NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SURVEY 44C; SINGAPORE; ARMED FORCES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NIS
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP01-00707R000200090007-9
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• Document Creation Date: October 25, 2016
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personnel to the armed forces and controls the Central
Manpower Base.
There is no territorial organization.
2. Strength, composition, and disposition (S)
The Singapore Armv has an estimated strength of
14,500 men, but this figure will fluctuate as it
progresses toward the expected ultiniate goal of
17.500. The regular army is organized into four
brigades, two commands, and two separate battalions.
The 2d and 3d Singapore Infantry Brigades each
control three infantry battalions. Both the -lth
Armored Brig2JC and the Artillery Command are also
c!owprisecl of three battalions. The Engineer
Command consists of two battalions. Independent of
these units are two battalions: a signal and a
commando battalion. The 1st Singapore Infantry
Brigade comprises the active reserve elcnnent (Peoples
Defense Force) of the arniv and consists of four
infantry battalions (Figure 3).
Tactical organization is patterned very closely after
the British model. The largest tactical unit is the
infantry battalion (authorized strength of about 700
officers and enlisted men). which comprises a
battalion headquarters, a headquarters cr,mpany, a
support company, and three rifle companies. I 111
overall organization of the army will continue to
fluctuate as it expands and develops.
The individual weapon is the U.S. AR -15 rifle, of
which 23,000 were purchased by a direct sales
contract. Modern automatic weapons and 60 -mm,
FIGURE 4. 120 -mm mortars and
crew pass in review during a
Singapore Armed Forces Day
Parade (U /OU)
80 �mm, and 120 -nun (Figure 4) mortars have been
obtained from British, Israeli, and other sources. A
total of' 57 U.S. 106 -nun recoilless rifles ;nd I/1 -ton
jeeps 1 their transport have been procured. A
contract has been signed for 66 additional jeeps, aucl
394 more may he purchased in the near future.
:3. Training (C)
Singapore Armv training is strongly British oriented
hot has been influenced to a large degree by the Israeli
advisers who have been in the country since 1966. The
essential objective of the training program conducted
by and for the army is two -fold; development of
judgment, initiative, and chick reaction on the part of
junior officers and enlisted nien, and to prornote a
sense of national unity.
Individual training at the recruit level is conducted
in the basic training course of the Singapore Armed
Forces "Draining Institute (SAFTI) located at Pasir
L.aba Camp (Figure 5). SAFTI, established in 1966,
provides infantry training up to platoon level and
advanced training to officers at company level, as well
as Specialized training in support weapons and
military medicine. Basic military paining is of 7
months duration, and the training day is ('530 -1730,
with night training conducted four tin.es per week.
During the basic phase, physical conditioning, drill,
fieldcraft, aitd survival are stressed, and there are
practical exercises ii. weaponry and :narksnuuiship
With individual wcap011s (Figure 6).
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SINGA �OP.E ARMED FORCES
TRAINING INSTITUTE
ADVANCED OFFICER COURSE
CADET OFFICER COURSE
LEADERSHIP COURSE
BASIC TRAINING COURSE
SCHOOL OF SIGNALS
SCHOOL OF INFAN.Rf
SUPPORT_WEAPONS________J
SCHOOL OF PHYSICAL TRAINING
SCHOOL OF MILITARY INIEIIIGENCE
SCHOOL OF MILITARY MEDICINE
SUPPORT FUNCTIONS
Initial officer lrainiug is at the CadcI Officer Cours(-
(a purl of' S; \I -'I'I) for a period of 5 months (Figure i
Other training provided b\ SAF "I'I for officers is the
Leadership Course awl the Advanced Officer Course.
The Singapore Armed Forc�c�s Staff :oflege,
established ill 1969, is ivaikt'.` for selected field grade�
officers. Little is presently kno it of retention rates at
these schools or of their traininti schedule. Selected
officers are sent to various c�onrinawl a;Ld staff officer
courses \vithio the Comnu,nwealt1l and to the (I.S.
Array Command and General Staff College.
After about 12 %yceks of' basic military training, the
soldiers assigned to the engineer branch attend a 6-
Basic Ftiginecr Course. \f1vr this, some arc seal to to the various cor)bat courses: Medical Orcle�rly's
Course, Sign aller's Course, heavy I'lant and Field
Phut Operators Course, Arnror Lnginccr Coarse,
Support Arms, and Section header's Coarse. Upon
succe�ssf(rl corrrpletion of' these c�our:ses, the engineer
rejoins his Field or I leave 11:1111 Conrpan\. Some nuly
COMMANDO BATTALION
R S. Singapore Armed Forces
Training Institute (C)
start air the 9 -week Advanced Fogincer :oursc. 'I'liv
c�ncf of this course nurrks the begiit ni11g of operation
duties for the coginccr-soI(Iicr. Personnel of 11..
artillery and armor branch roc�c�ive training in their
spec�iallies given b\ their respec�tivc brunchcs of the
army. 'I training pmgrunrs follow the sanu
general sc�hc�rne as that of the cnginvor bronch.
Within lhc� 5th Siugi pore Infantry 13cginu�nt,
ILingoage classes in English and Mandarin :Lrc held for
the pre section leaders (i.c., section Ieadvc in training
a11d not vet assigned). who are all regulars. "I'hese
classes are held daily and each session lasts for:lbont -1
hours. Ire -MINDER" itself, thrice- weekly classes in
Mandarin, of I hoor's duration, are held for senior
officers. At lhv urain language center in SAI"I'I. clas
for all three groups of pm- section Icacicrs, officer
cadets, and officers are held daily for the first two
groups and twice s\eckly for the officers. la SAF "I'I,
class lessons are s(rpplenu�nlcd with lessons in the
language laboratory. 'I�llc dell ::lion of ml I?nglish or
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FIGURE 6. Field exercise during basic training at the Singapore
Armed Forces Training Institute (SAFTI) (U /OU)

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Mandarin course varies, depending on the type an
frequency of classes. Some courses last a month but tir
usual period is 12 %.weeks. The standard of English o
Mandarin taught varies from basic and clementar
key words to pre- university level.
The training facility for army medics is the Schoo
of Military Medicine at SAF'l I, which turns out abou
300 combat medical orderlies and 80 noncomba
orderlies and army nurses yearly. The duration of th
course varies from 4 months of training for a combo
medic to 10 weeks for a noncombat medic. Subject
include such things as anatomy and physiology,
pharmacology, diseases, nursing procedures, bac
:eriology, field first aid, preventive medicine, and
battalion medical tactics. The medics are given a greet
deal of practical instruction, frorn bandagi,.ig
techniques to proper injection of medicine. At the end
Of the course, qualified medical orderlies are sent to
units or bases. The failure rate is about 10% for each
Combat Medical Orderly Course.
4. Logistics (C)
Logistics for the army is a function of the Logistics
Division of the Ministry of Defense, which handles
logistical activity for all services. Specific information
concerning this division's support of the army alone is
lacking. Small arms, including U.S. AR -13 rifles and
U.S. 106 -mm recoilless rifles and ammunition
apparently are stored at and issued from the Weapons
Ammunition and Optical Base and heavy weapoi:-
and their ammunition from the magazine at the
training institute.
D. Navy
The missions of the Singapore Maritime Command
(SMC) are to defend Singapore's territorial waters,
assist in maintaining customs and a
maritime laws, in(]
provide waterborne support to the army and air
defense command. Coastal surveillance radar stations
and the. small modern gimboat for;c enable the SMC
to effectively patrol Sing. pore's small terrj waters
and provide important support to the marine police
units in law enforcement. However, pending
completion of the new guided missile boats under
construction, the SMC could not defend against an
attack by either the Malaysian or indonesian navies.
much less an attack by a major naval power. With
only one amphibious ship and four landing craft, the
SMC can provide only small -scale logistic support to
its sister services. For all practical purposes its
amphibious warfare capability is nonexistent. (C)
Salient points of strength -include a compact
efficient organization, modern ships and equipment,
I the small geographic area which must be defended, a
C high caliber pool of 'Avilian persormul from which to
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r draw, n excellent maritime industrial base, and the
v experience and leadership provided by a Royal New
Zealand Navy (RNZN) trai:riiig team. Principal
i Nveakne include the very small number of ships and
r personnel, a critical lack of underway experience
t
c (especially among SMC engineering officers), the lack
t of an adequate operational base, inadequate naval air
defense, and the strategic problem of defending from
naval attack a small island surrounded by foreign
territorial waters. (C)
1 i. Organization (S)
The Maritime Staff, composed of two depart
rnents� Persorinel and Logistics �forms a section of
the integrated General Staff. Administrative control
extends from the Commander, SMC, down through
the Deputy (who also functions as Principal Staff
Officer) and Department Heads to the Sen'toi Officer
Flotilla (for afloat units) and to the individual
commanders of SMC shore bases. The Seni'ir Officer
Flotilla, in turn, administers the patrol and training
squadrons and single shills not assigned to a squ. -dron.
A third squadron will probably be formed when the
guided missile boats become operational. Tactical
control of units within Singapore's territorial waters is
exercised directly by the Duty Officer in the Ministry
of Defense Operations Room. During the two
occasions when SMC ships made show- the -flag cruises
(to Brunei and to Pinang, Malaysia) the Commander,
SMC, went along and exercised tactical control. No
information is available regarding the Ministry of
Defense tactical communications systems, although
the units of the patrol squadron all have I-IF single
side -band transceivers and prob:.ubly UHF line -of-
sight equipmenii.
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FIGURE 7. Newly commissioned officers render honors
at a passing out ceremony (U /OU)

FIGURE 8. /ndependence, a "Type
A" fast patrol boat built by
Vosper Thornycroft Ltd. in Ports-
mouth, England in 1970, is 110
feet long, and has a 40 -mm
gun forward, a 20 -mm gun aft.
Two Maybach diesels give this
craft a maximum speed of 32
knots. (U /OU)
2. Strength c0lnposition, and disposition I (S)
The patrol squadron consists of six 1110dern, Vospet:s
'Fhornycroft I10 -foot motor gunboats (PG \M) Jigiires
.i u11(1 9). 0 old P,;\M and one new training /patrol
cruFt (YP) comprise thc training sctuuchon. luclivi(luul
ships not assigned to a squadron include one tank
landing ship (I.S 'I') leased from the U.S. Navy, four
Incdilrni landing craft (LC\'I). mid thrcc river-
roadstead patrol craft (PS13). Of the six largo guided
Missile patrol boats (I' "I'hG) on order, two have been
delivered front \Vest Gernuuiy with the first being nsed
as a prototype For the remaining four to be locally
bclilt. '1 Iey wiII be armed with the Isr;lcli Gabriel
surface -to- surface missile ;;nd one 57-nun and oil(
-10 111111 glut. "I'hese omits will probable bc given a 11c1v,
c�Icass dt�signation, although they are bitsically similar
to the Israeli Saar class and \Vest ;ermmn Type 1 15
!`FFG All six units should become operational by
the end of 1975. All units are officially buse(I It I'uluu
Brant, although mooring facilities arc not
vet available I -)r all ships and craft.
'See also the� Witary Intelligence Sutnntary and the :A utomated
Vacal Order- of Battle, bulh p by the Delenx Into i}*(
Ayell(
f2
FIGURE 9. A more advanced fast
patrol boat is the Vosper Thorny
croft "Type of which class
Sovereignty, completed in 1971,
was the prototype. Steel- hulled
but with an aluminum superstruc-
ture, Sovereignty has a 76 -gym
Bofors forward, a 20 -mm Oerli-
kon aft, and can nr..tntain a
continuous sea speed of over
25 knots (3: knots is maximum
speed). Her range is over 1,000
n.m. at 15 knots. (U /OU)
Personnel strength is estimated A uboui 1,000,
although no bmakdown into officers and men is
available. "I'liere is, ill additi a 250 -muu Pcople's
Defense 1 tree (Sea) reserve, which coilld probabl be
fully 11lobilized within 15 days. 'Phis reserve force.
however, receives little in the way of training
\%meld be of little inlportcuuce i!: all emergency.
'I'liva are four principal YvIC shore bas( "I'he
radar detection unit consists of three stations covering
the soittliern sea approaches to Singapore. 'I'lle
nmriliniv base and the 11lainlcn;anc(' and suppl base
both being constructed at Pulan 13rani, a srr1a11
island iiist south of Singapore. V`,'hen completc(I,
about 1975, the nwritiniv base will provide
operational support ;llld the maintenance curd supple
bust logistics support to all units of the S \M(;. lu
;Iddition, the latfer base stay support the floats of the
police and Customs fleets. "I'hc fourth base, thc School
of \laritimc "I'raining, is located ul Jurong. r\ fifth
shore com11rurd, the \laritinic "I'echilical
School, is all inlegrc:l part of S1 \I."I1?G11, Selatar, and
probably receives little SMC direction or conlrol.
:3. Training (S)
"I'hc School of \Maritinic'Fraining provides cull basic
training of enlisted personnel, while the \Maritime
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Technical School provides advanced technical
training. All officer training, except for the informal
on- the -job variety, mt �t bP conducted abroad,
principally in Commonwealth countries. School
training of both officers and enlisted personnel
appears to be of high quality. Practical underwav
experience is the most significant ;raining shortfall.
This is being remedied by the recent activation of the
training squadron, the public relations cruises to
Brunei and Malaysia, and the arrival of the New
Zealand training team. The team itself consists of
about 15 seconded officers and men who are entirely
integrated into the SMC; the Senior Officer Floiilla,
for example, is a seconded RNZN officer. In addition
to the training team, a RNZN captain is assigned as
naval' idviser to the Minister of Defense. This officer
apparently has no direct connec with the training
team and probably advises oil long- range, strategic
naval planning. Combined Commonwealth naval
exec ^ices are routinely held in Mala Singapore
waters. So far, SMC participation has been token, but
the ;arriv of the guided missile boats in 1973 will
allow a greater role for the SMC.
4. Logistics (S)
Logistics support is basically a Ministry of Defense
function, with the head of the logistics department,
Maritime Staff, acting ill a coordinating role. When
fully established, the maintenance and supply base
will provide all repair and supply requirements for the
SMC. The supple function is probably being carried
out, but the current repair capabilit is very modest.
Major repair and ovarhaul of SMC ships and craft
must be contractrd out to commercial shipy
Commercial ship repair and construction facilities
are some of the finest in Asia. second only to Japan.
The principal naval ship constructor has been Vosper
Thornycroft Uniteers (VTU), which constructed four
of the six new PGM's for the SMC; the other two were
constructed in the United Kingdom. A new shipyard
has been Pstablished in Jurong with the aid of the
West Gerr...a firm of Lurssen and is building four of
the SMC's guided- missile boats, the first two having
been built in Germany. The former British Royal Navy
base at Sembawang has been largely returned to
commercial use, with only a small area reserved for
AN'LU K Naval Force use.
E. Air force
The missions of 1 lie Singapore Air Defense
Command (SADC) include air -lefense and tactical
support of ground and naval forces. The young SADC,
it, Being since 1968, is still in the developmental stage
and has a very modest combat capability. In name,
the SADC is an air defense force. With the purchase in
mid -1972 of 48 surplus U.S. Douglas A -413 attack
aircraft, however, an important ground supp(art role is
being developed that may ultimately become as
important as, if not more important than, the so- called
air defense role. (S)
The SADC. air defense force is limited to one early
warning /ground controlled interception (EW /GCI)
site and one partially equipped surface -to -air missile
(SAM) section. In 19 "1 1 Singapore assumed operation
of the British E,W /GCI site at Bukit Gombak
(Sembawang airfield). The radar provides cover to
Singapore and immediate environs and, together with
those in Malaysia, provides contiguous coverage of the
Malay Peninsula against high altitudc targets, but
coverage against low altitude targets is localized in the
Singapore a Pinang, Mala ysia, areas. Earlv in 1972,
the SADC received 1.6 refurbished British Bloodhound
Mk SAM's and eight launchers for its air defense
system; 56 missiles and 28 launchers were ordered.
Phis is sufficient to equip gnu section of a proposed
three section squadron ,vith eight missiles on
launchers and eight reloads. The partially equipped
section at Seletar airbase has the eight launchers and
16 missiles emplaced. The other two sections are to be
located at Tuas -ind Amoy Quee. The United
Kingdom provided missile training assistance, and the
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is to provide a
small rumber of personnel oil loan to bring the
squadron to operational status. (S)
The SADC's Hawker I- tinter day- fighter and Bn,;sh
Aircraft Corporation (BAC) Strikermaster attack
aircraft can provide only subsonic clear weather
interception. Air defense cover for the area is provided
by two squadrons of i3AAF' Dass. ,lt Mirage 111 0 all
weather jet fighters stationed at Butterworth,
Malaysia. A detachment of six to eight of these aircraft
deploy to Toligah, Singapore, on a rotational basis,
primarily to provide target practice for the Bukit
Gombak radar site. These aircraft operate within the
framework of the Five Power Defense Arrangement
(FPDA). An Integrated Air Defense Command
(]ADC) for Malaysia and Singapore, within the
context of the FPDA, was formed September 1971.
Scant progress has been made in its development,
however, and both Malaysia and Singapore are
independently pursuing their own air defense
buildups. The IADC operates under the direction of a
single FPDA commander, who is an Australian, with
headquarters at Butterworth airbasc, Malaysia. The
two RAAF Mirage squadrons are its only real
contribution. (S)
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FIGURE 12. Hawker Hunter day
fighter of the Singapore Air
Defense Command (U /OU)
FIGURE 13. Singapore Air
Defense Command Alouette AM++'"'` t
rMy e D 1A 8 G' r. ax �;""''y" ,7 {n tv wk, Y''"',a.
lil helicopter in air rescue
exercise (U /OU)
FIGURE 14. New Zealand -manu-
factured Airtourer utility aircraft
of the Singapore Air Defense
Command (U /OU)
16
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may be accepted to age 25. Educational requirements
for applicants include completion of high school or
equivalent (approximately junior college level), with
passing grades in mathematics and physics or
chemistry or school e- rtificate, Grades I and II, with
credits in the same subjects. Malay candidates are in a
minority among applicants for pilot training and are,
as a rule, only marginally qualified. The poor vision of
applicants is a major rejection factor. Procurement of
pilot candidates is further hampered by it lack of large
numbers of aspirants, due largely to the absence of
military tradition in tle populace.
After completing a 4 -month basic military course at
the Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute, cadet
pilots begin flying training at the Flying Training
School ai Changi. The school, under British
supervision, conducts a 1.6 -month flying training
course, which includes 120 hours of primary flying
training in the Siai- Marchetti SF -260 prop utility
aircraft and 162 hours of basic flying training in the
BAC -167 Strikemaster jet attack aircraft. The latter
also includes an 82 -hour weapons course. Although
the quality of instruction is excellent, this flying
training program has fallen short of desired standards.
In December 1970, the first class of 12 pilots
completed training in the BAC -167. These represent
the total gleaning from 300 applicants and the only
graduates of a class of 32. No Malays were included in
the class. The remainder of the students were
categorized as light aircraft pilots, air traffic
controllers, or fighter controllers. Advanc 1 flying
training (including ar operational course)
is carried out in the United Kingdom in Hawker
Hunter jet aircraft. There are plans to form an
operational conversion unit at Tengah airbase. A -4B
pilots will probably go through conversion training in
the United States.
Ground technical training is conducted at the Air
Technical Training School at Seletar. Initially,
instruction at this facility was contracted to some 40
British personnel. This contract has expired, but the
school retains about a dozen expatriate Royal Air
Force and Royal Navy Flect Air Arm personnel on its
staff on an individual contract basis. Ten scrapped
British Javelin F -9 all- weather jet fighters are used as
training aids, but the school is otherwise severely
handicapped by the lack of instructional equipment.
Courses include such specialties as aircraft and engine
maintenance; instrument, armament and electrical
maintenance; and photography. Most advanced
technical training is carried out overseas, primarily in
the United Kingdom, but the SADC plans to
progressively take over all technical instruction as
personnel with the necessary skills become available.
Air traffic controllers have been trained by the
Department of Civil Aviation, and radar operators/
technicians were given on- the -job training at the Bukit
Combak radar site.
Seven months of basic military training for recruits
is given at the Armed Forces Training Institute,
In addition to the U.K. contributions, France, New
Zealand, Israel, and the United States have also
provided training assistance.
4. Logistics (S)
Singapore is dependent on outside sources for
aviation materiel. Main sources of supply include the
United Kingdom, France, New Zealand, and the
United States. Major items on order from the United
Kirgdom include 27 additional Hawker Hunter
aircraft, 6 Short Skyvan light transports, and
additional Bloodhound SAM's. Delivery of all items is
expected during 1973. The Government of Singapore
has also purchased 48 surplus U.S. Douglas A -4B jet
subsonic single -seat lightweight attack bombers, with
delivery commencing in 1972. This acquisition will
probably delay until 1974 -75 the purchase of
supersonic jet fighters that has been under
consideration.
The contract with Hawker de Havilland of
Australia for organizational maintenance of SADC
aircraft expired in March 1972 and has not been
renewed. About 70 of its former employees have been
retained, however, on an individual contract basis.
Most of the work is performed at Tengah airbase.
Depot -level maintenance of aircraft is contracted to
U.S. Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, which operates
from Seletar airbase with an option to use hangar
space at Changi; Lockheed will refurbish the newly
purchased A -4B's. Quality of maintenance is excellent,
aril aircraft serviceability rates average between 70fc
and 80
All equipment acquisition is carried out by the
Logistics Division of the Ministry of Defense. The Air
Logistics Staff Officer advises the ministry on supply
and maintenance matters, reporting directly to the
Director of Logistics. The SADC air supply
organization, referred to as Air Supply Base, Seletar, is
involved in the stocking and distribution of supply
items.
Scant information is available on supply levels of
spare parts and aviation fuel, but there is not believed
to be a shortage of either.
17

F. Paramilitary (S)
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The 7,400 -man Singapore Police Force, comprising
numerous operational area detachments, is organized
into eight geographical sections and several special
headquarters divisions that include Criminal
Investigation, Marine, and Radio Divisions.
police are charged with the mission of internal
security, suppression and surveillance of dissident
elements, and maintenance of law and order. In its
task of internal security, the police force is supported
by the army. The police force, considered one of the
best in Southeast Asia, is directly tinder the Ministry of
Home Affairs, is multiracial, and is closely identified
with the populace. It is well equipped, well trained,
experienced in antidissident operations, and effective
in maintaining public order. Equipment consists of
AR -15 rifles, revolvers, sawed -off 12 -gauge shotguns,
Land Rovers, and sedans, all in excellent condition.
As in tie army, the ruling People's Action Party
exercises close political control; it has placed personnel
in the police force to give political and citizenship
instruction and to identify and eli rrinate subversion.
Within the police force, the Internal Security
Department is charged with the collection and
collation of security intelligence. Its personne are of
high quality, have high standards of integrity, and are
extremely efficient. The Police Marine Division
patrols the numerous islands, harbor areas, amd
territorial waters cla and night, in conjunction with
tile Commonwealth and Malaysian naval forces. It
also assists the Singapore Custorns Department in
controlling smuggling, piracy, and illegal immigra-
tion. The Marine Division is considered to he an
effective force, adequatel equipped and trained.
The Singapore Government has delegated to the
local police strict and effective police powers. Derived
primarily from the Preservation of Public Security
Ordinance of 1955, power has been given to the police
to detain persons for 2 yeairs without trial, air(] such
detentions can thereafter he extended in 6 -month
increments by approval of the Internal Security
Cornrrlittee, replaced in 1970 by the joint Intelligence
Committee. This power, along with the authority to
restrict residence, immigration, employnlerlt, and
activities, has proved extremely effective against
gangsters, subversives, and secret society members and
has been instrutnenta.tl in Singapore' considerable
success in controlling such activities.
In addition to the police, Singapore's paramilitary
forces also include the People's Defense Force, which
is an army reserve organization with it 50 air
componclt the University Air Squadron and it
18
250 man naval component, and hvo police reserve
organizations, the Special Constabulary and the
Vigilante Corps.
The People's Defense Force is an estimated 6,000
man volunteer and national service force. One of its
functions is the preparation of certain selected units
for transfer to the regular arm when they are fully
trained and equipped. This reserve organization also
has it major role, in the absence of insurrection or
external attack, of fostering national consciousness
and racial tolerance by forcing together in a training
situation the disparate elements of Singapore's
multiracial population. The PDF is composed of both
volunteers and national servicemen who are
dis(lualificd for regular service for various reasons,
primarily physical. The PDF has specific targets to
which they are assigned in the event of an emergency.
"These include reservoirs, power stations, and other key
installations on the island. It is not intended that the
PDF would ever leave Singapore in the event of all
external war.
T he training Of about 2,200 new personnel annually
is expected to raise the strength of the People's 1)efe use
Force to about 30,000 I)v 1979. For the first 6 months
of training there are two periods of 3 hours per week,
and for the second 6 months, one period of 3 hours per
week. After completion of the 1 -year basic training
course, recrtits are posted to a People's Defense Force
ullit, where they are required to attend it 3 -hour
training session weekly and spend I week in camp
annually.
The military portion of People's Defense Force
training includes elementary weaponry, firing and
care of the All -15 rifle, map reading, camping, basic
logistics, driving, signals, first aid, simple tactics, and
marching. The political indoctrination portion, in the
long run more important in the gover ;:-tent's view,
includes instruction on democratic models, conllnu-
nism, Southeast Asian geography and history, curd
racial tolerance. Instruction is nitlltilingual, althollgh,
as in the army, the overwhelming majority of the force
speak English.
Better educated citizens called up under the
National Service plan are likely to he allocated to the
Special Colstabulary, i t 9,100 -main part -tinge police
organization which nlav expand to 73,000 by 1980.
Although the constabulary is it broadly based reserve
organization, it includes it substantial number of
volunteers and is in all important respects n
Professional police organization, despite its part -time
nature. When on (lily, the Special Constabulary
performs the same functions as the regular police; its
organization also parallels that of the regular police.
.G�. cec iii.
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i
Training in the constabulary is the same as in the
regular police, except that it is shorter. Eight training
centers, located in the eight geographical police
divisions, provide courses in law, we apons, self
defense, regulations, patrolling procedures, first aid,
and physical fitness. During the first 6 months of
training, the inductee attends weekly training periods
of 4 hours each. Thereafter, he is assigned to a regular
Police division to begin regular police duties on a part
time basis. A member is generally expected to work at
least one night a week, but the entire constabulary is
on call during emergencies. On duty, constabulary
members wear regular police uniforms, use regular
police equipment, and are empowered to act with the
same authority as the regular police. P ay is modest but
sufficient to cover personal expenses and provide some
incentive.
The poorly educated and the illiterate called up
under the National Service plan are assigned to the
Vigilante Corps. A large mass organization and
catchall for school dropouts, those with low
intelligence, and the unemployed or unemployable,
the Vigilante Corps is the focus of the National Service
plan. It is the organization which will have the
greatest impact on the citizens and will afford the
greatest opportunity to the government to win over,
discipline, and make loyal an element of the
population w hose support has so far eluded it.
Moreover, it is the only organization in the National
Service complex that is specifically designed to appeal
to the Chinese- educated youth.
The Vigilante Corps was established during the
Indonesian confrontation directed ag ainst Malaysia to
perform the tasks of a citize;i militia patrolling,
control of sabotage, arrest of illegal immigrants, and
assistance to the police. Membership was composed of
neighborhood leaders from every economic level, most
of them middle -aged. The Vigilante Corps subse-
quently was reorganized as a mass youth corps
appealing to the Chinese educated people, wiin rile
goal of instilling loyalty, discipline, and sense of
responsibility through quasi military training and
indoctrination.
I Si.ciuir
Subordinate to the corps headquarters are eight
district headquarters which correspond geographically
to the eight police divisions. Each district
headquartlen, is in turn subdivided into three training
centers, normally located near the police division
headquarters. Vigilante Corps emits, each consisting of
170 members under a unit leader and an assistant unit
leader, report to the district headquarters as well as to
the local community centers. The 170 member units
are further subdivided into four groups of about 40
members that are broken down into sections of about
10 members cash.
The Vigilante Corps' 12 -month training is given in
two weekly 4 -hour periods for the first 6 months, and
during the last 6 months, in a single 4 -hour period.
The 1.2 -month training period is divided into three
major phases. The first includes orientation,
citizenship, and civics; the second, physical fitness;
and the third, technical instruction. The final phase,
conducted by uniformed officers, covers camping, first
aid, emergency drill, weapons training, hiking, and
marksr� _inship. Although the weapons training course
include; the use of rifles, the primary Nveapon for
training is the truncheon. After 12 months of training,
the member is assigned to a unit and must attend a 3-
hour meeting per week at the unit's base.
The estimated 1:5,700 corps members are not paid
but are provided with free uniforms and reimbursed
for transportation and other minor expenses. The
uniform is intended to instill pride in corps
membership. The corps program insures that a large
number of neighborhood youth use and associate with
tile. community centers. This not only places the youth
leadership in close contact with the community center
but also with the government and the ruling party. As
-in outgrowth of its inception as a militia, the corps has
the function of a neighborhood security element
whose functions include patrolling, reporting on
suspicious activities in the neighborhood, and
controlling crowds during demonstrations or riots.
Through its association Nvitli the community centers,
the members of the Vigilante Corps craw their
families, friends, and relatives into the center's orbit.
One of their duties is to recruit actively on behalf of
the community centers.
NO FOREIGN DISSG119
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