The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has an entire fleet of ground vehicles that includes car, trucks, armoured vehicles, and tanks.

SAF does not have to pay COE on these vehicles, but every one of them is required to have a vehicle plate number in case tanks might run a red light in the jungle.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="786"] Image via Singapore Army Facebook[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="781"] Image via Singapore Army Facebook[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="765"] Image via Singapore Army Facebook[/caption]

Special vehicle plates

Military vehicles' plates are characterised by the letters "MID" in them.

Most of you will probably think that these letters are the initials for "Mindef" or "Ministry of Defence". This seems logical enough, but actually they don't exactly stand for either of those.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="769"] Image via Singapore Army Facebook[/caption]

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Origins of Mindef

Back in 1965, a newly-independent Singapore had just separated from Malaysia and urgently needed to build up its ability to defend itself without having to rely on the British military.

So, the government formed a ministry that oversaw both portfolios for home affairs and defence. Heading this ministry was first generation minister Goh Keng Swee.

The rationale for merging home affairs and defence was to allow Goh to use the police force, which was more established than the fledgling SAF, to help out in the basic training of army recruits.

That home affairs and defence ministry was officially known as the "Ministry of Interior and Defence" or "MID".

All military vehicles have carried the letters "MID" on their number plates since then.

Founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew noted this in his memoirs, The Singapore Story: 1965-2000:

"To my relief, Goh Keng Swee was willing and eager to take on the task of building up the forces. I decided to have him take charge of home affairs and defence, put together into one ministry called MID (ministry of interior and defence). This would allow him to use the police force to help in the basic training of army recruits. (To this day licence plates of Singapore Armed Forces vehicles carry the letters MID)."

So, there you have it. MID is a legacy of the past.

Top image from Singapore Army Facebook

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