Ministry of Defence (Singapore)

The Ministry of Defence (Abbreviation: MINDEF; Malay: Kementerian Pertahanan; Simplified Chinese: 新加坡国防部; Tamil: தற்காப்பு அமைச்சு) is a ministry of the Government of Singapore entrusted with overseeing the national defence needs of the Republic of Singapore.

"Mindef" redirects here. For Bruneian defence ministry, see Ministry of Defence (Brunei).

Ministry of Defence
Singapore
Agency overview
Formed11 August 1970
Preceding agency
JurisdictionGovernment of Singapore
HeadquartersMINDEF Building, Gombak Drive, Singapore
1°22′17.77″N 103°45′32.62″E
MottoSafeguarding Singapore's Peace
Employees282 (2018) [1]
Annual budget 15.47 billion (est) SGD (2019) [1]
Ministers responsible
Agency executives
  • Chan Heng Kee[2], Permanent Secretary (Defence)
  • Joseph Leong[3], Permanent Secretary (Defence Development)
  • Teo Eng Dih, Deputy Secretary (Policy)
  • Adrian Chua, Deputy Secretary (Administration)
  • Quek Gim Pew, Chief Defence Scientist
  • RADM Frederick Chew, Deputy Secretary (Technology)
  • David Koh, Deputy Secretary (Special Projects)/Defence Cyber Chief
Child agencies
Websitewww.mindef.gov.sg

History
See also: Ministry of Interior and Defence

MINDEF, together with the Ministry of Home Affairs, was created on 11 August 1970 by splitting up the then Ministry of Interior and Defence.

Responsibilities
See also: Total Defence

MINDEF's mission is to "enhance Singapore's peace and security through deterrence and diplomacy, and should these fail, to secure a swift and decisive victory over the aggressor."[4]

It has a policy of Total Defence which consists of Military Defence, Civil Defence, Economic Defence, Social Defence, Psychological Defence and Digital Defence involving the people, public and private sectors of the country.

Organisational structure
See also: Singapore Armed Forces § Organisation

MINDEF oversees a single statutory board, the Defence Science and Technology Agency. It is also the parent ministry of the Singapore Armed Forces, which is in charge of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), the SAF Military Police Command and the Singapore Army.[5]

Ministers

MINDEF is headed by the Minister for Defence, who is appointed as a member of the Cabinet of Singapore. The position is currently held by Ng Eng Hen from the People's Action Party. [6]

No. Portrait Name
(Born-Died)		 Term of office Political Party Notes
Took office Left office Time in office
1
Goh Keng Swee
(1918–2010)		9 August 196516 August 19672 years, 7 daysPAPServed as Deputy Prime Minister from 1968 to 1973
2
Lim Kim San
(1916–2006)		17 August 196710 August 19702 years, 358 daysPAP–
(1)
Goh Keng Swee
(1918–2010)		11 August 197011 February 19798 years, 184 daysPAPSecond tenure
3
Howe Yoon Chong
(1923–2007)		12 February 197931 May 19823 years, 108 daysPAP–
4
Goh Chok Tong
(born 1941)		1 June 198230 June 19919 years, 29 daysPAPServed as Singapore's second Prime Minister from 1990 to 2004
5
Yeo Ning Hong1 July 19911 July 19943 years, 0 daysPAP–
6
Lee Boon Yang
(born 1947)		2 July 19941 August 19951 year, 30 daysPAP–
7
Tony Tan
(born 1940)		1 August 19951 August 20038 years, 0 daysPAPServed as Singapore's 7th President from 2011 to 2017.
8
Teo Chee Hean
(born 1954)		1 August 200320 May 20117 years, 292 daysPAPServed as Deputy Prime Minister from 2009 to 2019. Now Senior Minister.
9
Ng Eng Hen
(born 1958)		21 May 2011Incumbent9 years, 259 daysPAPSecond term as of 1 Oct 2015.

See also

References
  1. https://www.singaporebudget.gov.sg/docs/default-source/budget_2019/download/pdf/25-MINDEF-2019.pdf
  2. "Changes in Permanent Secretary Appointments - 1 November 2019". Public Service Division. 1 November 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  3. "Permanent Secretary Appointment - 28 Jan 2019". Public Service Division. 28 January 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  4. "About Us: Mission". Ministry of Defence (Singapore). Archived from the original on 5 September 2008. Retrieved 9 January 2009.
  5. "MINDEF Departments". Singapore Government Directory. Archived from the original on 21 January 2017.
  6. "PM Lee announces new Cabinet today". AsiaOne. Archived from the original on 21 January 2015. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
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