New CMPB at Bukit Gombak will open in phases from 2025, offer one-stop hub for NS facilities and services
Senior Minister of State for Defence Heng Chee How also announces the new OneNS online platform to replace the NS Portal this year
SINGAPORE — The Central Manpower Base (CMPB) - where most of the Singaporean males' national service journey begins - will open its new premises in Bukit Gombak in phases starting from 2025. Located opposite Cashew MRT Station, it will replace the current premises at Depot Road.
Senior Minister of State for Defence Heng Chee How said in Parliament on Thursday (29 February) that the new CMPB will be a one-stop hub of national service (NS) facilities and services, including equipment sales and health screening.
Operationally ready national servicemen (NSmen) can also take their Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT) at an all-weather fitness conditioning centre with a sheltered running track, as well as attend NS FIT training there. The public can also enjoy amenities such as a food court, cafe, childcare centre and an outdoor fitness zone with a running trail, football field and exercise stations.
The new CMPB will also house the Singapore Armed Forces’ second regional health hub, where NSmen will soon be able to undergo their Health Screening Programme, as well as access dental and specialist care, in one location. There would be six of such hubs in the next decade, with the first one being opened in Kranji in 2023.
OneNS online platform to replace NS Portal
Heng also updated Parliament during the Ministry of Defence's Committee of Supply budget debate on the development of the OneNS online platform consolidating NS-related services.
The OneNS website will replace the NS Portal in 2024, while an accompanying mobile app - currently in the trial phase - will also be rolled out to all units.
The app will make daily routines more efficient for NSmen during in-camp training; for example, instead of queueing to scan their NRICs when they register, NSmen can take their attendance easily with the app's geo-location and QR code features. They can also get announcements and packing lists for in-camp training on the app, as well as check their IPPT attendance and records.
On recognising NSmen's contributions, Heng said the S$200 digital credits for all past and present NSmen, announced at Budget 2024, will be disbursed on the LifeSG mobile app from November.
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