Singapore Army Recruits Deserve a Minimum Wage
March 4th, 2025 | 
Author: 
Singapore Army Recruits Deserve a Minimum Wage: National Service Should Not Come at the Expense of Opportunity Costs
Singapore’s National Service (NS) has long been a cornerstone of the nation’s defense, requiring young men to dedicate two years of their lives to military, civil defense, or police service. While the importance of NS in safeguarding national security is undisputed, the financial compensation given to recruits remains a contentious issue. It is time for Singapore to recognize the economic sacrifices made by its conscripts and implement a minimum wage policy for NS recruits.
The Financial Burden on Conscripts
Currently, NS recruits receive an allowance, not a salary, which is often insufficient to cover personal expenses, let alone contribute to family finances. Many young men enter NS at a time when their peers who pursue higher education or enter the workforce start accumulating savings and building careers. This creates a significant economic disparity, as conscripts not only lose out on potential earnings but also delay financial independence and career progression.
For lower-income families, this financial strain is even more pronounced. Some recruits come from households that rely on their income to support daily expenses. Without adequate financial support, these families may struggle to make ends meet. A minimum wage would ensure that no conscripted Singaporean is financially disadvantaged for fulfilling their national duty.
Addressing the Opportunity Cost
The opportunity cost of NS is high. Two years of service means lost educational opportunities, delayed career advancement, and an inability to earn a competitive wage. In contrast, many developed nations that implement conscription, such as South Korea and Israel, provide better financial remuneration or post-service benefits to mitigate these losses. Singapore, as a prosperous nation, has the capacity to follow suit and compensate recruits fairly.
If NS recruits were paid a minimum wage, they would be better positioned to save for future education, support their families, or transition more smoothly into the workforce. This financial security would also help alleviate any resentment towards conscription, reinforcing the idea that national service is a shared duty rather than an economic burden.
Singapore Can Afford to Pay Better
Singapore is one of the wealthiest nations in the world, with a strong economy and robust government reserves. The government has consistently invested in defense, with the Ministry of Defence receiving one of the highest budget allocations annually. While defense spending is crucial, ensuring that those who serve the country are fairly compensated should also be a priority.
Moreover, a better-paid NS system could boost morale, encourage commitment, and attract greater support from the populace. Investing in NS recruits is not just about fairness; it is about valuing and respecting the contributions of those who serve.
Conclusion
The argument for a minimum wage for Singapore army recruits is not just about financial compensation—it is about recognizing the sacrifices that young men make and ensuring that national service does not come at an unreasonable personal cost. Singapore has the means to pay its conscripts better, and doing so would demonstrate a commitment to fairness, equity, and national appreciation for those who serve. If we want our young men to give their best to the nation, then the nation should also give its best to them.
CWC-AI
Posted in 
Not minimal wage. So insulting.
Pay market rage. How much do Gurkha soldiers here get?
loading...
Greed is boundless.
Give one chicken drumstick to the batch of recruits now, a whole chicken would not be enough for the next batch.
Talk so much about sacrificial spirit in nation building by members of the non ruling parties, they should propose doing it free of charge for the country, that sounds reciprocal to all the kpkb they have been making all along.
loading...
Over this thread below I have challenge all Opposition to take the lead to pay minimum wage to their workers but none dare to do it.
https://www.tremeritus.net/2024/07/22/supporting-chee-soon-juans-cafe/
Minimum wage or market rate, all opposition are like Goh Meng Seng, Talk C0ck Sing S0ng Lam Pa Song only. Nothing will come out of it.
A vote for Opposition is a vote to destroy Singapore.
loading...
So,is it NATIONAL service or SELF serving?
Our young are becoming spoilt!
Conditions much better than old days when allowance barely $90 for NCO.
But can’t blame as our DEFENCE MINISTER is paid millions more than then Defence Minisster,Dr Goh?
Self-serving is a bad example of our current Gahmen it seems.
Who to blame???
loading...
loading...
Aiya,
Ask all foreigners to serve NS as a test of their loyalty and seriousness in becoming a Singaporean. Or they have to serve NS if they want to work here. And then pay all NS men, women and LGBT market rates salaries.
Liddat, kow tim (settled).
loading...
Serving NS is not a good test of loyalty and seriousness.
I got better way to test loyalty and seriousness.
Ask all Opposition that advocate pro U$ style 72 genders Democracy supporters to use their own money and fly to Ukraine frontline to fight the Russian.
That than is a good test of loyalty and seriousness of Democracy.
1. Teach LGBTQ to Young Children Democracy
https://tinyurl.com/4kd224nt
2. LGBTQ flag bigger(trait**) than State Democracy
https://tinyurl.com/4ws68bra
3. 72 Genders madness Democracy
Cannot Win in man category, He transit to Woman
https://youtu.be/YRspXNqpL78
loading...
When NS was $60 a mth, HDB was $5,000. NS pay is 1% of HDB.
Now, HDB is $500,000. NS pay at 1% of HDB is $5,000 a mth. PAY NOW!
loading...
National SERVICE or National SLAVERY?
When you send your nice car for SERVICE, is it free? When the buses provide SERVICE, is it free?
Blame the older NS men who suffered national SLAVERY and demand other generations (including their own sons and grandsons) suffer SLAVERY.
Self imposed SLAVERY. Once a slave, they demand their own offsprings be slaves. TRAGIC. TRAGIC. TRAGIC!
loading...
My time was only $60/- pm but yet SAF soldiers were tough and deadly!
So?……money is not the answer for a good army is absolutely positively correct.
If $60/- pm could nurture an army of good soldiers, doing it free for the country will invoke patriotism and become even better! With that, SAF will become invincible!
loading...
This gov gives millions to rich coffeeshop owners. Poor NS eat grass.
loading...
Did you serve NS?
After all, people get the impression that you have been in spore only a few years.
loading...
Fucked up ex-NSF always vote for the Regime. I can understand the women vote Gahmen – they want to marry FT or sleep with them. But $G ‘men’ are a joke.
loading...
@NS or S$
You say it right.
Current 3G/4G leaders require million$ salary to “$erve” unlike 1G who sacrificed much.
So too younger sinkies,always demanding even before any solid contribution.
These young punks are spoilt rotten by their parents and have entitlement mentality.
Their shitty parents misguide them.
Where to find good sinkies.
Some gone and some behind the scene watching the daft govt policies breaking down our once solid society in years prior.
Young sinkies love sucking lollies,many still suckling their mummy’s breasts.
Shameful.
Such deserved to be replaced!
loading...
Steal two years of our males lives and refuse to declare a Living Wage so they can pay them about $750/- a month. We have a sick in the head government which was elected by the 61% mentally ill. Hopefully the 61% mentally ill have seen mental health care doctors or our poor sons will continue to suffer under the PAP regime.
loading...
Ownself praise ownself.
Your time, injuries and deaths, accidents, self-inflicted and others-inflicted, got covered up or appeared in short thin columns. There was a case where a soldier shot his officer. Tough and deadly, indeed.
loading...
$60 destroyed many young men and their families. Many young men had to support their families. They went AWOL to earn a living for their families. They were caught, imprisoned and their lives destroyed.
Ignorant old men talked about the “good old days.”
loading...
A resounding Yes. Of course.
These people are spreading fake news and should be dealt with under POFMAor in US, American called Take It Down Act.
https://www.americanactionforum.org/insight/take-it-down-act-addressing-free-speech-and-privacy-concerns/
loading...
It’s not impression. It’s the truth.
This foreigner know nuts about Singapore. Whenever he talks about Singapore, he exposes his ignorance.
Not he talks about other countries.
loading...
Is that fake news?
loading...
Yes, in another discussion he said something about sio bak which made me lol🤣
loading...
Do you know what is bak kwa?
Do you know the different between bak kwa, char sio (siew) bak and sio bak ?
loading...
See
It’s called char shao in mandarin.
Char siew in Cantonese .
Babi ponteh in baba culture.
Pork chop in England.
loading...
sio bak
– clear sign not real.
loading...
Will a real Singaporean ever ask another real Singapore this question? Another exposé.
loading...
Walau, this China co. sibei good.
胖東來是出了名的福利好，繼每天工作7小時、不准加班.
管理層每年假期達190日
今年更新增十日「不開心假」，員工心情欠佳便可請假，「主管不能不批」。
「當清潔都能有7,000多的工資」.
未來的胖東來人完全有能力靠自己主宰創造和享受美好人生」！
PAP can only retrain Sinkies pmet to s.
loading...
Why still need conscripts?
Now can use drones, AI etc to fight already.
NS obsolete. Need to labolish.
Jiak liao bee officer/paper Generals also don’t need.
Can save taxpayers a lot of money.
loading...
High tech city. Ha!
loading...
No wonder 胖東來 is so crowded even though the prices are not dirt cheap.
The National Bureau of Statistics of China recently released data showing that in 2024, the nationwide per capita disposable income reached 41,314 yuan (US$5,672), exceeding 40,000 yuan for the first time – nearly double the 21,996 yuan recorded in 2015.
loading...
SRFR is stunted and speechless.
loading...