Whenever one completes their National Service (NS), they look forward to proclaiming “ORD loh!” and getting back their National Registration Identity Card (NRIC). But the latter will soon become a distant memory.
From 15 May, full-time national servicemen (NSFs) and regulars will no longer need to surrender their NRICs when enlisting.
Serving NSFs and regulars will get their NRICs back in phases through their unit manpower officers.
Source: Ministry of Defence, Singapore (MINDEF) on Facebook
Military ICs will still be issued to all Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) soldiers.
Since the introduction of NS in 1967, all NSFs and regulars had to turn in their civilian NRICs in exchange for SAF military ICs.
On Monday (9 May), the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) announced that NSFs and regulars would no longer need to surrender their NRICs when enlisting.
This change will be effective from 15 May.
Source: Ministry of Defence, Singapore (MINDEF) on Facebook
In their statement, MINDEF explained that they decided to make the change as they “have succeeded in building a military ethos that has been sustained across a few generations”.
With over a million Singaporean males serving NS over the past 55 years, they added that Singaporeans have accepted NS as a necessary commitment by enlistees to build a strong national defence through the SAF.
MINDEF will continue to issue military ICs to NSFs and regulars. This will still serve as the primary document for them to identify themselves as SAF service personnel.
NSFs and regulars who are currently serving will have their NRICs returned in phases through their unit manpower officers. This will be completed by November 2022.
In addition, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will no longer require Home Team NSFs to surrender their physical NRICs for safekeeping as well.
This will start from the batch of NSFs enlisting this month. Serving Home Team NSFs will get their NRICs back in phases.
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) will continue to issue NS Identity Cards to their NSFs.
When the news came out, netizens quipped that all jokes and references about NSFs and their NRICs would no longer be relevant.
Source: CNA on Facebook
Some also remarked that future NSFs would not get to experience that “special feeling” when they finally get their NRIC back after two years.
Some applaud the decision, recalling how they missed their own NRICs when they enlisted.
Over the years, generations of Singaporean men have surrendered their NRICs as they serve NS.
Now that this practice will no longer be required, newly discharged NSFs will have to find other creative ways to declare that they “ORD loh!” on social media.
What do you think of NSFs and regulars no longer needing to give up their NRICs for two years? Let us know in the comments.
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Featured image adapted from Ministry of Defence, Singapore (MINDEF) on Facebook.
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