SINGAPORE – Members of the public can look forward to new sporting facilities and a foodcourt at the upcoming Central Manpower Base (CMPB), which will begin welcoming visitors in June.
The new CMPB, which will be a one-stop hub for all national service-related administrative matters, from medical screenings to personal kit replacements, will be officially opened in September.
By then, the building will be fully operational, serving both national servicemen and pre-enlistees as they register for their service.
First announced in 2019, the new CMPB will be located opposite Cashew MRT station, near the current Ministry of Defence headquarters in Bukit Gombak. The current CMPB is in Depot Road.
Speaking during a media preview of the upcoming hub, Senior Lieutenant-Colonel Lau Hui Boon, deputy director of the Gombak precinct development department, said the new CMPB will have a soft opening some time in June. This will be followed by an official opening ceremony in September. He did not give a specific date for these.
SLTC Lau said the new CMPB will house a 700-seat foodcourt, which will be operated by Timbre+ and have around 20 stalls. It will also have a childcare centre, football field, fitness zone and a 500m running trail, which will be open to the public.
The upcoming CMPB will house a 700-seat foodcourt, which will have around 20 stalls.ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
“We will also have a link bridge from the Cashew MRT station, directly linking to the new CMPB,” he said.
The upcoming hub will have two blocks, one for public amenities and one for national service administrative services.
It will also include a sheltered 300m all-weather running track, where operationally ready national servicemen (NSmen) can take their annual Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT). To complete the 2.4km run, they will need to do eight laps on the new track, compared with the usual six laps on a standard 400m track.
Compared with the current CMPB, the new integrated hub in Upper Bukit Timah Road will result in shorter medical screening times for pre-enlistees, who can also take their pre-enlistment IPPT at the same location.
First announced in 2019, the new CMPB will be located opposite Cashew MRT station, near the current Ministry of Defence headquarters in Bukit Gombak.ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
The new CMPB will also house the Singapore Armed Forces’ (SAF) second regional health hub (RHH), which consolidates services to provide more responsive care to soldiers. This means servicemen will soon be able to undergo their health screening programme, as well as access dental and specialist care, at one location.
The health hub is expected to serve about 200 servicemen daily.
A football field and fitness zone, which will be open to the public, are among the facilities at the new CMPB.ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
Mindef had previously said it would build six RHHs around the island, which will consolidate the SAF’s essential healthcare services to serve each region. The first RHH, opened in Kranji in 2023, supports SAF camps in the north-west such as Kranji camps I, II and III, Mandai Hill Camp, SAF Detention Barracks and Stagmont Camp.
Besides medical and fitness facilities, the new CMPB will have a Lifestylemart, where servicemen can buy NS-related items. These include running shoes and exercise attire. They can also buy their equipment online and collect it physically.
Join ST’s WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.