Novriandy Rizaldy Sentenced for Failing to Report for NS and Leaving Without Exit Permit
Novriandy Rizaldy, a 33-year-old Singaporean man, has been sentenced to 24 weeks in prison for evading National Service (NS) enlistment after remaining outside Singapore for over nine years without a valid exit permit.
Novriandy, born in Singapore to a Singaporean mother and an Indonesian father, left the country in 2010 to live in Batam, Indonesia, where he assisted in his father’s business. Although he had initially applied for deferments to complete his studies, he continued to evade his NS obligations. He applied several times to defer his enlistment, citing various educational reasons, but failed to submit the necessary documentation and eventually left Singapore without an exit permit in January 2010.
Despite being sent multiple notices by the Central Manpower Base (CMB) to report for enlistment and medical screening, Novriandy did not comply. In 2015, he briefly returned to Singapore to renew his passport but failed to fulfill his NS requirements. After being reminded of his responsibilities, he chose to return to Batam, where he continued to avoid reporting for NS despite receiving a second enlistment notice.
It wasn’t until December 2019, when Novriandy returned to Singapore again to renew his passport and resolve his NS situation, that he was arrested at the immigration checkpoint. Novriandy was subsequently enrolled in the Singapore Civil Defence Force and completed his full-time National Service in November 2022.
In total, Novriandy evaded his NS obligations for 9 years, 7 months, and 24 days, during which time he was also listed on a police gazette and stop list. His sentence serves as a reminder of Singapore’s strict enforcement of National Service laws.
