Eddie Choo
Why? Because in NS, it really goes like this: I pretend to be a soldier, and you pretend to treat me like a soldier. NS has become so ritualised that serving the nation has lost its meaning.
When something becomes a ritual, it loses its meaning, and whatever passion there was is lost, and what you get are the tired faces and the bad-ass attitudes that are commonplace among the guys serving.
Unless and until the question of purpose and service can be answered, Singaporean men (and some women) will find themselves losing passion for the country they’ve been asked to serve, longing for greener pastures always.
I don’t exactly know where this story should start. Should I start when I left the camp gate for good on the day I officially achieved Operationally-Ready Date (ORD) status? Or should I start when I began school and my first National Education (NE) lesson?
I guess the only way to truly begin this narrative/commentary is at the hospital, where mothers give birth to their baby boys. The moment a baby boy is born and registered, a chain of paperwork is created for him, culminating in him receiving the conscription letter at 18 and donning the camouflaged green uniform, serving out his time on an offshore island roughly northeast off the coast of Singapore.
Of course, all this is provided the baby boy is and remains young and healthy right up to the time he enlists to become a citizen soldier for the Republic of Singapore – a soldier who swears that he will protect the President and the Constitution of our Republic.
Why National Service?
I mean, any decent Sec 3 student will be able to tell you why Singapore needs National Service (NS). He would need to know that, because it is examinable and part of the Social Studies syllabus. If not, it’s likely he would know anyway, because he’d have been told the reason for it enough times in NE – National Education – lessons that he would be able to answer just as well.
Well, we all know how the story begins. Once upon a time, a prince from some Indonesian kingdom chanced upon a piece of rock, encountered a beast he called “Singa”, and promptly called it Singapura. Fast-forward a few centuries, and a British fella came along, bought this place on behalf of the British East India Company (yes, the very same from Pirates of the Caribbean, no Johnny Depp here, sorry), called this place a colony and set up shop here, for the next one hundred years or so.
Then the British abandoned us (sort of, despite investing in defences as well), and the country’s people suffered under the Japanese Occupation. After the Japanese surrendered, the Brits came back, but didn’t stay for long. Then, for a brief moment, we joined Malaysia; but just as quickly as we came together, we parted. Absorbing the lessons from our history, the leaders then decided that to defend ourselves effectively, we had to have our own military, and since we didn’t have the numbers for a full-time army, we learned from the Israelis, and created a soldier out of every able-bodied man.
A sacrifice of 2 – 3 years of each man’s life, spent in training to be a soldier. Then we release them and let them contribute to the economy as workers, recalling them when we need to.
This is the whole scheme known as National Service.
With such good intentions, how come NS didn’t make me patriotic?
Why, because in NS, it really goes like this: I pretend to be a soldier, and you pretend to treat me like a soldier. NS has become so ritualised that serving the nation has lost its meaning. It’s one thing to have parades every 3 months, but having it every other week is senseless. When something becomes a ritual, it loses its meaning, and whatever passion there was is lost, and what you get are the tired faces and the bad-ass attitudes that are commonplace among the guys serving.
I am not questioning the commitment of military regulars – I merely wish to highlight that sometimes, inevitably, even they might get drawn into this attitude of going through the motions. This is not an issue of complacency or throwing caution to the wind. This is about the nature of military work. Yes, a soldier should behave professionally, but professionalism is hard to come by when being a soldier is a really. boring. job. Just watch Jarhead. Yes, we would all like to be the heroes in Blackhawk Down, but unfortunately, military life is more Jarhead than anything that exciting. And then sometimes you encounter the military professionals who serve in the military not out of a sense of duty or patriotism, but for the need of money.
What exactly are we defending?
Sure, we are all here to ‘defend the nation’, but then, ever so often, the question comes to mind: what exactly are we defending? I don’t think anyone has ever sufficiently answered that question. Sure, we say we are “protecting our way of life” and “keeping our families safe”, but at the core of it, what are we really doing? I mean, if war comes, I think most people would have already sent their families away on any available flight to anywhere. Other families would be safe overseas, and might even have had the time to transfer their assets overseas to begin anew. So, with our families safe, would there be anything left to defend?
Would we be left to defend those who couldn’t manage to buy the tickets in time? Does that mean that the rich would have had priority in getting out? If only the rich get to survive, then would we still be committed to this nation’s defence? If there was a threat of mass military desertion, would the state actually hold our families hostage to force us to stay here and fight? Of course, if it comes to that, we would take up arms, but with a heavy heart. Even if we won the war, we’d have lost any loyalty and love for this country, and it wouldn’t be worth staying here at all.
For me, I would rather be a second-class citizen elsewhere than be treated like collateral here. But of course, this is only a hypothetical scenario – a gedanken (“thought”) experiment. Whether such a scenario plays out remains to be seen.
What other options are there? Are we defending our multi-racial society? That might actually be something worth defending. But then again, around the world, there are so many cosmopolitan global cities which are melting pots of various ethnicities., where an industrious and innovative Singaporean would be welcomed. Of course, these other places might never be as efficient and effective as Singapore, but if we could live reasonably well, why not? So why, then, would any Singaporean stay to defend our unique, multi-racial way of life?
A question of purpose and service
So let’s consider the question again. What is it about Singapore that we are actually defending? If the values that we are defending are not unique to Singapore, then what is left? A happy island, by virtue of geography and geology?
As it is, the importance of NS is inscribed into nearly every Singaporean’s heart – from National Education in school to the hard, physical tests at Pulau Tekong. It isn’t as if NS is pointless – we still need to guard against conventional military threats or terrorists – but security alone can’t be the be-all and end-all of National Service.
Because at its core, National Service is about defending what is dear to us, and from there, deriving meaning and passion to the things that we do when we fulfil our NS duties. But if NS brings boredom and disillusionment, then the hearts of Singaporeans will be drawn elsewhere, and the hearts of those that stay will be conflicted over whether this nation deserves their defence.
Unless and until the question of purpose and service can be answered, Singaporean men (and some women) will find themselves losing passion for the country they’ve been asked to serve, longing for greener pastures always.
About the author:
Eddie Choo, 20, served as a Field Engineer Pioneer during his National Service. He is waiting to study Chemistry at NUS.
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was your reflection a result of an NS experience which defers from your expectations? NS is not there as a national building social exercise, but as a viable deterance to potential threats and a security measure. our miliary, like any military in the world cannot account and look after the soft needs for each and every soldier, rank and file.
we have to gain experience through our own pursuits within the framework of the military, and you will find the friendships and memories you have when you leave beautiful.
is it really viable to defend singapore on regular forces, split into the army,airforce navy? the army is not obliged to provide passion as part of its training, it supplies the means, we supply the passion.
Question of passion and service. I agree that much time is wated in NS. Packing National Day Freebies, setting up stands for national Day, watching out for VIPs at IMF meetings. It would be good if we get rid of the ‘subsidy’ mentality and the govt start paying real salary.
Alas as a 40+ year old man, I find it encouraging that a young man like Eddie pause to think what it means to be a Singaporean. With all the emphasis by govt on foreign talent, etc etc – it is a good sign that our education system is producing young thinkers!
“Burma has allowed military helicopters from Singapore to deliver foods in the Irrawady basin, especially the areas inaccessible by roads, official sources said.
Singapore appeared to be only country that Burma has given permission to enter its territorial water and air space as the junta continue to deny permission to foreign naval ships and military helicopters and cargo plane from entering Burma’s territory.”
Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30074193
My main peeve is after NS, where career/family clash . The influx of FTs do not help, employers make no bones abt NS obligations affecting their bottomline. I do not need others to point this out otherwise because i had a PR boss tell it to me in the face. Reservist is a waste of time and resources to employers, yr job performance is affected n yr clients gets poached in yr absence, it is compounded when you hv to go overseas attachment. I still believe NS is very important, an effective deterrent but a lot hv to be tweaked in processes after that. Opening our doors wide do not help, we provide a safe haven, others come in to take advantage without the NS obligations. IT IS NOT FAIR.
Why NS before 1991? The mission of Soviet Union was to take the whole of Asia (ex-Japan/China) and Middle East
Why NS after 1991? The mission of former anti-Soviet Union force (insurgent) from Central Asia.
In my opinion, NS was started with the good intention of defending Singapore and Singaporean.. over the years, it is now for defending and protecting the LEE dynasty.. In my humble opinion, if LKY truly care for singapore, it would not allow his family members to participate in politics at all…..also if his family members are capable, they would not be in politic as well…..
Hell, in the private sector , companies have restriction allowing relations in the same company or related companies. Our government alway compare their salary against the private sector (only when it benefit them and their relations)
“\Why NS after 1991? The mission of former anti-Soviet Union force (insurgent) from Central Asia”
NS in year 2001 & beyond ? To protect against terrorism or Mas Selamat ?
NS in year 2010 and beyond ? So what’s next from the coffers ? To protect against alien invasion from Mars ? Mars attack ?
So what’s new from the coffers to keep delivering freak excuses over exorbitant spending on military when it really benefit the GLC with tons of taxmoney. They use taxmoney to buy markup weapons from own coffers’. Incredible, super-world class, only the fools will believe their nobility…
Gained some and lost some after NS and completion of reservists’
Best gain – learn how to shoot
Worst loss – jobs to foreigners while away in NS.
It is as simple as that, men.
A NSman has to play two roles – a factor of porduction and security guard of the territory. He receive only one salary.
A working mother also receives one salary by playing two roles – a factor of production and give birth.
A China scholar who study and work here. He return to Tsing Hua University (like MIT) for teaching. He promote Singapore to his folk !
NS…I used to feel so proud but now when I look around the country, it is been invaded by foreigners and there is nothing we the true born in Singapore Singaporean can do about it. Fight to defend this nation…for who? For the foreigners who come in earn their keep and leave? As a father of a boy, if possible, I wouldn’t want him to serve and waste his life here…
Who wash the backside of a patient in public hospital? China nurse !
Who take care the old folks in an old aged home? Philipine nurse !
Who take care your baby at home? Indonesia maid !
Where the special education teacher come from? Myanmar
How many Singaporean is willing to do above mentioned job?
“Why NS before 1991? The mission of Soviet Union was to take the whole of Asia (ex-Japan/China) and Middle East”
Cyclone, if you have some knowledge of Cold War history, you wouldn’t make such fatal assumptions that the Americans made throughout the 1950s to 1960s especially in the case of Vietnam. Kissinger and Nixon were smart enough to realize that the whole myth of a monolithic communist plot hatched by Moscow to dominate the world and used the Sino-Soviet split for US strategic purpose. If you do read, leaders like Ho Chi Minh, Kim Il Sung and even Fidel Castro were hardly puppets of the Soviet Union. Declassified documents showed that rather than having an offensive objective in Afghanistan, Brezhnev and his comrades invaded Afghanistan due to the fear of an Islamic resurgence seeping into the Central Asian Soviet republics. Afghanistan was already in their sphere of influence before 1979.
Why so many comments about FT. It’s all the globalization issues. If we dont want external persons to come in here and take our jobs then the same case applies to Singapore companies buying assets overseas. Like Temasek going to Indonesia to buy telkomsel or GIC to buy the banks. Do we want that? Now SingTel getting their 80% revenue from emerging markets like india, indonesia, If we dont want their people then they dont want these companies to take the money from their countries. Is it acceptable to all of us?
NS is good only to train the boys and be responsible adult after 2 years. It is not for defending the country. I would not want to defend my country, because my country does not care for me. Why should I care for my country ?? Let it take over by other country, if there is a war because the persons in charge of this country are selfish.
“Who wash the backside of a patient in public hospital? China nurse !
Who take care the old folks in an old aged home? Philipine nurse !
Who take care your baby at home? Indonesia maid !
Where the special education teacher come from? Myanmar
How many Singaporean is willing to do above mentioned job?”
They are willing to do so because doing the above chores in Singapore pays them far better than back home. Even Labour MP Josephine Teo has said in a Straits Times column before that there are young foreign cleaners who are willing to take $450 a month. Honestly, is it possible for an old local cleaner to compete at that wage level? You can do the math especially in view of the current inflation woes. The race to the bottom is something one may want to reflect on.
“Burma has allowed military helicopters from Singapore to deliver foods in the Irrawady basin, especially the areas inaccessible by roads, official sources said.
Singapore appeared to be only country that Burma has given permission to enter its territorial water and air space as the junta continue to deny permission to foreign naval ships and military helicopters and cargo plane from entering Burma’s territory.”
I am afraid that priorities may have taken a wrong direction here. What matters now is get the aid supplies by whatever possible means as quickly as we can to the people of Burma. Without proper transparency and accountability, God knows what the junta does with all the money and supplies. There were reports that aid supplies can be found on sale in the Yangon street markets. The scale of disaster is such that it is beyond the capability of the Burma junta to help the cyclone victims. While the presence of Singaporean personnel is a good sign, without the unrestricted permission for foreign aid workers all over the world to help the victims, many are going to meet their doom, especially young children.
A symbolic gesture remains a symbol to cheer about, whether it can really help all the 2.5 million victims is a serious question we have to ask ourselves. By allowing only selected personnel into the disaster-hit region, isn’t it just another political exercise on the part of the junta at the expense of their people’s lives? Let’s be clear as to who is politicizing the issue and as we sit down to talk in various conferences, a child in Burma could be dying every minute without the needed assistance. I don’t find this to be something worth cheering about.
More and more Singaporean men feel the emptiness of serving. Even Vivian Balakrishnan’s son once questioned if he would be willing to die for Singapore.
As the value of citizenship becomes more and more diluted, through globalisation and the letting in of such a large number of foreigners, the question of patriotism and belongingness will become more stark.
Couple this with a recent survey which said more than 50% of young Singaporeans would leave if given the opportunity, we can see the depth of the problem.
I think the govt has given up on finding a solution. Just as they have given up on getting s’poreans to have more babies. The solution they have chosen is to bring in more foreigners.
Ironically, this is what will exacerbate the problem further.
Belongingness and patriotism runs deeper than just having a job and financial rewards. Sad thing is that the govt either does not realise this or, more probably, does not care even if they realise this.
What I was inculcated during my younger days about the value of citizenship (especially those as enunciated in our pledge) has evolved almost into one that is measured by numbers & figures.
Fortunately or unfortunately, I (and I believe a lot of other people) have seen through this facade & illusion. However, I am still hopeful about things here.
I think NS and foreigners getting our jobs are two seperate issues here not to be mixed up. We as citizens have our fair share of benefits as citizens, which such foreigners do not have.
I agree with Sliencer most of the time in his comment. I did benefited within the frameworks of military in that short time frame. And who do we protect? We can see it as protecting the foreigners that work and so call suck money out, but don’t forget that our families live and work in this same place call Singapore as the foreigners. you can chose to complain you are protecting the foreigners, or you can chose to see it as protecting your love ones.
We speak of it as if no one will ever attack us, just like we speak of the high security of Singapore of the Mas Selamat case. But the fact is that he still escaped. And we prepared to say that no one will attack us? If it does happen one day, will you bear the responisbility of having not enough men to defend the nation? Can you?
I believe NS wasn’t meant to be use as a way to make one patriotic.but rather to defend our nation. And as much as I wish to respect Eddie’s view, he alone does not represent the views of all male gender. and whether Singaporean Men have lost passion and purpose to serve, that we’ll have to see.
Regards
“I think NS and foreigners getting our jobs are two seperate issues here not to be mixed up. We as citizens have our fair share of benefits as citizens, which such foreigners do not have.”
If you tried to detach the issue of forging a strong national identity from NS, i think you would have overlooked the crux of the problem.
What makes people willing to sacrifice is the idea of belonging to a nation-state. If the identification with one’s nation is strong, you wouldn’t have the problem of people questioning the purpose of NS in the first place. Without nationalist sentiments, you can have the strongest armed forces in the world but you may still fail in the battlefield. As Napoleon had said before, “There are only two forces in the world, the sword and the spirit. In the long run the sword will always be conquered by the spirit.”
As Catherine Lim has written, perhaps the problem has to do with the configuration of party-state relationship in Singapore. Most people here may express loyalty only to the “good life” that the country represents since partisanship may come into play with regards to patriotism.
“I agree with Sliencer most of the time in his comment. I did benefited within the frameworks of military in that short time frame. And who do we protect? We can see it as protecting the foreigners that work and so call suck money out, but don’t forget that our families live and work in this same place call Singapore as the foreigners. you can chose to complain you are protecting the foreigners, or you can chose to see it as protecting your love ones.”
Ultimately at the end of the day, we have to ask what we want Singapore to be: Singapore, the Nation or Singapore Inc.? If we go the way of Singapore Inc. where ruthless economic efficiency is the order of the day, the problem of questioning NS would stay with us in the near future.
To paraphrase Aime Cesaire in his Discourse on Colonialism:
“A Singapore that proves incapable of solving the problems it creates is a decadent Singapore.
A Singapore that chooses to close its eyes to its most crucial problems is a stricken Singapore.
A Singapore that uses its principles for trickery and deceit is a dying Singapore…
Singapore is indefensible.”
No citizen will want a Singapore Inc! Who dont want a caring gahmen? Ask yourself
this if your parents treated you like a slave? How would you feel, angry or happy?
Most NS guys felt betray by their nation, whom treated them worst than PR and
Foreigners. As MM had said, no subsidies to be given out so we citizen not only
do a FREE service to the country and watch how non-NS obligated
PR/Foreigners compete with us for everything. Homes to jobs. No wonder many
felt like a second class citizen…ask yourself what goods and services that are
free or cost very little to a citizen and is provided by our dear gahmen? You
probably cant list any out.
If we have NS serving the country why do we still need GURKAS? Are we telling our men in Sg they are not good enough to protect our nation’s leaders and assets? We should pack all this GURKAS back to NEPAL. The money spend on them can be transfered to enhanced the NS pays.
why the ministers house and govt building all guard by gurkhas. Is the govt don’t trust we the locals to guard their property. I heard gurkhas are very loyal. They are loyal because they get many benefits .
No matters what happens. I will fight to protect my motherland till the last drop of blood that is flowing in me, because my family is all I have.
The notion that national service is done to defend a material standard of living strikes me as somewhat absurd. What I refer to as a “material standard of living” refers to things which can actually be replicated or moved out out of the particular bit of territory they sit on. This includes things like the infrastructure, the shops, the schools, the hospitals, the cuisine. Even the family. All this physical stuff can simply be moved out of the country, or rebuild it somewhere else.
This is why the argument for national service based on this notion that “oh but we are defending a material standard of living/family” strikes me as ridiculous. Having received a high quality education, most young Singaporeans can really get out of this country and set up a way of life (with a few adjustments), which isn’t actually worse off than back home. These Singaporean-rich enclaves exist. They are known as Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Hong Kong, London, San Francisco, Cornell etc. Want the same level of general public safety as back home? Move to a decent suburb abroad buddy.
In any event, in a real conflict, your first thought of how to save your family won’t be to think “oh we must start building fortifications”. Your first thought would be to think- “which would be a suitable country to get as many of loved ones out to seek asylum BEFORE the shells start hitting the island”
In my opinion, the only coherent basis for national service is to defend a set of rights and values. For some reason, that concept has failed to enter the noggin of policy-makers on the island, who seem to think that efficient government and economic prosperity are enough to keep people on this island. History, however, has REPEATEDLY shown that the most resilient MULTI CULTURAL nations in the world are those who defend liberty, human rights, dignity and all that “waffly” human rights stuff that “realist” political commentators in Singapore so like to scoff at. But it works. Just ask ethnic-minority citizens of countries like America or Australia why they are proud to be Americans or Australians. Then compare that to the uninspired guff that spews out of even apparently the best and the brightest of Singapore which probably goes something like “well we’ve got great shopping…”
I didn’t like national service but now that its ten years since I left the army, I have allot of affection for the institution. My best friends all come from that period of my life. It was the one time I had the opportunity to meet people as they were rather than as sons of rich and poor men.
However, having said all of that, I really feel quite put off when the system fails to acknowledge the value of National Service. This is the country that was so disparate for more “Educated Chinese” that it went out of its way to offer people from HK citizenship and exemption from National Service for a few generations, if I remember correctly. Today, citizenship for some requires the price of 2-years of your life but for others there is a free pass (ok if your 80, I don’t expect you to wear green but your kids should).
I have nothing against foreigners. But I do feel that National Service should be just that – service to the nation and not to the commercial interest of a select few. I welcome people to come here but if they want to take up citizenship they need to pay the price as well as enjoy the privileges
we blame the government for its policies, its small heartedness in daily affairs, yet we are no different from them.
we cannot see the good that comes out of it, only the flaws in policy and systemic failures.
i personally benefitted from my army experience, not because it made me a man or made me grow up, but because it allowed me to defend a set of values i believed in, and demonstrate my loyalty to the country, Singapore which made me the person i am today.
i may not like the current government, its PR or methods in politics, but i enjoy Singapore.
i am a Singaporean living in one of those ‘paradise enclaves’ overseas, but is it really all that different? live here for a couple of years, and we’ll all be none the wiser.
Platoon! Fall in! Wake up your idea! My grandmother can run faster than you! Knock it down 20! 1,2,3…. 20 Permission to Recover Sergeant! Recover! Room! Good Morning Sir! See that lone tree over there? :)
Ahhhh…. sweet memories.
I enjoyed NS tremendously, and i think it truly help turn boys into men.
As for the passion, i believe, like some others here do, that it comes from within. it’s how you face it and what you choose to take away from it. you can go to the greatest amusement park in the world and not enjoy yourself. the converse is true for NS. and with reference to the title of your article, i would beg to disagree. NS isnt suppose to make you patriotic, you were to be patriotic before you entered NS.
Is NS still important? does it still play a part? definitely. I don’t think anyone can say war is IMPOSSIBLE. unlikely, yes, but not impossible. and i’d rather be ready than not. I’m not going to run away and let other people defend my fellow citizens.
as to what we are protecting, i’d like to borrow a line from george w bush in Harold and Kumar, and suggest to you that “You don’t have to believe in your government to be a good Singaporean. You just have to believe in your country.”
I believe in my country.
p.s. incidentally, i am an engineer too :)
NS didn’t make me more patriotic. But I do feel more patriotic by having done (and continuing to do) NS. I was never inclined to anything military until half way through my NS, btw.
Perhaps it also helps that I’m in a little higher level unit and get to see a little bit more of the big picture of how our military operates to know that it is not as ineffective and pathetic as many NSmen think it is.
Will I choose to stay and fight? If it’s a just war, I’m quite sure I will. (Easy to say now, of course.) But I’ll try to get my family out first.
Why fight? I can’t quite explain. Is defending the country I’ve sworn allegiance to sufficient reason?
Eddie Choo,
You are defending the assets and jobs of PRs and foreigners who are free riding on your NS liability!!!
Agreed w heads and legs up for Ronin. + you gotta add the so called “elites”. ya’al know what i mean…
Some said NS is good.
Some said NS is bad.
Some said NS is okay but …
Some said we are defending the foreigners and investors.
Some said we are defending the material wealth of Singapore Inc.
Some said I will fight for my family, the only ones I’ve got.
Some said I will fight for the values and allegiance that I have pledged.
Some said Singapore is defensible and should be defended.
Some said Singapore is not defensible, best to protect your family is to get them out of the danger zone as early as possible before bombs start raining.
So, NS is both good and bad, as well as so so only. Does that matter?
I think what actually matters most is whether the NS troops, with the kind of
present leadership and morale, will be able to defend Singapore effectively to
buy the necessary time for the UN to intervene, and whether Singapore is
defensible or not? How do we know?
First, we have to ask ourselves a few questions before we even venture into
answering the question: “Would I defend Singapore or not?”
Q1. Do I know the Terrain? Is the Singapore terrain defensible? Surrounded
all-round by waters with no natural features to obstruct invading forces, how
to defend such a piece of land? Forward defence concept? Pre-emptive
strikes? If so, wouldn’t Singapore be seen as an aggressor in the eyes of the
UN. Then how can we be sure that the UN will come to our rescue? Where is
the justification?
Q2. Do I know the potential Enemy? Who are the real threats? What kind of
forces Singapore would likely face? What will be the ratio of combatants vs combatants? Can technological advantage really help? What will the Enemy
or Enemies do? Are they as dumb as you think they are?
Q3. Do I know Myself? What kind of leaders do we have? Will our fellow NSmen
fight together with me as a cohesive team or I have to fight alone? How do others
feel? What is their emotional and psychological make-up? Will the govt take care
of my family’s welfare when I am fighting in the front-line, when it keep reminding
me that “Welfare is a dirty word”? How will my family feel? Should I put my family
overseas first or should I leave them at home under constant threats and fear when bombs start falling and bullets start flying? Can I be sure that they will be
safe and safeguarded while I am fighting with the enemies?
Q4. Do I know the Time and Space? How much time do we have to defend the
island? The Japanese took 70 days to march from Singora to Singapore, and only 7 days to finish up Singapore and force the Allied Forces to surrender. How
much space can we breath? Will there be enough room to maneuver our forces?
Will there be enough space for the non-combatants, the old, the children, the
women and the invalids to hide? Are the few meager bomb shelters sufficient?
Are our logistics and supplies sufficient to last that duration of time and space?
Second, after considering all that, ask yourself: Do I have the guts to fight against
overwhelming odds? Will I be dead before I even say “Enemy in front, charge!”?
It is very easy to talk in front of the computer screen and say I will his and I will
that. BUT when the bullets start flying and bombs start dropping and watching
your comrades dying and screaming of pain, will your nerves withstand the test?
Third, consider all options available to you, as an individual with your family, and
select the best option opened to you when war is eminent. Select that option and
then tell us what you would do.
Fourth, consider what the gahmen would do. Where would the leaders be under
such circumstances? Will each and everyone of the political leaders continue
to stay within Singapore when bombs are raining and bullets flying? How many
of them have already bought houses overseas? How many of them have got
bank accounts overseas? How many of them have already sent or are planning
to send their children to stay overseas? Why are they fattening up their pockets
with ever-increasing salaries sky-high, while simultaneously holding down our meager wage increase, using different sets of logics to make justification?
Now, tell us: Would you sincerely believe yourself that you will fight to your
last drop of blood to defend Singapore?
NS? It sure as hell didn’t make me more patriotic, but it is these very meaningless rituals which have actually kept the meaning of NS for me. You may say that it is meaningless, but that is what common ground you have with any male in Singapore. /and yes, sometimes you really feel like you are defending the elites, like your CO…
Patriotism? Nope. But a good experience? yes. Is it still relevant? Definitely. If nothing, NS is definitely a chance for us to see the situation Singapore is in. There’s a NE lesson in ns for us, and it’s not the kind of lesson the govt wants to teach in school!
“we blame the government for its policies, its small heartedness in daily affairs, yet we are no different from them.
we cannot see the good that comes out of it, only the flaws in policy and systemic failures. ”
The use of words like “blame” etc are bureaucratic cliches that display a certain slanted perception in terms of government-people relationship. As citizens of a republic, i suppose it is only right for even the granny in the wet market to critique the actions of those who are governing since they govern only because we give them permission to do so. Remember, government officials are public servants. Need i go into details to say why the word “blame” is inappropriate here?
As the comment about “cannot see the good that comes out of it, only the flaws in policy and systemic failures”, i suppose that is politics and what politicians would expect to face. As Harry Truman had said before with regards to politics, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.”
“You don’t have to believe in your government to be a good Singaporean. You just have to believe in your country.”
You are quoting the comment from a leader whose country has the liberal Anglo-Saxon tradition of calling political opponents “the country’s most loyal opposition”. This concept seems to be absent in the Asian model of “democracy”. Political opponents are portrayed as traitors, saboteurs, foreign stooges in some countries.
Hi all, I am a Newbie to this site.
Allow me to share my view. NS (police) has been a great part of my life & the truth is that I have served for almost 20 years cycle b4 ORD recently and I am proud to have contributed to the safety of the country.
I always remind my fellow PNS men that we are serving the Nation NOT the political party. The difficulty here is that we realised that many S’porean have confused themselve that the army & police etc are all under the control of the political party. (very wrong). This is extremely obvious especially when we were performing our duties during the election period (polling day) at the various rally sites.
Opp parties’ supporters even labelled us or shouted at us as “running dogs” of the party (u know which one !) without realising that we too are Singaporean who like them cast our vote during the election. And trust me , not all men in green or blue = voting the ruling party !
It is simply this; we do what we need to do FOR THE COUNTRY , once again not for any particular political party !!
Let tackle all the unhappiness with a sober mind. I am in support of the FT policies in Singapore ; just that I am unhappy with who MOM classified as FT ?
I am supportive of Foreign Workers policy But not indiscriminatly approving the applications across all sectors !
Leaders must be in touch with the people on the ground & explaination/reasons given should not be the typical civil servants reply , or answering to just part of the questions or worst of all just give the impression that “they dun care”.
And to add insults to injuiries, we were told to bite the bullet when time are bad, when time are good, frankly I do not see the returns. And i certainly agree that one should work to remain active BUT not to work just to meet end needs at the year of 67 , 77 or till the day you drop !!
A world class country cirtizen (as what our leaders always wants Singapore to be for good reasons) expect world class explaination and that I believe that is every citizen’s rights !
Just my 2 cents worth opnion
“I always remind my fellow PNS men that we are serving the Nation NOT the political party.”
So are the soldier from Burma junta serving the country or the military ruler ? So they feel they doing the right thing by suppressing the people ? To think you are serving the nation but the political party is just a wishful thinking but reality speak otherwise. A country that does not take care of your need and only do if it meet economic growth and need, and you call this a nation ? What is a nation ? Could you define it ? But really the gahmen spend billions on military hardware and infrastructure, why do they still need NS ? Why not create a IRONMAN ?
“Opp parties’ supporters even labelled us or shouted at us as “running dogs””
Not only opp parties, people on the ground will do likewise. Not that people are not apathetic that those in civil people has a job to do, but people question them their conscience. If it is wrong and still execute it believing that if the top think it is good, it should be good to execute the order without questioning. So if that’s not running dog , what is it ? Walking dog ?
“I am in support of the FT policies in Singapore”
No one says that FT policies is bad or economic growth is bad but to take it to the extreme as this pathetic government always for many policies is detrimental to the social order. Notice majority of speech by the minister take on extreme case eg No foreigner or investor is harmful to Singapore growth… So who kidding who ?
“You don’t have to believe in your government to be a good Singaporean. You just have to believe in your country.”
A country is dead entity by itself. It is the leadership and the people and the environment that keep it alive. When there is true democracy and human right, the quote applies, in a dictator country , do you think it applies ?
If you agree on the ground that Government = PAP = Singapore , then what then to believe in ?
Let’s not kid ourselves. You can start believing if you do something to dispel that otherwise stop dreaming if you wait until the opp party do dispel that.
LKY : You don’t have to know the reserve of Singapore.
This alone says a lot of things whether it holds true that PAP = Singapore.
Oh yeah, Singaporeans are very educated people saying that knowing too much will jeopardise competitiveness… come on, let’s not kid ourselves again, we know too much of a blunder the government make to even talk about reserve, right ?
I don’t know how many PR’s come here, reap the benefits and then let thier son’s desert without pay-back. What has the authorities done to chase after these deserters while our sons and parents, indirectly, continue to support them through NS?
Look at this forum:
http://www.expatsingapore.com/forum/index.php/topic,43523.0.html
@anon May 30th, 2008 2.01 am,
not sure if you watched the movie, but that wasnt the real GWB talking but a popular imitator. I doubt GWB really said that. but regardless of the source, i think he had a point that we can mull over.
and as for government = PAP = Singapore, i don’t agree with that. maybe it’s true if the government is truly representative of what the citizens as a whole thing. but do you think pap is representative of the ppl? do you think the people of singapore think like the PAP? furthermore i think there are some… intangible things that you will associate with singapore regardless of the government. so yes i do think it is possible to love singapore, even though i do not love the PAP. after all, if we do not love singapore, will we even care what is happening to our people and our country? will you even be reading this site? ;)
anyway consider the alternative if you leave singapore in times of war. what are you gonna be? a war refugee? a PR? an FT? and suffer the same scorn that we are heaping on the foreigners in our country? no thanks… i’d rather be a citizen. :)
Daniel, keep it up with your well-argued analysis. Kudos to you.
“but do you think pap is representative of the ppl?”
The question is not whether it should be in theory or not, but in practice, do you see it actually happening ? My observation is that PAP act as representative of the people even though idealistically it shouldn’t.
The same idea hold. A president should speak for the people, but in practice, did he ?
A country consists not of only government, a country comprises of your friends and relatives , and this is where the bondages are. It will be same for any other country. The same people in Burma will like their country even though it rule by the ruthless Junta. Emotion attachment is strong.
Of course, everyone is entitled to love what they love but the way the government rule the country as though it belong, one have to accept the government’s policies, regulation etc.
“anyway consider the alternative if you leave singapore in times of war. what are you gonna be? a war refugee? a PR? an FT? ”
Why not raise the question to our leaders ? We like to hear it from our leader too and yes, no more but this, but that in times of war. Either you fight for a country or you don’t…
Daniel, your last post seems to indicate that you are in agreement with me that a country is more than the government, yes?
“My observation is that PAP act as representative of the people even though idealistically it shouldn’t.” I think the reverse is true. the PAP are not representative of the people, even though idealistacally it should.
as for asking the leaders… no point lah. public affairs officials are well trained when it comes to answering thorny questions. Deny, deflect, misdirect. that is the mantra they live by. Keep the 3 words in mind when you see how they answer questions and see if it is true! Deny deflect misdirect!
What’s the point of defending the front door when the back door is open to foreigners. Whats the point of spending so much money on military defense when the social defense of our country is eroding away.
Foreigners are taking away our jobs and are destroying the social cohesion of our society! This threat is more real than the perceived threat of another country taking over.
NS has made me less patriotic and I will leave this country if I ever have the chance.
NS for locals, Jobs for foreigners!
Hi!… I hope you guys don’t just stop at making comments here. The next time when you return back to your camp, don’t keep your mouth sealed about the issues you discussed here, talk to your NS mates. I will. Sure, some will say you are over zealous about serving your country, or spoil market, cause friction or nuisance, let them, (they just sound like your ruling party’s behavior don’t they?) But still tell them. If it is not you who makes this change, who will, them? My reservist is coming, I’m going to spread the news. :) Let’s all do that.
why NS ?? privatise it ? get paid security guard to do lah. since they have no work to do. armed forces have sophisicated equipment that uses less man power. get more gurkahas since they more loyal than singaporean. just protect our leaders will do cos they are elite, but just ‘DON”T INVOLVED ME’ cos i rather protect my pet fish than to waste time on money-face leaders.
Agree with ErniesUrn. Don’t just vent your frustrations, displeasure here. Voice your opinions at places where it counts. We all have to be pro-active if we hope for changes.
Perhaps the writer of this article is still too young to appreciate the value of NS. It is not meant to be a fun camp, nor to provide enjoyment for bored teenagers. It may be boring and repetitive and doesn’t make a lot of sense in peacetime. If you find NS boring, take action to make it meaningful. Don’t sit and wait for things to happen.