Workers’ Party Gerald Giam emphasises need for higher NS men’s salaries, due to inflationary pressures

At the Workers’ Party post-budget, 2023 Townhall on Saturday, 25 March, Member of Parliament Gerald Giam raised his point again about increasing NS Men’s salaries to be pegged to inflation.

“One of the things I did mention during the budget seatings is that we should raise the NS pay,” Mr Giam began. “Currently it is not pegged to inflation, although the NS allowance is meant to reimburse the national service men for the expenses that they spend outside of camp for example taking transport, food and all that… I argued that it should be pegged to inflation because inflation has gone up a lot, and NS pay hasn’t,” he explained. 

Mr Giam believes it is important to invest funds and resources into NSF alongside machines. “I do know that technology can be a force multiplier but technology cannot be everything,” he shared in response to a question about the government’s allocation of funds to Singapore’s defence.

“We need men and women who are passionate about protecting the country, and that cannot be replaced entirely by machines,” Mr Giam said. 

Mr Giam’s prior call for a higher NS pay in parliament was rejected by Senior Minister of State for Defence, Mr Heng Chee How, who claimed that MINDEF has already adjusted the allowance three times in the past decade, most recently in March 2020. He assured that MINDEF would conduct regular reviews and make the necessary adjustments when needed. 

Mr Giam stated in parliament that the cost of basic upkeep has significantly increased due to high inflation since mid-2021 and advocated that NS allowance be increased in accordance with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which had gone up to 111.20 points in December 2022 from 99.9 points in March 2020.  

“This is one way you can spur greater commitment when you know that your finances are taken care of, and you’re not under so much financial pressure, you can just serve the country without worrying,” Mr Giam concluded.