Re-think Our National Service Conscription

last SG · 2006-01-01T18:29:09+00:00

This is exactly what they did to anyone step forward as political Opponents. A loud reminder to Singaporeans again, the Law is to deal with criminals, unlawf...

Rockhound SG

the loss of NS would mean rise in income tax…...just to support a regular army

fudgester SG

In short, what you're telling us is:

1. Just give up, don't bother fighting for what you have.

2. We don't own anything anyway, so why bother fighting for them?

3. The people we care about are going to a better place anyway, so why bother fighting for them?

My response to you: TOTAL HOGWASH.

Most, if not all religions, do encourage peace. However, what I do know is that we should fight if we really have to to defend ourselves, our properties and the ones we love and care for.

In addition, I don't care whether or not HDB flats have 99-year leases only, it's MY house, I've lived in it most of my life, and I will fight for it to prevent the enemies from tainting it with their presence! I will fight for my beautiful housing estate, and I will fight for this country I was born in!

You really think that I will stand and do nothing as I watch the people I care about being raped, tortured and killed? I will fight for them, and I will die for them if I have to! I'd die better knowing that I fought for the ones whom I care about rather than be the coward who stands aside and does nothing.

Sheesh man, I can't believe that in times of war, I'm expected to defend people like you with this sort of mentality. Even if your post is supposed to be some sort of joke, it's a really, really, sick joke which I don't find humorous at all.

LazerLordz SG

Either you leave or you fight.It’s simple really.If you don’t have the guts, don’t get in the way.

Rockhound SG

ammo better spent distributed elsewhere

oxford mushroom SG

Please preach that to my enemies so they won't resist when I kill their children, rape their wives, seize their properties and send them to a better life in heaven Twisted Evil

cornyfish2000 SG

That's why national service should be made compulsory for ladies as well. I believe that it will help knock some sense of belonging and patriotism into them.

vito_corleone SG

the funny thing is.. sweden and switzerland both practice conscription but unlike in s'pore most actually like the idea of fighting for their country. Laughing

LazerLordz SG

They were invaded in WW2.We were invaded in WW2.The majority do not feel that this place is worth fighting for because the common man has no real say in the country.

Don't you see the difference.Professional soldiers would die for a state that they can participate fully in.

Medicated Oil SG

Given the options of the existing parents, if they can gave birth in a foreign country, they would have their children overseas.

There are already a lot of cases happening.

They would want their kid to make it back to Singapore as a Permanent Resident.

They can enjoy similar benefit if they are Singapore resident.

At the same time, they have the best of both world.

If you are a reluctant soldier, you will not want your son to undergo the cycle again that you have gone through.

2.5 years of NS, 20 years of Reservist Training, 20 years of IPPT inclusive of possible fitness package for Planet RT.

You will work hard to provide your son a foreign citizenship.

ironoxideman SG

defeatist...fatalist...

LazerLordz SG

damn true.

for me, I'm giving my son the right to make his own choice.

confusedboi SG

hm in a few months time i will be forced into conscription

not looking foward to it

but bo bianz

sianz Neutral

liuzg150181 SG

Uh.......no,both Sweden and Switzerland werent invaded during WW2,Switzerland remained neutral at the time(though relationship was tense with Nazi Germany) while Sweden is said to be in good relationship with Nazi Germany and granted them military transit~

LazerLordz SG

My bad.It was Iceland and Norway then.

liuzg150181 SG

Norway yes,but Iceland was under Allies occupation for the rest of the war.

Atobe SG

Since the first day when National Service was iintroduced in Singapore, nearly every Singapore male have expressed disgruntlement of being conscripted and for the wasted time in the SAF.

Surprisingly, after experiencing the grind of National Service, nearly everyone survived and looked back at National Service with some warm memories, and satisfaction of having discovered an unknown but huge personal capacity to endure the exaggerated military demands that were imposed.

The first two or three batches of National Service were supposed to be those born in 1949, and yet those in the first batch that were conscripted came from those born as early as 1943.

These were the first batches that formed the beginning of our SAF and would have been more justified to be disgruntled as they were not even in the legislated age group. Most of them were either graduates, or Civil Servants (including teachers or government servants in any Ministry), and all those in the combat vocations were trained by the Israelis.

Yet, this earliest of all the ongoing disgruntled lot had served with reluctant enthusiasm and distinction under the grinding instruction of the Israelis; and they went on to form the Officer Corp that provided the early leadership, organisation, development and growth of the SAF with every successive batches of trained NS Men in the SAF.

After nearly FORTY YEARS of National Service, it is surprising to learn that disgruntlement still persist, and it has largely to do with the POLITICS that is practised by the Political Leaders from the Ruling Party that form the Government.

What was the purpose of having a "White Horse" category, except for the purpose of coddling the idea of ELITISM - that is so enthusiastically espoused by the "SENIOR ONE" - (remember his concept of Graduates giving birth to more intelligent beings " ) ?

If your parents have S$250,000 to be put up as security, you will probably have your NS deferred until you finished your Overseas Eduction.

Throughout the Forty Years, tinkering to the National Service Act was made to accomodate the "politics of the day" . It resulted in deferment being allowed to those who decide to pursue a tertiary education in Medicine, or some other special tertiary training that is seen to be important to the Economy.

The by-product of this elitist policy saw two Brigadier Generals coming from one elite family - a rarity for a population of Four Million that is suppose to be limited in talent - especially from a family without any Military Background.

It is this 'Elitist Policy' that has given rise to the problems faced by Melvin Tan.

Perhaps this time around, a more ACCOUNTABLE and TRANSPARENT system can be implemented in administering the National Service Policy, and hopefully no "can of worms" will be surprisingly uncovered that will take on the proportion of the NKF Scandal.

oxford mushroom SG

It resulted in deferment being allowed to those who decide to pursue a tertiary education in Medicine, or some other special tertiary training that is seen to be important to the Economy.

Broadly agree with you except the above statement.

Deferment for medical students is now restricted to those who are medically fit and performed well enough during BMT to enter OCS. That has resulted in a shortage of MOs but that is another story. The reason why they allow medical students to disrupt is mainly because they want to save money on medical care. If they all serve NS as rifleman before going to medical school, the army will have to pay GPs and regular MOs to provide medical care to soldiers. Not only will it be very expensive but the army cannot control the GPS who could be rather liberal with their MCs.

ndsef SG

I think largely forgotten and ignored in this discussion is the very fact that stability in economy, trade and many other important money generating avenues in a country depends heavily on defence.

Who would want to invest in a country that is always at war?

Who would want to visit a country always at war?

Without a good defence force, we are nothing. All that has been achieved in the past 40 years would not have been possible.

Even if most NS men will run away in times of war, that is some thing that no one can assume. So the "numbers" shown in the reserve force continues to act as a deterent to offensive enemies.

Salman SG

Where they go run? Swim to Batam or Johor?

BillyBong SG

I thought they were avoided, not invaded. Sweden had no strategic value and their neutrality was respected. Of course they contiued to supply arms to both sides. Remember the Bofors AA gun?

Switzerland's natural defences were not worth the loss in lives and equipment, hence their position was kept intact, plus the bonus of their money and looting laundering swiss bank accounts.

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