Urgent~ Can Singaporean Serve Another Countries Army?

[yingjun1989]

I Have A Very Simple Yet Complicated Question

I Was Born In Taiwan

Move To Singapore When I Was 6 Years Old

Enabled Duel Nationality From 10 - 21 Years Old

I Gave Up Taiwan Citizenship When I Was Serving NS In Singapore Last Year

But I Was Accepted Into A Military School In Taiwan This Year

Through University Entrance Committee for Overseas Chinese Students Scheme In Taiwan

Meaning I Will Be Enlisting For 2 Months Of Army Prior To Sch In Taiwan

And I Just Finish My NS In Singapore 2 Weeks Ago

And I Will Be Enlisting In Taiwan Army In 1 Weeks Time


As I Am A SINGAPOREAN Now (I Renounced Taiwan Citizenship)

Do Singapore Actually Allow Their Own Citizen To Serve Army Oversea?

Will I Get Into Any Trouble Doing So?[/list]

[Mad Scientist]

Tough one on this. I will check and revert

[carteki]

Thanks MS.
One thing we do know is that they have no problem making foreign nationals serve in their own army (what is the case if you come from Israel or Finland where there is still conscription? Poor dudes are forced to serve 2 years in Singapore and another 2 years in their home country!)

[taxico]

i debated over the reply box for a long time before posting this as it seems posting it might not actually help you - you're probably going through the course regardless!

i received an army commission after studying in a civilian US college. i have been deployed once and i last held gold oak leaves.

without getting into too much detail, i did everything voluntarily and with fierce motivation and i DID NOT receive scholarship/loan assistance.

in terms of singapore's legal system... as long as you're serving under a foreign government, you are actually breaking the law. one of them is the singapore constitution (clause 129) and it has to do with oath taking.

HOWEVER since your program title has the phrase "for Overseas Chinese Students" it might appear that you are probably not the first person with a singaporean passport to have attended that military college.

as such, you are probably okay as it's for education - afterall, taiwan is singapore's friend. perhaps there's no need to fill in the school's name in full and complete detail when you're applying for your exit permit...?

additionally, i know a singaporean army scholar who has received a commission at west point. there're more unnamed singapore armed forces (SAF) scholars who have been commissioned in foreign military academies (sandhurst, etc) and gone on to accomplish better things in the SAF.

i know it's not the same thing, but as they say in the SAF - you can do anything so long as you don't get caught.

whatever you do, you do at your own risk! good luck and good health!

[x9200]

Thanks MS.
One thing we do know is that they have no problem making foreign nationals serve in their own army (what is the case if you come from Israel or Finland where there is still conscription? Poor dudes are forced to serve 2 years in Singapore and another 2 years in their home country!)

It could be worse. I can be also illegal so you may get prosecuted returning after some time to your country.

[Mad Scientist]

What I gather as of now and I stand to be corrected.

http://sg.redad.com/news/view_printer.asp?ID=960

http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/non_version/ ... &doctitle=

https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Singap ... ry_Records

http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/non_version/ ... &doctitle=

http://www.tpclaw.com.sg/slsifr.php
Enforceability of Singapore judgments

Following the enactment of the Reciprocal Enforcement of Commonwealth Judgments Act (Cap. 264) and the enactment of the Reciprocal Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act (Cap. 265), judgments of the Supreme Court are enforceable in Hong Kong SAR, as well as in most member-countries of the British Commonwealth.

http://www.singaporelaw.sg/content/Conflict.html

OK here goes from what I gather

1. Most countries apart for Israel, Australia, UK and NZ allows their national to serve in foreign armed force. UK. OZ and NZ is due to their strong bond under the crown
2. The French Legionaire consist of many foreign nationals and the only one that accept foreign nationals as they are basically mercenaries army of the French Armed Force. They are not inducted to the French Army per se but they represent France in wartime. Debatable from my undertanding
3. Indonesia, Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia DOES NOT allow its citizen to serve in foreign armed forces be it in peace time or war. Once you did that you will lose your citizenship.
4. Singapore allows peace time arrangement with several countries on their military exchange . Countries in participation are US, France, Israel, Australia, NZ, Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia and Peens. Most of us when doing peace time training overseas will put on that country uniform. Hence this is more of military arrangement between countries but a tricky one I guess
5. During war, SG citizen has to serve SG Army period.
6. Since the war on terror began, many nationals who fight for the Talebans are considered as terrorist by many countries hence punishable by imprisonment or death.
7. I cannot get a definitive answer from my circle of friends but reading between the lines , you cannot serve any overseas military in your own capacity prior the approval of Mindef . You need to apply for EP too.
8. The Constitution states clearly that SG citizen has to serve its own armed forces and dual citizen of foreign nationals has to be drafted into National Service as SG holds your right over your foreign one. It is like you have to opt out in writing albeit renounce your SG citizenship if you do not want to be drafted.

OP , you posted your questions in other board too and no one has a definitive answer for you. Please remember you are treading on thin ice here as it affect both civil and military prosecution.
I advise you to seek clearance from MINDEF and MHA before leaving. Yes there are people here who have serve both country army. I do not encourage you to do this without prior approval from the relevant authorities. If you chose to go ahead without one, do it at your own peril

[taxico]

...I do not encourage you to do this without prior approval from the relevant authorities.

this permission/approval cannot be obtained - i know of someone who has tried 10 years ago.

[Mad Scientist]

Yes but this was conveyed to me by those above me. Explained in detail purpose of studies there. Either thru Mindef or MHA.
I really do not know how this is done as I got thru my studies via Mindef for overseas education. OP is doing this privately which was conveyed and the response was given as the above

[taxico]

i'm not sure if the following details would help or not:

i began my AROTC program before i enlisted for singapore national service and i resumed my college studies after completing NS and received an army 2lt commission (combat arms) as the result of completing AROTC some years following that.

in my singapore exit permit i did not put any mention of this program nor was there a need to as it was an elective. 9/11 - we will never forget.