PUBLISHED ONFebruary 27, 2026 7:55 AMBYChing Shi JieOperationally ready national servicemen (NSmen) working in cybersecurity industry can soon spend their in-camp training protecting selected critical infrastructure in Singapore against cyber threats.
Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad said on Friday (Feb 27) that from June, Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will reassign NSmen with such expertise to the Digital and Intelligence Service through the Enhanced Expertise Deployment Scheme.
The NSmen, along with regulars and full-time national servicemen (NSF), will join sectorial cyber defence teams under the Defence Cyber Command, which Zaqy said is a "more coordinated, proactive approach against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats".
"These teams will strengthen our capabilities, bring new ideas and approaches, and complement our existing forces," he said.
"We will deploy them to support the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore in defending Singapore's critical information infrastructure — covering vital sectors such as telecommunications, power and transport."
In his speech, SMS Zaqy acknowledged that many NSmen are skilled cybersecurity professionals who bring valuable real-world and industry experience.
"We are all aware of how critical cyberwarfare is to a country's national security and we have seen how Singapore's critical infrastructure comes under threat from time to time," he said.
"We are not immune to these attacks — and we need to draw on the best talents among our NSmen.
"I'm pleased to say that many have come forward to offer their skills to defend Singapore. Their expertise matters and can make a real difference — not just to the SAF, but to Singapore's broader cyber defence."
According to the Mindef, over 850 NSmen have been reassigned to areas such as legal, digital, counselling and intelligence, through the Enhanced Expertise Deployment Scheme since its launch in 2022.
"These pathways enable NSmen to contribute meaningfully to national defence by applying the expertise they've developed in their civilian careers," said Zaqy.
One of them is Military Expert 4 (ME4) (NS) Kwek Kiat Jun, who was an administrative support assistant in the 41st Battalion Singapore Armoured Regiment.
In 2023, the 38-year-old made a switch to be a legal officer, where he advises the 4th Singapore Armoured Brigade on the laws of armed conflict and the rules of engagement during his in-camp training stints.
Speaking to AsiaOne on Thursday (Feb 26), ME4 Kwek said that in his full-time role as a litigation lawyer in the finance sector, he is often required to make decisions in "tense and high-pressure" situations — an experience he brought with him to his role in uniform.
ME4 Kwek has since extended his service by three years under the Reservist on Voluntary Extended Reserve Service (Rovers) scheme.
"I think the scheme is a very good opportunity for not just me, but also other people who are also considering using their civilian expertise," he added.
"We do bring a lot to the table, and we can give the SAF an additional edge with our experiences."
chingshijie@asiaone.com
