Singapore Armed Forces (Military Domain Experts Service) Regulations 2010

No. S 186

Singapore Armed Forces Act

(Chapter 295)

In exercise of the powers conferred by sections 205 and 205A of the Singapore Armed Forces Act, the Armed Forces Council hereby makes the following Regulations:

PART I

PRELIMINARY

Citation and commencement

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Singapore Armed Forces (Military Domain Experts Service) Regulations 2010 and shall come into operation on 1st April 2010.

Definitions

2.—(1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires —

[Deleted by S 837/2024 wef 01/11/2024]

“Awards Officer” means an Awards Officer appointed under regulation 3;

“Board” means the Board of Trustees appointed in accordance with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAVER-Premium Fund) Regulations (Rg 18);

“CARE Account” and “CARE Initial Quantum” have the same meanings as in the Singapore Armed Forces (Premium Plan) Regulations (Rg 22);

“Central Provident Fund” means the Central Provident Fund established under the Central Provident Fund Act 1953;

[S 849/2025 wef 31/12/2021]

“Central Provident Fund Board” means the Central Provident Fund Board established under the Central Provident Fund Act 1953;

[S 849/2025 wef 31/12/2021]

“compensation salary”, in relation to a member, means the consolidated salary of the member, whether he is confirmed in any rank that he holds or otherwise, and includes —

(a)	for the purposes of Parts IV and V, such reimbursement or pay to which the member is entitled or which is payable to him by his employer under section 24 of the Enlistment Act 1970; and [S 849/2025 wef 31/12/2021]
(b)	any other allowance declared by the Armed Forces Council to be a component of the compensation salary, not being an allowance for the performance by a member of duties in a rank higher than his substantive or temporary rank;

[Deleted by S 237/2012 wef 01/06/2012]

“CPF Top-Up Account”, in relation to a member, means the CPF Top-Up Account in the SAVER-Premium Fund maintained by the Board in respect of the member in accordance with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAVER-Premium Fund) Regulations (Rg 18);

“dependant”, in relation to a deceased member, means a person receiving regular and substantial support or benefit from the deceased member —

(a)	where the member’s death occurred during his service, throughout the period of 6 months ending with the member’s death;
(b)	in any other case, throughout the period beginning 6 months prior to the termination of the member’s service and ending with the member’s death; or
(c)	throughout such other period as the Armed Forces Council may determine in the exceptional circumstances of any case;

“disablement” means physical or mental injury or damage or loss of any physical or mental capacity, and “disabled” shall be construed accordingly;

“General Order” means a General Order of the Ministry of Defence;

“gross salary”, in relation to a member, means the consolidated salary of the member, whether he is confirmed in any rank that he holds or otherwise, and includes —

(a)	bonuses, including performance bonuses; and
(b)	such other allowances as the Armed Forces Council may determine, not being an allowance for the performance by a member of duties in a rank higher than his substantive or temporary rank;

[Deleted by S 740/2020 wef 01/09/2020]

“injury” includes wound or disease;

“injury received in and which is attributable to service” includes the following:

(a)	any injury received in consequence of some act lawfully performed in the discharge of a member’s duties;
(b)	any injury received while on a journey necessary to enable a member to report for duty or to return home after duty; [S 740/2020 wef 01/09/2020]

“MDES” means the scheme of service applicable to regular servicemen in the military domain experts service;

“member” means a member of the military domain experts service who is a regular serviceman;

“no pay maternity leave” means any no pay leave granted by the Director of Manpower under regulation 9 of the Singapore Armed Forces (Leave) Regulations (Rg 12) to a servicewoman who has been in service for at least 90 days before the date of her confinement, in respect of the birth of her child;

[S 740/2020 wef 01/09/2020]

“non-attributable medical condition” means an adverse medical condition that ––

(a)	existed in a member before service; or
(b)	arose during but which was not attributable to service; [S 1040/2022 wef 01/01/2023]

[Deleted by S 740/2020 wef 01/09/2020]

“pensionable service” means service in the Singapore Armed Forces in respect of which a pension, gratuity or other allowance will be paid to a serviceman on his retirement under the Singapore Armed Forces (Pensions) Regulations (Rg 9);

“Premium Plan” means the Premium Plan established by the Singapore Armed Forces (Premium Plan) Regulations (Rg 22) under section 205A of the Act;

[S 849/2025 wef 01/01/2026]

“reckonable service” has the meaning assigned to it in Part III;

“regular service” means service under section 19 of the Enlistment Act 1970;

[S 849/2025 wef 31/12/2021]

“Retirement Account” has the same meaning as in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAVER Plan) Regulations (Rg 19);

“SAVER Account” has the meaning given by regulation 2(1) of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAVER Plan) Regulations;

[S 440/2025 wef 01/07/2025]

[Deleted by S 740/2020 wef 01/09/2020]

“SAVER Plan” means the SAVER Plan established by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAVER Plan) Regulations (Rg 19) under section 205A of the Act;

[S 849/2025 wef 01/01/2026]

“SAVER-Premium Fund” means the Savings and Employee Retirement and Premium Fund established under section 205B of the Act;

“Savings Account” has the same meaning as in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAVER Plan) Regulations (Rg 19);

“stipulated retirement age”, in relation to a member, means the stipulated retirement age of that member determined in accordance with regulation 10;

[S 237/2012 wef 01/06/2012]

“superior commander” has the same meaning as in section 60 of the Act;

“Tribunal” means the Awards Appeal Tribunal appointed under regulation 4(1);

“vested sum” has the same meaning as in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAVER Plan) Regulations (Rg 19);

“volunteer” means a volunteer defined as such under the Singapore Armed Forces (Volunteers) Regulations (Rg 7), whilst engaged in colour training service and internal security duties.

(1A) For the purposes of these Regulations, an injury is not attributable to service by reason only of the injury having been received while on duty, at a place of duty or on any land, premises, vehicle, ship or aircraft for the time being used by or for the purposes of the Singapore Armed Forces.

[S 740/2020 wef 01/09/2020]

(2) For the purposes of these Regulations, any reference to the gross salary or compensation salary of any member shall be the gross salary or compensation salary, as the case may be, last drawn by the member at the material time.

PART II

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Administration of these Regulations

3.—(1) These Regulations shall be administered by Awards Officers appointed under paragraph (2) or such other body or person as the Armed Forces Council may appoint.

(2) The Armed Forces Council may appoint one or more Awards Officers to assess, award or review awards and allowances granted or to be granted under these Regulations, and may give such directions as it thinks fit to any such Awards Officer in the discharge of his duties.

(3) The Armed Forces Council may, for the purposes of these Regulations, appoint one or more medical boards, either generally or for particular cases, each comprising not less than 2 medical practitioners, one of whom shall be a medical officer of the Singapore Armed Forces.

(4) An award granted or made to or in respect of any member under Parts IV and V may, notwithstanding the provisions of these Regulations, be administered by an Awards Officer for the benefit of any person, subject to the directions of the Armed Forces Council, if —

(a)	the person has not attained the age of 21 years;
(b)	the person is, in the opinion of the Armed Forces Council, incapable of managing his own affairs by reason of mental infirmity; or
(c)	in any other case, the Armed Forces Council considers that is in the interests of the person that the award should be so administered.

(5) An award which is being administered under this regulation may, as to the whole or such part thereof and at such times as the Armed Forces Council thinks fit, be —

(a)	applied for the benefit of the person to or in respect of whom it has been granted or made; or
(b)	paid to any person whom the Armed Forces Council considers a fit and appropriate person so to apply the same, and any moneys so paid shall be regarded as applied for the benefit of the person to or in respect of whom it has been granted or made.

Awards Appeal Tribunal

4.—(1) For the purposes of these Regulations, the Armed Forces Council may appoint an Awards Appeal Tribunal which shall consist of not less than 3 members.

(2) The Tribunal shall have power to vary any award made under these Regulations (other than an award to which regulation 5 relates), whether by increasing or decreasing that award, and the decision of the Tribunal thereon shall be final and conclusive.

(2A) The Tribunal may regulate its own procedure for the conduct of an appeal under this regulation, including any proceedings leading up to the hearing of the appeal.

[S 837/2024 wef 01/11/2024]

(3) Without affecting paragraph (2A), the Tribunal shall have power —

(a)	to call for any document relating to the appellant’s service from an Officer-in-charge of Records;
(b)	to order the appellant to undergo a medical examination by a medical officer to be appointed by the Tribunal in any particular case; and
(c)	to certify to an Officer-in-charge of Records any reasonable travelling and other expenses which may have been incurred by any person in appearing before the Tribunal or before any medical officer appointed to make a medical examination of that person under this regulation. [S 837/2024 wef 01/11/2024]

(4) Every appellant shall have the right to appear before the Tribunal in person, or by a representative, but the Tribunal may hear and determine any appeal in the absence of the appellant.

(5) Every appeal under this regulation shall be brought within 12 months of the date on which the decision of an Awards Officer is notified to the appellant, but the Tribunal may allow an appeal to be brought after the expiration of the period limited by this regulation if it considers that there was a reasonable excuse for the delay.

Compensation Board

5.—(1) For the purposes of these Regulations, the Armed Forces Council may appoint a Compensation Board which shall consist of not less than 4 members.

(2) The Compensation Board shall have power to make an award or vary any award made by an Awards Officer in respect of the death or disablement of a member, whether by increasing or decreasing that award, and the decision of the Compensation Board thereon shall be final and conclusive.

(2A) The Compensation Board may regulate its own procedure for the conduct of an appeal under this regulation, including any proceedings leading up to the hearing of the appeal.

[S 837/2024 wef 01/11/2024]

(3) Without affecting paragraph (2A), the Compensation Board shall have power —

(a)	to call for any document relating to the appellant’s service from an Officer-in-charge of Records;
(b)	to order the appellant to undergo a medical examination by a medical officer to be appointed by the Compensation Board in any particular case; and
(c)	to certify to an Officer-in-charge of Records any reasonable travelling and other expenses which may have been incurred by any person in appearing before the Compensation Board or before any medical officer appointed to make a medical examination of that person under this regulation. [S 837/2024 wef 01/11/2024]

(4) Every appellant shall have the right to appear before the Compensation Board in person, or by a representative, but the Compensation Board may hear and determine any appeal in the absence of the appellant.

(5) Every appeal under this regulation shall be brought within 12 months of the date on which the decision of an Awards Officer is notified to the appellant, but the Compensation Board may allow an appeal to be brought after the expiration of the period limited by the regulation if it considers that there was a reasonable excuse for the delay.

Failure to draw award

6.—(1) Where a member fails for a continuous period of not less than 12 months to draw any award under these Regulations, the award may be cancelled and any payment of any arrears may be withheld.

(2) The Armed Forces Council may, in any particular case, restore the award and pay the arrears either in whole or in part.

Arrears

7. Except in so far as the Armed Forces Council may otherwise direct with respect to any particular case or class of cases, payment of any award under these Regulations shall not be made in respect of any period preceding the date of the application or appeal as a result of which the claim to the award or to the continuance or resumption of the payment of the award, as the case may be, is accepted.

Made this 25th day of March 2010.

TAN KOK YAM

Secretary,
Armed Forces Council,
Singapore.

[MINDEF 4-4/26-3-5/HCL; AG/LLRD/SL/295/2002/5 Vol. 2]

(To be presented to Parliament under section 207 of the Singapore Armed Forces Act).