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The Roar of the Lion City

Ethnicity, Gender, and Culture in the Singapore Armed Forces

609 North Settlers Ct.,Warrington, PA, 18976; sean.walsh1{at}us.army.mil

Although the Singapore Armed Forces is one of the most technologically advanced militaries in Southeast Asia, it suffers from a number of institutional weaknesses. Singapore's multiethnic but Chinese-dominated society and unique geographical and political characteristics result in challenges in both the recruitment and retention of high-quality personnel into the armed forces as well as in developing the proper role in the military for Singapore's Malay minority (whom the government historically has seen as a security risk but who also have a strong cultural inclination toward military service). This article contends that in meeting these challenges, Singapore has reduced the effectiveness and professionalism of its military significantly by unwisely preventing Malay participation systematically in key areas of the armed forces, by limiting the positions women can hold in the military, and by using a promotion system that is based more on education and scholarships than on proven competence.

Key Words: Singapore • ethnicity • professionalism • civil-military relations

Armed Forces & Society, Vol. 33, No. 2, 265-285 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0095327X06291854


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