Yesterday (29 Oct), the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) revealed that they had rejected an application from an 18-year-old boy to renounce his Singapore citzenship.
Normally, this wouldn’t make front-page news, but the boy, Harry Birtwistle, had signed with an English Premier League (EPL) club and wanted to put off serving national service (NS).
A day earlier, Birtwistle had signed a professional contract with Wolverhampton Wanderers, a team currently sitting in 11th place in the EPL table.
Mindef said Birtwistle had gone abroad without a valid exit permit and had therefore committed offences under the Enlistment Act. It explained that it rejected the boy’s application to renounce his Singapore citizenship as “renunciation should not be used as a means to evade NS (national service) duties.”
But this may not have been the teen’s intention.
Father of Footballer Who Tried to Renounce SG Citizenship Spoke Out
Yesterday, the boy’s father, John Birtwistle, released a statement in response to the Mindef update.
Mr Birtwistle said his son had never wanted to renounce his Singapore citizenship nor skip NS.
“From the beginning of 2017, I asked Mindef for deferment of national service, if necessary, pending renunciation of his Singapore citizenship when Harry turns 21 years old,” he said.
He explained that retaining his UK passport and British citizenship would be essential to pursue a professional career in the EPL, due to the “revised points-based work permit stringent requirements applicable post-Brexit on all non-UK citizens.”
“Singapore is Where Harry’s Heart is”
While he has dreams to be a professional footballer in England, the boy still has “deep roots” in Singapore, as his mother, two young siblings, and extended family and friends are all living here.
“(I) chose to relocate Harry to my homeland England to chase his football dream and also to get to know his family there. But Singapore is where Harry’s heart is, where he was born and raised during those formative early years,” Mr Birtwistle said.
“As a father, I have only wanted the best for my son and I think many parents will understand.”
Birtwistle was born in Singapore and lived here until the age of 13, when he moved to England to pursue his dream of playing in the EPL.
His mother is Singapore Chinese while his father is British. They were the ones who applied for Birtiwstle to renounce his Singapore citizenship.
The teen was spotted by Wolves academy staff when he was just eight years old during a Wolves international training camp in Singapore.
He has mostly featured for the Under-23 team, but has also trained with the first team around once or twice a week.
Mr Birtwistle said he’s grateful for how supportive the Singaporean public has been towards his son.
“Singapore was where (Harry) was born and raised, and he is proud to be from there. I dearly hope that we can focus on the football and together get behind Harry and wish him every success in his life,” he said.
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Featured Image: Instagram (Harry Birtwistle)
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