SINGAPORE: The prosecution is asking for the toughest sentence available against a Singaporean who skipped National Service (NS), in what appears to be a rare full trial for such an offence.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Tay Jia En urged the court to impose up to three years’ jail, along with a S$3,000 fine, for related immigration offences. The accused, Edmond Yao Zhi Hai, had failed to report for enlistment in 1997.

The case has drawn attention because of Yao’s dual citizenship. His defence argued that serving NS would have cost him his Indonesian citizenship, placing him in a legal bind from a young age, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reports (April 28).

Court rejects “good faith” argument from Yao’s defence

District Judge James Elisha Lee didn’t accept the defence’s explanation. He ruled that Yao and his mother would have known about his NS duties early on.

The judge also dismissed the claim that Yao believed he was treated as a foreigner. He noted that the Ministry of Defence’s Central Manpower Base (CMPB) had informed Yao of his obligations.

The offence itself is strict liability, the judge found, which means the prosecution needs only to show that Yao failed to enlist, not why. This effectively shut down the defence’s main argument that Yao acted in good faith.

Prosecution: dual citizenship doesn’t excuse the NS evasion offence

Prosecutors stated that Yao’s dual nationality shouldn’t affect sentencing. They argued that Singapore law applies to its citizens, regardless of other passports. They also described the case as highly serious, pointing to the long period of non-compliance and what they saw as a lack of remorse.

However, the defence took a different view. Lawyer Sunil Sudheesan said a jail term would ignore the reality of Yao’s situation. Serving NS in Singapore would have meant losing his Indonesian citizenship. He also argued that enforcement had been inconsistent, as authorities were aware of Yao’s status, yet didn’t act earlier.

Yao had travelled openly using his Indonesian passport and didn’t attempt to hide, the defence added.

How should Singapore treat citizens with competing legal obligations in another country?

Cases like this rarely go to trial, as most NS evasion matters are resolved earlier, usually with guilty pleas. This one, however, raises a more complex question: How should Singapore treat citizens with competing legal obligations in another country?

The prosecution’s stance suggests dual citizenship doesn’t dilute NS duties. The defence, on the other hand, presented it as a unique case with no established precedent, arguing that general deterrence doesn’t apply when the situation is so specific.

When two systems conflict, ignoring one rarely ends well

The court has adjourned Yao’s sentencing to May. The outcome could set a reference point for how similar cases are handled in future, even if they remain rare.

At its core, obligations tied to citizenship are not optional, even when another country’s rules pull in a different direction.

A simple lesson lies beneath the legal arguments: when two systems conflict, ignoring one rarely ends well, and addressing the conflict early would have saved years of uncertainty.

This article (Rare National Service evasion case: Prosecutors push for maximum jail term for Singaporean over dual citizenship dispute) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE, April 29 — The prosecution has demanded the maximum three-year jail sentence for a 47-year-old man with dual Singaporean and Indonesian citizenship who failed to report for National Service (NS) in 1997.

Edmond Yao Zhi Hai was convicted in what is believed to be the first-ever trial for NS evasion, CNA reported.

Born to a Singaporean mother and an Indonesian father, Yao was raised and educated in Singapore but also held an Indonesian passport.

During his trial, Yao’s defence argued he believed he was bound by Indonesian law, which forbids citizens from serving in a foreign military. Serving NS, they claimed, would have meant forfeiting his Indonesian citizenship.

However, the judge rejected this, ruling that Yao was fully aware of his NS obligations. The offence was deemed one of “strict liability,” meaning intent did not need to be proven.

In the sentencing hearing on Tuesday, the prosecution argued for the maximum penalty, saying Yao’s dual citizenship was irrelevant and that he showed “not one ounce of remorse.”

In response, defence lawyer Sunil Sudheesan argued that a jail term “totally disrespects this Indonesian citizen’s desire to keep his Indonesian citizenship” and, by extension, “disrespects Indonesia as well.”

He positioned the case as a unique dilemma, asking, “What was he to do? If he served, he would lose his Indonesian citizenship. How is that fair to him?”

The judge has adjourned sentencing to May to consider the arguments.