Vulnerability : a perception of the past? A study on national service

• Main Author: Lee, Denise Yuan Ying
• Other Authors: Sandra Khor Manickam
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: DRNTU::Humanities::History::Asia::Singapore::Social aspects
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/66253
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Believing that Singapore was unable to survive on its own, Singaporean leaders negotiated for the city-state to merge with Malaya and establish the Federation of Malaysia in 1963. Singapore separated from the Federation in 1965 in bitter circumstances, however, and became independent. Confronting seemingly antagonistic neighbours, Singaporean leaders cultivated a siege mentality among their people of Singapore. Politicians were initially successful in convincing the citizens about the island’s vulnerability. Since the 1990s, the citizens’ perception of Singapore’s vulnerability has changed. They questioned the government’s vulnerability narrative. Their sentiments and support for National Service have accordingly changed. A significant number, who have enjoyed five decades of peace and stability, question the need for military conscription. This research paper argues that there is a yawning gap between the government’s and citizens’ appreciation of the dangers and security challenges confronting Singapore. This divergence of views has led to growing antipathy among the citizenry toward military conscription in Singapore.