Parliament: 'No NS-liable PR who renounced status allowed to work or study here'

Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen said that according to records, no NS-liable PR who renounced his PR status before serving NS had been granted re-instatement of PR or citizenship, adding that the policy had been progressively tightened such that no NS-liable PR who renounced his PR status in the last decade had been granted approval for work or study.

In a written reply to a question in Parliament, Dr Ng reiterated that PRs who renounce their PR status before serving their NS liability face serious adverse consequences when they apply for work and study here.

He said that PRs who fail to register or enlist for NS are defaulters, and are liable on conviction to a fine or to imprisonment.

Dr Ng added that for ex-PRs who fail to serve NS, "any immediate or future applications for renewal of their parents' and immediate family members' Re-Entry Permits may be adversely affected, including curtailment of the Re-Entry Permit". However, he did not say how many such applications had been affected.

sinsh@sph.com.sg