Total Defence
Total Defence is Singapore’s whole-of-society national defence concept based on the premise that the strongest defence of a nation is collective defence – when every aspect of society stays united for the defence of the country. Adopted from the national defence strategies of Sweden and Switzerland, Total Defence was introduced in Singapore in 1984. Then, it was recognised that military threats to a nation can affect the psyche and social fabric of its people. Therefore, the defence and progress of Singapore were dependent on all its citizens and their resolve, not just the government or the armed forces. Total Defence has since evolved to take into consideration threats and challenges outside of the conventional military domain. In 2015, Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen, said Singapore’s Total Defence strategy is the “exact antagonist” of hybrid warfare, and that societal cohesion and resilience are as important as defence hardware and systems. The core message of Total Defence is “everyone has a part to play” through the six key pillars of Military, Civil, Economic, Social, Digital and Psychological Defence.
The Six Pillars of Total Defence
Military Defence involves all Singaporeans having the commitment to build a strong and credible defence force, that deters potential aggressors from attacking Singapore and that defends it successfully should it be attacked. The Singapore Armed Forces is a conscript force that comprises National Servicemen and a standing force of active soldiers. Putting Military Defence into action involves soldiers being committed to defend Singapore and to form an operationally ready SAF, as well as their families, employers and community supporting them.Civil Defence is having a prepared and vigilant society with effective first responders who are able to respond to situations when crises occur. It also involves citizens being aware of their roles in times of threats, staying united as a society, and helping one another regardless of race, religion or self-interest. It is meant to prepare Singapore and its citizens for any crises and to enable society to recover quickly. Citizens can put Civil Defence into action by picking up emergency preparedness skills, donating blood to the national blood banks, being vigilant against threats, and keeping up-to-date on steps that one can take during pandemics or other security threats.
Economic Defence is having a robust and resilient economy that is globally competitive, relevant to the world and has the ability to bounce back from any crisis. It involves the government, employers and trade unions working together with citizens to ensure the economy is dynamic, supply chains are resilient, businesses can leverage new trends to stay relevant, and the economy can recover from disruptions. Individuals can put Economic Defence into action by upskilling themselves to stay competitive in the job market, planning their personal finances prudently, and being conscious of resource sustainability.
Social Defence is about strengthening the bonds across different ethnic, religious and cultural groups building trust and understanding, living in harmony, and looking out for each other beyond self-interest so that Singapore remains strong and united especially in times of national challenges. In a multiracial and multi-religious society like Singapore, putting Social Defence into action involves befriending, accepting and helping people of different religions and ethnicities, respecting the needs, religious and cultural practices of others, and generally those in need.
Digital Defence is about being secure, alert, and responsible online to protect Singapore in the cyberspace. Digital Defence emphasises the importance of being able to respond to cyberattacks, and guard against threats perpetrated in the digital domain, such as fake news and deliberate online falsehoods. In Digital Defence, every individual is the first line of defence against threats from the digital domain. One way that individuals can put Digital Defence into action is by verifying the credibility of their information sources before they share information. Digital Defence was not one of the original five pillars introduced in 1984 and was only added as the sixth pillar of Total Defence on 15 February 2019 in recognition of how threats from the digital domain can disrupt the way of life in Singapore, undermine social cohesion and strike at the confidence and psychological resilience of people.
Psychological Defence is about having a united populace with the will and resolve to defend Singapore’s way of life, to stand up for Singapore when her interests are challenged and to overcome crises as a country. This depends on having a shared identity, a strong sense of pride in the nation, and an understanding of what helped Singapore succeed as well as what must be done to ensure its continued security, survival and success. Individuals can put Psychological Defence into action by staying united in the face of challenges, as well as taking pride in being Singaporean and Singapore’s national achievements. Psychological Defence is the most fundamental pillar of Total Defence, and it underpins the other five pillars. During the COVID-19 outbreak, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called on Singaporeans to remain socially and psychologically resilient. Prime Minister Lee also commended Singaporeans for having confidence in each other and having this resilience and solidarity in the crisis together would help the country to prevail and emerge stronger from the crisis.
Total Defence to Overcome Singapore’s National Challenges. Total Defence was first introduced in 1984 as a response to the then-prevailing threat of armed military conflict which could affect different aspects of Singapore’s society. While its original focus was on rallying the nation around the SAF and its citizens taking a personal responsibility for the nation’s defence against conventional threats, Total Defence now also encompasses the need for citizens to play their part for Singapore’s defence against non-conventional threats and other security challenges. As security threats evolve in their various manifestations, these threats transcend all areas of society. Total Defence is Singapore’s all-round defence and deterrence strategy, which highlights the need for a collective spirit and the resolve of Singaporeans during challenging times. The concept has been applied to rally citizens in responding to challenges that threaten Singapore’s independence and well-being, such as terrorism, economic downturns and pandemics. In such situations, a strong Economic Defence would help keep Singapore’s economy intact and allow businesses to weather tough times, and citizens could also step up and display strong Psychological Defence by displaying solidarity and resilience.
Terrorism
In the post 9/11 period, the SAF and the Home Team have continued to protect Singapore through military and civil defence. In 2016, Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen, said that as Singapore continues to be a target of extremist groups, the other pillars of Total Defence are also important to keep Singapore safe, prosperous and harmonious. In the event of an attack, extremists can cause physical harm and also sow distrust between Singaporeans and weaken social cohesion.
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome outbreak in 2003 affected not just the healthcare workers and security agencies working in the frontlines, it also caused severe unemployment due to uncertainty and a loss of investor confidence. During this period, Total Defence provided the framework for the relevant government agencies, private sector organisations and Singaporeans to deal with the challenges to Singapore’s continued survival and success. Individuals volunteered to conduct temperature checks at public events and help those who had been quarantined, organisations contributed generously to the Courage Fund, which was set up to help healthcare workers and victims of SARS, and the government announced a S$230 million dollar relief package to help the affected industries, such as the aviation, transport, and hospitality sectors.
Coronavirus Disease 2019
In the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak pandemic, Singapore continues to put Total Defence in action. In a speech delivered on 8 February 2020, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the real test of the pandemic was Singapore’s social cohesion and psychological resilience. To combat the outbreak, all areas of the country stepped up with the government’s efforts to contain the spread. The SAF helped pack 5.2 million surgical masks for the public, community-led groups distributed care packs in appreciation of frontline workers and individuals helped take care of their affected neighbours and the less fortunate in society. Despite potential disruptions to the global supply chains and markets, Singapore displayed its Economic Defence through the country’s strategies of stockpiling, increasing local production, and diversifiying supply sources. The response to COVID-19 also saw more ground-up initiatives by Singaporeans such as comics and songs which encouraged the public to play their part and remain psychologically resilient during the crisis.
The Total Defence Campaign
Total Defence Day. Total Defence Day is commemorated on 15 February each year – the anniversary of the surrender of the British to the Japanese on 15 February 1942. The Japanese then occupied Singapore for three years and seven months, from 1942 to 1945. The day is meant to remind Singaporeans of what could happen if they cannot defend themselves, and to strengthen their resolve to keep Singapore safe, secure and independent.On this day, various entities organise Total Defence commemoration events and recognise civilians who lost their lives during the Japanese Occupation. Schools also conduct emergency preparedness drills and experiential activities to encourage students to put Total Defence into action.
At 1820 hrs on Total Defence Day, the Singapore Civil Defence Force sounds the Important Message Signal through the island-wide Public Warning System sirens and local radio stations. Citizens are to tune in to any local radio stations and free-to-air TV channel for an important broadcast when the signal is sounded.
Total Defence Campaign Posters and Themes. Each year, Nexus runs a year-long campaign to promote public awareness and generate ground-up initiatives for Total Defence. The earlier campaign posters and themes focused primarily on Military Defence and Civil Defence, rallying Singaporeans to the different areas that they could play a part. Through the years, the campaign had moved from addressing conventional threats to also include the spectrum of non-conventional threats that Singapore faces.
Themes of Past and Present Total Defence Days
| Year | Theme |
| 1984 | There’s a Part for Everyone |
| 2006 | Stay Vigilant, Be Resilient |
| 2007 | Confidence, Commitment and Cohesion |
| 2008 | Total Defence. It’s Personal. Play Your Part |
| 2009 | What Will You Defend? |
| 2010 | I Will |
| 2011 | Home – Keeping It Together |
| 2012 | Total Defence – It’s My Turn |
| 2013 | Will You Stand With me? |
| 2014 | Because You Played a Part |
| 2015 | Our SAF: Giving Strength to Our Nation |
| 2016 – present | Together We Keep Singapore Strong |
Total Defence Logo. The first Total Defence logo was designed by Mr Berwin See through a Total Defence logo design competition in 1984 based on the theme “There’s a Part for Everyone.” The logo was outlined as a hand in salute, and with five arrows representing the five original Total Defence pillars. The crescent moon and five stars, and the colours of red and white, are elements from the national flag. Over the years, the logo was adapted to reflect the different campaign themes, but retained its distinctive five arrows design. When Digital Defence was launched as the sixth pillar of Total Defence in 2019, a logo design competition was once again organised and the public was asked to choose their favourite logo. The new Total Defence logo designed by Ms Samantha Teng, was introduced on 14 February 2020. The six arrows in the new Total Defence logo represent the six pillars of Total Defence: Military, Civil, Economic, Social, Digital, and Psychological Defence. The tight triangle formation of six arrows pointing in the same upward direction signifies Singaporeans working together to achieve the common objective of safeguarding Singapore’s security and way of life. It also reflects Singaporeans’ resilience and determination to keep progressing together in an ever-changing world. The crescent moon and five stars, and the colours of red and white, are elements from the National Flag. Red stands for universal brotherhood and equality of man. White symbolises pervading and everlasting purity and virtue. The crescent moon represents a young nation on the ascendant, and the five stars depict Singapore’s ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality. Together, these represent nationhood and symbolise how all Singaporeans play their part in Total Defence to safeguard our future.