Total Defence (Singapore)

On 9 August 1965, Singapore separated from Malaysia to become an independent state; conscription for all able-bodied males aged 16 and above was subsequently implemented in the form of National Service (NS) on 15 March 1967.

[2] The following day, Minister of State for Defence Yeo Ning Hong replied that progress was underway on a program that would focus on five main points.

[9][10] It received leading headlines in state-run newspapers carrying commentaries on its necessity juxtaposed with warfare scenarios going beyond the traditional scope of the military.

[19][20] The strategy has seen widespread usage amongst successive People's Action Party (PAP) governments since its inception, being invoked during the 2003 SARS, 2009 H1N1 and COVID-19 pandemics, 1997 and 2008 economic crises, and annual Southeast Asian haze.

[21][22] The rise of domestic and international terrorism abroad is also cited by the Singapore Government as the necessity of Total Defence to prevent or respond to an attack.

[26] It states that these factors make Singapore vulnerable to threats such as international terrorism, natural disasters, pandemics and disinformation campaigns, that could result in an economic slowdown.

[31][32] Corporate companies are encouraged to create "pro-NS" policies for reservists, such as training spaces, monetary incentives and flexible working hours, and are recognised at an annual awards ceremony.

[35][36] Economic defence relates to governmental efforts to sustain and develop Singapore's economy, while a policy is undertaken by the government for workers to upgrade their skill sets.

[46][47] Psychological defence refers to the Singapore Government's programme to strengthen "resolve and resilience" amongst its citizens to face unexpected crises; it is also cited as necessary to combat fake news.

[49] Digital defence refers to efforts to increase awareness of online security threats, including misinformation, cyberattacks and phishing scams.

[17] Contestants were divided into four segments of society: community, art student, school and Singapore Armed Forces personnel, with no limitations to the number of submissions per individual.

The changes include updating the tagline which accompanied the logo, smoothening the sharp edges of the original and integrating the left-most arrow into the body in 2009, and overlaying a metallic sheen in 2017.

[69] The addition of digital defence mandated that the logo be redesigned to incorporate the sixth element, with a new competition launched on 17 September 2019.