Safra is planning to build a new clubhouse for national servicemen (NSmen) and their families in the north-western part of the island.

The club will be the seventh here.

This was revealed by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean at yesterday's official opening of Safra Punggol, where he also said Safra Tampines will be upgraded.

A slew of activities will also be organised next year to commemorate 50 years of national service in Singapore and the 45th anniversary of Safra, added DPM Teo, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security.

These include a Safra Singapore Bay Run and Army Half Marathon, a charity swim, and a celebratory dinner for Safra volunteers and corporate partners.

"Safra and HomeTeam NS will also work together to provide a suite of benefits for NSmen and their families," he said, adding that Safra will progressively implement green measures at its clubhouses.

These will be similar to those at Safra Punggol, which are estimated to save 700 tonnes of carbon emissions, and generate savings of $360,000 in electricity and utility bills annually.

The Punggol clubhouse is the first to receive the Building and Construction Authority's Green Mark Platinum award, as well as the National Parks Board's landscape excellence assessment framework certification.

Also in attendance at yesterday's opening were Minister for Defence and Safra's board of governors chairman Ng Eng Hen; Second Minister for Defence Ong Ye Kung, who is also Safra president; and Senior Minister of State for Defence Mohamad Maliki Osman, the deputy president of Safra.

Since its soft launch in April, Safra Punggol - built at a cost of $64.4 million - has received about 150,000 visitors a month.

In his speech, DPM Teo praised the efforts of NSmen, saying they had helped defend Singapore for almost five decades.

He added that all Singaporeans must remain vigilant in the face of terror threats.

"We are stronger as one people and we must not allow issues of race, language or religion to divide our communities," he said.