WORLD AT TURNING POINT, COUNTRIES MUST ADAPT NIMBLY TO CHANGES: DR NG

How will the government equip Singaporean women for conscription to National Service (NS) if the need arises? Should religion affect political decisions? How do we view the future of our country positively while tackling the difficult issues at hand?

These were some of the questions raised to Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen at the opening ceremony of the Yale-NUS College Asia Pacific Model United Nations (YNC-AP MUN).

More than 700 students from high schools and pre-tertiary institutions in over 30 countries attended this year's conference, which is themed Securing our Future. Held at the Yale-NUS College from 13 to 15 Jan, it is the region's biggest and most rigorous Model United Nations conference, where students can understand more about global affairs through roleplaying delegates from different countries.

When asked about women serving NS, Dr Ng said: "Many people have asked for women to be conscripted to NS... They proposed that women be assigned roles such as nurses or teachers. However, I find it hard to tell people to give up their time and individual needs for something other than the nation's defence."

"Instead, I think the solution to manpower issues in the army is by increasing the number of female Regulars in the Singapore Armed Forces. And it is heartening to see an increase in this number in recent years," he added.

Dr Ng, who gave a speech at the opening ceremony, touched on today's evolving security threats and unpredictable global politics. "The ability to change and adapt seems to be so relevant today because I believe that the world, as we know it, is at an inflexion point. We do not know what shape it will take in 2050 but of this we can be certain some fundamental rules will be changed, and with it the fate of nations."

Elaborating on how "anti-theses to imperfections and perceived injustices with the status quo are resulting in new forms of social and political compacts across the globe.", he noted the rise of marginal political groups such as Syriza in Greece and the Sweden Democrats.

Dr Ng challenged the students to think out of the box. "In this inter-play between global and regional powers, here are some questions for you to ponder about. How will our region change as bigger countries like China, India and Indonesia rise? Will regional rules change? Can a global system that governs trade, commerce and security interests be maintained, within a multi-polar world?"

Amid this uncertain global atmosphere, Singaporeans must face these challenges with the "Singapore spirit", he noted.

Quoting Singapore's late founding father Lee Kuan Yew, he reminded the students that "a nation is great not by its size alone. It is the will, the cohesion, the stamina, the discipline of its people and the quality of their leaders which ensure it an honourable place in history".

These are the qualities that will help the current generation to ensure Singapore's place in the 21st century, Dr Ng concluded.