out from national service have learn many life-long values and practices that turned them from boys to man. It has also taught boys to be responsible. National Service has also trained many well-refined soldiers to protect our country when in times of danger. Singapore is a small country without any major resources therefore when in times of war, Singapore will bound to fall. However, with national service, boys that are trained to become soldiers will step up and serve the country. Singapore can only depend on the soldiers and the technology it possess, but with only the technology. If National Service is no mandatory, there will be too little soldiers to depend on that will lead to the downfall of Singapore. National Service has also taught males to persevere in the things we do. Although the training is harsh and difficult, we can learn many new things from national service and i personally feel that the 2years is worth all the moral values we learn in national service. National Service has been around for 40years and this is part of a culture in male Singaporeans, if this culture is eradicated, male Singaporeans would not be the same as before 40years back. They would all be weak and unreliable. In conclusion, National Service SHOULD BE mandatory. Thank you!

I think NS should be mandatory for all male singaporeans. Our current generation of male youngsters lack self-discipline. NS not only helps them to discipline themselves more but build up their immunity as well.

With more parents sparing the rod nowadays, more kids are going astray, resulting in lack of discipline in themselves, This however does not occur to every male in the country. It depends on how one is brought up. Say for an example which has been oftenly mentioned, whereby a youngster in the NS actually got his domestic helper to carry his own bag. Many think that he is a spoiled brat, lazy, etc. But has it ever occurred to anyone that it might be due to poor upbringing? A typical scene of a singaporean child practically ordering his domestic helper around is not rarely seen these days. Some even give excuses that it was their parents who actually taught them to do so. So why not send them away from their home, further away from their domestic helpers, and especially from their parents who pamper them too much?

NS also helps build up one's immunity, and he would be less likely to fall ill. With the new generation of kids more reliant on their parents and surroundings, NS does a great part in boosting their independence and pride. Independence is one thing everyone requires to have in order to survive in the 21st century. With tough training and sleepless nights, males are actually given experiences on what the future may be like. Staying up late to do work, or having to do things the hard way in order to earn a living. Currently, having a university certificate is no big deal. If one cannot rely on his brains to survive, he will have to rely on his brawn, which lead us to strength and immunity.

Also, during wars, if there is lack of manpower, even commoners can help out since they were trained in NS. During NS, they not only have to endure several hardships, but recognize the ways of using weapons, which will certainly be of great help during wars, which we hope will never happen. With Singapore lacking of everything especially resources, manpower could be our only way out. Say for example if we were to send a dummy who doesn't know how to even hold a gun out on the field, wouldn't it be better if we were to just send a whole army of useless people out to commit suicide and store time for the time being while we think of a better plan? A much much better choice would be to send a skilled army on the battlefield, which would reduce losses and damages.

Some might think that NS would take up a lot of time which could be spent on studying. On the contrary, it would enable males to be more appreciative of what they have, and thus they would know how to manage their time better. They would realise that studying is a big deal and if they don't, they most probably have to turn to hardcore work like what they do in NS. I'm not stating that people in the army are not smart. But consider this, if you have a choice of working in a classy business office with air-conditioning and comfy chairs, would you want to work there or doing sweaty and tiring jobs out there on the field?

Some may turn to interest and choose whichever they are interested in. But majority would prefer to work in an office. Also, NS will help singaporean males become more matured and brawny, which will serve great help in our country's economy. Thus, I conclude that NS in definitely mandatory for all male singaporeans as it will not only benefit our country, but the people as well.

I, had once asked myself the same question although i am a girl . However , when I come to think about it in depth, I finally had an answer .

"If you who are growing up do not understand that you have to got to defend this , then I say in the end we will lose ." This was once said by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew in 1967 . So , what should we understand ? Do you know that National Service are the only solution to the problem when Singapore's security and survival as a nation was left hanged when British decided to withdraw the forces from Singapore ? This made male Singaporeans back then agreed to attend NS . The main objective of having NS is to train Singaporeans to become loyal,

have a vigilant and readiness to protect the things they cherish . By attending National Service , one , will learn to be self discipline in whatever he do . It is also for the benefit of themselves . When they are going out to work one fine day , discipline ,responsibility and commitment are the essential things that employers look out for . I am sure all of you would agree that employers would not want to have workers which likes to slack hence causes problems after problems in the firm right ? Besides that , when male Singaporeans are to attend NS , they will have a sense of urgency in whatever they do . They will also learn to appreciate the things they have and not to be complacent . The tough training and harsh life in National Service will become an eye-opener for all of them . Without them knowing , NS has shaped them to be a better nation . Apart from all that can be gained and what can benefit us by attending National Service , we should not forgot that Singapore is our homeland . This is where we belong !So why is there a need for male Singaporeans nowadays to keep complaining about NS ? They should be proud to say to people that they are physically strong than women and they can face all the obstacles that they are going to face in National Service without much difficulties .However they should remember that everything they do in NS is also for the benefit for Singapore and Singaporeans are depending on them for security . Why should we rely on others if we can somehow protect ourselves ? What would happen if National Service does not exist and we have to rely 100% on other countries ? What if one day , a conflict would happen between Singapore and the other countries ? Think about it and you will end up agreeing that National Service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans , like me .

It should be mandatory as Singapore is a small country, with a small population compared to the other countries and could not depend on a person's choice to join the National Service. Singapore is an independent country, and if a war breaks up, Singapore will have to stand alone. If there are little people in the National Service, Singapore may not be able to defend itself and may be defeated by other countries easily. By having National Service to be mandatory to all male Singaporeans, Singapore will have a strong army and will be fully prepared if a war ever breaks out. As males are naturally fitter than females, it should be mandatory for males to join the National Service. Although National Service may seem a torture to males as they are made to wake up early, endure trainings and are expected to follow every instructions given, it is a good way to built up one's physical and mental health, by being able to persevere through the trainings for two years.

In my point of view, National Service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans. As a Singaporean, I think that protecting and embracing our country - our home - is important. Singapore is a small country, and our human resources are already very limited compared to countries like China, Russia, etc. With already such a small population, if part of our male population do not participate in National Service, the level of our security will decrease. This will lead to possibly more terrorists invading our country, as they will know that our country is not careful or safe enough that they will be unsuccessful in their invasion. Invasion of our country will further lead to chaos among the whole of Singapore. It will also spoil our reputation of being one of the safest countries in the world. Also, when wars arise, Singaporeans would not be able to defend themselves due to the lack of human resources. Like what happened in World War II, we would be captured by more powerful countries and lose our freedom. Citizens will also get tortured by the people who captured our country. Nobody would want to be controlled and tortured by others. Thus, to maintain our freedom and prevent suffering, we have to make our home a safer place to live in, and the one such way is to make National Service mandatory, so that there will be people securing our country all the time from disasters.

In my own opinion, NS should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans. My reason to this is similar to the others who agree that NS should be compulsory for all male Singaporeans – to protect Singapore in times of war, to train to be more disciplined, to build up their bodies and nurturing teens to adults. If male Singaporeans doesn’t go for the NS, who does? The females? The elderly? If NS was not compulsory, many males would not have wanted to join the NS. Reasons being, they are lazy, they think that NS is tiring, it wastes their time, they want to do other stuff they are interested in, and so on. Imagine a minority of males protecting Singapore in times of war (or even a army of females and elderly); Singapore is bound to fall in the hands of the enemy with such a weak and small army force. Hence, I think that NS should be mandatory for all males.

Males need to remember; going to the NS is not just only for the sake protecting the country, it is also to protect your families, friends and home from dangers and wars. They need to realize that they are important to Singapore, where our tiny country is easier to be targeted due to our size. The other countries would also consider thrice before attacking our country after seeing our strong army – they might not win against us.

I think that the NS could also let male Singaporeans realize that they are needed to protect Singapore, and to instill the feeling of being proud to be a Singaporean. However, I think that the government could also choose a portion of the females to join the NS. In this era of time, I believe that women can also do the things man could do. Females could do work that supports the males, like being in the medic and help whenever someone gets hurt, but they could also be trained to be in the front line and fight with the males.

In conclusion, with my reasons to support my opinion, I think that NS should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans.

Yes, National Service (NS) should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans. I think that Singaporeans are feeling complacent and over-pampered, thinking that nothing bad is going to happen to our country. If you walk up to some random person on the road and ask if they are ok with sacrificing themselves for Singapore, they would probably say no.

Singaporeans need to have a sense of patriotism. The purpose of NS is to instill the values of discipline,endurance and perseverance into Singaporean males. Even though some people in NS dread it and thinks of it as a waste of time, I think the majority will get the massage.

If you saw your homeland being evaded by some other country and there is nothing anybody can do about it, wouldn't you be very angry? In conclusion, Ns should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans.

This is because when we have have the rule of having National Service as compulsory, Men of Singapore will start to feel the importance of protecting their own country and not running away when we are under a attack. Thus they will build the 'Singapore pride' in them and we still have a main defense line to depend on and can be independent, not relying on other countries. This is also where the men turn from boys to men as when we are away from our families and friends, we will start to make decision by themselves and start to learn the qualities and essential things on how to lead a family. Thus I think that it should be compulsory.Thank you.

Yes, I think that National Service should be mandatory. Firstly, being a part of the country, all the male Singaporeans should play a part in building up a defense wall for Singapore by joining the NS. Singapore is just a small island and if our people doesn't want to help protect it, then who will? If there's no such thing as National Service, our country will have trouble facing enemies if war occurs.

Why must the males be the ones protecting the country? What about the females? Well, its a bit unfair though, for only males to join the NS and not the females. But if you think in another perspective, its actually quite fair. Most females are not physically strong as the males and thus, it will be tough for them to join the NS and endure such harsh trainings.

National Service benefits actually. It helps to train the NS man both physically and mentally. Physically in the way that it will help to make the NS man fitter and healthier while mentally is that it will help to train the NS man to more enduring to the harsh conditions faced by them during the National Service.

In conclusion, NS may not be a bad thing as it actually does benefits the NS men too.

I feel that NS should be mandatory as it makes male singaporeans more disciplined. At the same time, they will be fitter as they will be undergoing tough trainings and exercises. They will be more responsible for everything they do too. Also, Singapore is not a very big country. Thus, the more we will need National Service. Based on the fact that Singapore is small and manpower is not as good as other countries, if other countries invade Singapore, it will be a confirm defeat unless we seek help from other nations. Under training from NS, male singaporeans will be prepared for war anytime. Their mindset of caring about themselves only will also change. Instead, through the tough trainings from NS, they will protect Singapore, our only home rather than migrating to some other country and stay there. Thus, it is important that all male singaporeans undergo NS.

I agree that National Service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans.The mos important reason, like everybody said, is to train them so that they are able to protect our country in times of war. Another reason I think why government has made National Service mandatory for all male Singaporeans is to provide a chance for them to exercise in order to keep them fit and healthy. I think female Singaporeans can also join National Service but the trainings might be arranged according to their condition as female are naturally weaker than male hence they cannot have the same kind of training.

Yes I think it should be mandatory. The introduction of National Service is good for our young country, because it helps us to increase our defense power. To the individual, it will enhance their leadership skills, their independence, their perseverance, and confidence level to handle future challenges. Our country has limited resources, thus the government has to introduce this policy and let the young to understand the development of Singapore, allowing them to be physically and mentally stronger. The environment in NS will be like a new experience for them, compared to life in school or at home. It will allow them to have team spirit, to bond among buddies, teammates, to stay with people of a different race and religion, to understand them more. With that, they will also understand the disciplines in life. It will make a positive change in their learning attitude and values in life, to let them appreciate what our country has now, what we can access to and to see their value to the country. Lastly, the National Service can also excel their hidden potential.

Of course must go. Now got free iPad for all NS recruits. Who don't want?

I think that national service should indeed be mandatory for all male Singaporeans for a few reasons. I think that national service is what bonds us Singaporeans together, to achieve racial harmony; national service may be a contributing factor. Even though when men enter national service, they may by at a disadvantage compared to females of the same age who enter the work force two or three years later than men. When the men complete their national service and apply for a job, if they are competing with a woman of the same age, the woman would have two or three years prior work experience and would be more likely to get the job. However, that might not be the case. Even though the woman may have more work experience, companies may be more likely to choose the man be cause a woman may be entitled to maternity leave should she choose to have a baby and the company would have to pay her even though she does no work. With that being said, men still have an equal chance at a job as women so national service should not be abolished.

In my defense I agree that National Service should be mandatory for all male Singaporeans. But first let me define the words in the topic given. I am taking National Service to be compulsory military service. While I am taking the male Singaporeans for this certain situation as males above the age of 18 years old who can only be exempted from entering National Service at the age of 18 if they are halfway through their education in Junior College or Polytechnics or Private schools. Looking at our current population of 5.08 million it can be said that close to 30% of that number are either foreigners or permanent residents (PRs). Since it is not mandatory for the former mentioned groups to participate in National Service, there are (estimated) 70% of the Singaporean left.Out of the 70% of Singaporeans there are 974 males for every 1000 females. And in this number of men there is an even smaller number of those who are at the age of 18. What I am trying to get at is that there are so little males in Singapore and they should be trained how to serve the country. Even in a time of crisis,if they are unable to fight for their country at least they can keep some of their family or friends safe if they have some basic knowledge on how to protect the people of Singapore. As what I have said about National Service,it is about serving the military.That does not mean all the males have to take part in physical engagement of an opponent to fight or defend yourself,or as a matter train yourself. Those who are unable to meet the physical requirements or have medical reasons why they are unable to serve the country physically can in a way help 'mentally'. These people can be the ones who help to plan the trainings,or do follow backs so that they an observe how the males undergoing National Service can improve. They can be the brains behind practice missions,and can help with paperwork and taking inventory. They can also be useful by collecting feedback from the rest of them to further improve the programs.

Given that Singapore has a small population,and thus a small army we should try to recruit as many people as possible and of course we should first start by recruiting those of a better physical structure,the males. There are many countries which are much bigger then Singapore who have huge armies. They too have pans to make their armies infallible,and when in time of war they may conquer or be conquered. For us to not succumb to being conquered we should have a good army which has as much manpower as needed,this is a video on President Barack Obama (of the US) planning to have mandatory service for American men too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtDSwyCPEsQ

Of course when men serve the army they shall get incentives such as allowances each month and such.Thus,National Service should be compulsory for all Singaporean males.