By the 1980s, the SAF had expanded significantly and SAFTI’s training facilities at Pasir Laba were no longer adequate to cope with the increasing demands of training. At the same time, as the SAF came of age, there was a growing recognition of the need for greater integration in the training and professionalism of officers from the three Services (i.e. Army, Navy and Air Force). In 1987, the proposal for a new institute – the SAFTI Military Institute was announced. Hence, the construction of the SAFTI Military Institute at its present site.
The name ‘SAFTI’, so well known as the professional training ground of SAF leaders, was adopted for the Military Institute. In his ground-breaking speech on 9 June 1990, then Prime Minister Mr. Lee Kuan Yew said that for the pioneers of SAFTI, the difficult process of nation-building evoked an instinctive and conscious commitment to the ideals of individual excellence and national responsibility.
He further added that these pioneers understood the choices that confronted them and did their best to share in the creation of a corps of men driven to excel for the nation. This, in essence, is the spirit of SAFTI MI. This spirit of the pioneering batches is not only preserved but also much alive as the SAFTI MI continues to train and produce leaders of stamina, courage and drive.
On 25 August 1995, the institute was officially opened by then Prime Minister Mr Goh Chok Tong.
- “This Institute is not just a collection of buildings for the training of military officers. It is a national institution, embodying our will to defend our nation, our determination to fight to preserve our freedom and our way of life, if the need ever arises. It is a symbol of how far we have come as an armed forces and as a nation.” He said emphasizing SAFTI’s status as an institution for the people.
Located on 88 hectares of land along Upper Jurong Road, the SAFTI Military Institute is arguably the most impressive if not the most imposing structure of all SAF buildings. From the red terracotta of the main buildings to the cascading terraces at the Cadet Dining Hall, SAFTI MI is a handsome complex indeed. Although its history is relatively short, compared to other more established and prestigious military institutes such as Sandhurst in England or USA’s Westpoint, SAFTI MI’s significance to the SAF is clear.
SAFTI MI builds upon SAFTI’s tradition of providing professional, rigorous and disciplined training for Army, Navy and Air Force officers. Through its tri-service training, SAFTI MI aims to forge common bonds and commitment among fellow officers, and build an integrated SAF.
