November 27, 2009 by admin
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By Khalil Adis
While the premium for Group Personal Accident Insurance Scheme
is affordable, the government should cover the cost since national
servicemen are defending the country
I have been serving my national service faithfully for a full
two-and-a-half-years and will soon complete my reservist this year,
at the end of my ten-year cycle.
At this time of writing, I have just finished doing my duty for
the 20th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum held in
Singapore.
Throughout my service with the Singapore Police Force, I have
kept our streets safe, assisted my commander and senior officers in
writing reports, managed the staff suggestion scheme, came up with
newsletter for fellow national servicemen and guarded key
installations across the island.
I have also endeavoured to pass my physical fitness test (IPPT)
with a Silver award almost every year.
However, before I take a final bow from my national service
duty, there is one burning question my troop mates and myself have
been left wondering – why do we need to pay for our own insurance
when we are in fact taking time from our work and family to risk
our lives for our country?
Terms of insurance coverage
The Police National Service (PNS) Department last year sent us a
letter saying that with effect from 1 April 2008, Home Team NSmen
will be automatically covered under the Group Personal Accident
Insurance Scheme.
This insurance scheme only covers reservist personnel like
myself and not full-time national servicemen
So, unless we choose to opt out, the premiums are deducted from
our make-up pay or service allowance.
Most of us have left it as it is as we are just too unaware of
its implications or too busy with our duties to even question
it.
The insurance is underwritten by American Home Assurance Company
Singapore (AIG) and managed by Zuellig Insurance Singapore.
Police national servicemen are covered during their In-Camp
Training (ICT) and pre-ICT assessment, mobilisation, IPPT and
remedial test, course and other NS activities where the Order to
Report for Service has been served.
The sum is not a lot, amounting to $4.85 (inclusive of GST).
The insurance provides coverage of up to 30 days of call-up per
work year.
It covers each individual a sum assured of $100, 000 in the
event of death and a scale of benefits of up to $150, 000 for
permanent disablement arising from an accident.
In addition, there are other benefits, such as claims for
accidental partial disability and child education lump sum
benefit.
Insurance experts agree that the insurance coverage national
servicemen are getting is a good deal.
“If you compare this with a normal personal accident plan,
for the same risk level, it costs $360 with $50, 000 sum assured in
the event of accidental death and total and permanent disablement.
As the insurance for national servicemen covers higher risks, it is
value-for-money,” says Hakim Halim, a financial advisor with
Promiseland Independent Pte Ltd.
Cost is not the issue
However, the cost and coverage of the insurance is not the
issue.
The issue is, despite our service to our country where we
constantly have to put our life at risk, the government still makes
us pay for our own insurance coverage.
Even the companies that we work for do pay for our insurance in
the event any accident happens to us during our course of
employment.
So, on behalf of my troop mates, I wrote an email to the Police
National Service (PNS) Department early this year, asking them to
explain why we have to foot the bill.
It is almost the end of the year and the PNS Department has yet
to reply to our query.
Our political leaders have always questioned if Singaporeans
would defend the country in times of war.
However, the government’s penny-pinching attitude will only sow
the seeds of apathy and discord among existing national service men
who have continued putting their lives at risk.
Should future generations feel less than patriotic, the
government have only themselves to be blamed for their “money-as
a-means-to-an-end” approach.
If the government can allocate $10 million of taxpayers’ money
to make permanent residents feel more welcomed and foot the bill to
host APEC, surely paying the insurance cost for national servicemen
is not too much to ask for, right?
After all, we have paid our dues by helping to keep the country
safe and secure.
Despite our grievances, we are grateful for the excellent
welfare provided for us at APEC and the senior officers who took
time to sit down to listen to the sentiments among national
servicemen.
In the meantime, we are waiting with bated breath for the PNS
Department’s official reply.
About the Author:
Khalil Adis graduated from Monash University with a
Bachelors of Arts (Communications) and was a former editor
for Property Report magazine covering Singapore, Malaysia and
Indonesia.
............................................
I am disappointed that a grad from a prestigious Uni would feel
such way. The reason is so simple to deduced, that I am too ashamed
to reveal it, for it would only impunge the honour, integrity
and purpose why we male citizens perform National Service, not just
the cost issue.
We did not serve because of money, for no money in
the world would make us give up our precious lives, and no mother
would give up her beloved son for money. No compensation is
enough. Money is never the issue and would only cheapen
and demean our sacrifices.
There is something greater than money, while living within a
civilised community. It's called honour, which no money can
buy.
There is no denying NS, regardless if in army, police or PDF, it
is not boys game. There are risks involved, even if every single
aspect of safety is rigidly looked into. Like a chinese saying -
not frighten of 10,000, but just one. - the unexpected hand of
fate. Blaming no metaphysical, in reality mistakes do happen, for
we are human.
We know full well the risk, but NS is a service to our nation.
Despite some cowards amongst us who makes the most derogative noise
on it, many more served honourably, to be trained and to keep our
country, citizens safe. It is a noble sacrifice, by men
who put on the No,4 uniform, felt true and deep buried inside their
hearts, despite their talk of 'keng' or 'liao see
kan' 'boliao', so as not to behave sentimentally.......
I personally witness the death of my comrades before during
training. It was the most horrifying experience I wish upon no
other, to watch your buddy fall from a helicopter with weapons and
full pack, 30 metres to the ground.....
...still, our horror was nothing compared to the victim's
loved ones, which no insurance money can pay for the loss of a
precious human life. Their horror was something we knew and was
doubly overwhelmed with grief for all.,,,.....
When all was said and done, as we stood in parade under the
gloomy and rainy skies, we bow our heads, no tears for grown men
dont cry, and swore silently to uphold our National
Service purpose - to protect our families, our relatives and
friends, and now to protect our dead comrade's families, relatives
and their friends as well, even at the cost of our
own lives in the event of an armed conflict.
Their ultimate noble sacrifice for the sake of our nation will
never be forgotten, as long as our flag still flies or each citizen
that carries the name of Singapore in his/her heart...
We have no ability to bring back the dead no matter what we do,
but we will make sure of our capability always to protect the
living....
