Singapore Expats

PNGMK wrote: The age of majority in Singapore is 21. Parents are still legally responsible for kids actions until kid is 21. Hence the reason the kid cannot renounce until 21 and why they push NS so hard between 17 and 21.

Not everything is 21.
Age of consent for sex is 16.
Age of full contractual capacity is 18.
Age of employment is 16.

For those activities that the child cannot give consent, then parent
must give consent. Do you need parent's consent to register and enlist for NS?

JR8 wrote:

PNGMK wrote:The age of majority in Singapore is 21. Parents are still legally responsible for kids actions until kid is 21. Hence the reason the kid cannot renounce until 21 and why they push NS so hard between 17 and 21.

Interesting, and yet strange. I wonder which if any other countries conscript* their military with people who aren't legally adults (for want of a better term for it).

'You can die for the country, that you're not yet old enough to vote for in an election'.


* The distinction is important I think, versus national armed forces where candidates volunteer.

Sure they do. The USofA did up till 1975 when the draft was mothballed (it still exists and males still need to register for the Selective Service program so as to not limit their job opportunities in the future.

You used to get drafted at the age of 18, and serve two years which meant you were out before you turned 21, which was also the legal age in the majority of states in the US at that time. So, no difference, what.

Well, big difference actually. You had a pretty good chance of getting your arse blown away in the US military. Here, unless you are a real sotong, it's virtually impossible to get hurt, let along killed.

Oh, I enlisted at 17 immediately out of high school and spent 3 years on active duty and was discharged 6 weeks before I turned 21 as well. So how?

sundaymorningstaple wrote:

JR8 wrote:

PNGMK wrote:The age of majority in Singapore is 21. Parents are still legally responsible for kids actions until kid is 21. Hence the reason the kid cannot renounce until 21 and why they push NS so hard between 17 and 21.

Interesting, and yet strange. I wonder which if any other countries conscript* their military with people who aren't legally adults (for want of a better term for it).

'You can die for the country, that you're not yet old enough to vote for in an election'.


* The distinction is important I think, versus national armed forces where candidates volunteer.

Sure they do. The USofA did up till 1975 when the draft was mothballed (it still exists and males still need to register for the Selective Service program so as to not limit their job opportunities in the future.

You used to get drafted at the age of 18, and serve two years which meant you were out before you turned 21, which was also the legal age in the majority of states in the US at that time. So, no difference, what.

Well, big difference actually. You had a pretty good chance of getting your arse blown away in the US military. Here, unless you are a real sotong, it's virtually impossible to get hurt, let along killed.

Oh, I enlisted at 17 immediately out of high school and spent 3 years on active duty and was discharged 6 weeks before I turned 21 as well. So how?

Do they go after the parents if their sons do not register for the selective service program?

sundaymorningstaple wrote: Sure they do. The USofA did up till 1975 when the draft was mothballed (it still exists and males still need to register for the Selective Service program so as to not limit their job opportunities in the future.

You used to get drafted at the age of 18, and serve two years which meant you were out before you turned 21, which was also the legal age in the majority of states in the US at that time. So, no difference, what.

Well, big difference actually. You had a pretty good chance of getting your arse blown away in the US military. Here, unless you are a real sotong, it's virtually impossible to get hurt, let along killed.

Oh, I enlisted at 17 immediately out of high school and spent 3 years on active duty and was discharged 6 weeks before I turned 21 as well. So how?

Yes I think it's correct to say (generally speaking) that the US has conscription during war-time, but not during peacetime. It is an interesting juxtaposition that you went through, released from the military just in time to get your first vote!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_draft

The UK had National Service, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_National_Service , and I find it quite surprising that that didn't end until as late as 1960 (though the scale of the national trauma of WW2 should not be underestimated).

To answer my own question... Both Switzerland and Norway still have conscripted national service.

smoko wrote: Age of consent for sex is 16.
...
Age of employment is 16.

Funny then that sex with a prostitute under 18 is illegal.

smoko wrote:

PNGMK wrote: The age of majority in Singapore is 21. Parents are still legally responsible for kids actions until kid is 21. Hence the reason the kid cannot renounce until 21 and why they push NS so hard between 17 and 21.

Not everything is 21.
Age of consent for sex is 16.
Age of full contractual capacity is 18.
Age of employment is 16.

For those activities that the child cannot give consent, then parent
must give consent. Do you need parent's consent to register and enlist for NS?

You're aggravating me but ok - 21 unless otherwise states as an exception in law. The easiest way to look at this is divorce cases - "child" support to be paid until "child attains age of majority at 21". Straight from my Singapore court order. As there is no such exception for the NS matter your parents are still phucked.

JR8 wrote: Yes I think it's correct to say (generally speaking) that the US has conscription during war-time, but not during peacetime. It is an interesting juxtaposition that you went through, released from the military just in time to get your first vote!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_draft

To answer my own question... Both Switzerland and Norway still have conscripted national service.

Maybe read a little closer?.......

" but also during the nominal peace of the Cold War" which was an era and not a "war" at all.

sundaymorningstaple wrote: Maybe read a little closer?.......

" but also during the nominal peace of the Cold War" which was an era and not a "war" at all.

My thinking on that was the likes of the Cuban Missile Crisis were about as close to the threat of imminent war as you could get. 'Nominal peace'.

There's a lead-time to raising a standing army from conscripts. The very fact that the US were manned-up and ready to respond, might in itself have prevented Cuba carrying out it's threats.

But do you know, was their nationwide conscription during the entire 'Cold War' period?

It rather immaterial, frankly speaking. Not everybody was called up during the VN war either. Nor the Korean war. The fact that it was still used is all that matters, not the quantity. Only enough are drafted to fill out the requirements at any given time.

Mad Scientist wrote: @ OP: What is your real intention to know these NS issues ?
Is it for yourself or for your "friend"

Or are you asking on a third person basis ?

Why do you want to get a lawyer in this forum for infos rather than getting it from a real in person lawyer ?

Your posts from different category is mystifying and doubtful that you are asking all these for your "imaginary friend". I maybe wrong here but I sensed this from the get go

@MS I have no bad intention but am trying to help my rellies. Do you know a good lawyer that they can consult ?

PNGMK wrote:

smoko wrote:

PNGMK wrote: The age of majority in Singapore is 21. Parents are still legally responsible for kids actions until kid is 21. Hence the reason the kid cannot renounce until 21 and why they push NS so hard between 17 and 21.

Not everything is 21.
Age of consent for sex is 16.
Age of full contractual capacity is 18.
Age of employment is 16.

For those activities that the child cannot give consent, then parent
must give consent. Do you need parent's consent to register and enlist for NS?

You're aggravating me but ok - 21 unless otherwise states as an exception in law. The easiest way to look at this is divorce cases - "child" support to be paid until "child attains age of majority at 21". Straight from my Singapore court order. As there is no such exception for the NS matter your parents are still phucked.

@PNGMK It's not my intention to aggravate you. Sorry if it came across that way.

Has anyone heard of interpol or extradition has being used to bring NS defaulters back to Singapore? I googled and can't seem to find any news of this.

smoko wrote:Has anyone heard of interpol or extradition has being used to bring NS defaulters back to Singapore? I googled and can't seem to find any news of this.

No - I've never heard of such a case in my 20+ years here. Interpol is for criminal activity with a cross border element anyways and as for extradition, Singapore doesn't seem to do that a lot except with Malaysia (where there are probably 1000+ NS defaulters).

None that I've heard of yet, but I have heard of them being picked up by immigration at the airport already. Additionally, it's not going to be too far down the road that complete manifests will be forwarded once a plane has boarded and immigration will be able to pick up transit passengers as well if they have probable cause.