Channel NewsAsia - 2 hours 38 minutes
ago
SINGAPORE : Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said
the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is a much stronger organisation
today due largely to the talented people in service.
He said that is why it is important to continue to attract
bright young Singaporeans to serve in the SAF.
He was speaking at the SAF Overseas Scholarship Award
Presentation Ceremony at the Istana on Wednesday evening.
When the tsunami struck Aceh in 2004, the SAF was there to help
with relief supplies.
When Singapore suffered the SARS outbreak in 2003, the SAF again
helped in executing home quarantine orders .
Mr Lee said the SAF has established a reputation for itself as a
highly professional and capable force through such operations. But
it now faces new challenges like terrorism and evolving military
technology.
Mr Lee said: "The SAF has reached a level of maturity where
often it cannot find ready—made solutions elsewhere, but must do
its own thinking and develop its own to stay ahead. This makes
talent even more critical to the SAF.
"More than ever, the SAF needs leaders of the highest quality
throughout the organisation, who can think ahead, conceive new ways
of operating, (and) implement bold and creative plans and bring the
SAF to the next level."
Mr Lee noted that the servicemen are well educated and know
whether they are competently trained and led.
He said: "They are prepared to take tough training, but they
have a low tolerance for army bull or for superiors who pull rank
instead of commanding respect through their competence and personal
example.
"Servicemen and their parents must have every confidence that
should they ever be ordered into battle, the general and admirals
commanding them count among the most able that Singapore has to
offer."
And being part of the able team in the SAF are the four new SAF
Overseas scholars.
All aged 19, they will pursue their studies in the UK or the
US.
The scholars are Wayne Ho from the Army who will read Economics
at the University of Warwick, UK; the Air Force’s Conran Chia, who
will read Economics at the University College London, UK; Pilot
Trainee Jason Lau, who will read sociology at the University of
Warwick, UK; and the Navy’s Alex Ang, who will head to Cornell
University, USA to read physics.
That brings the total number to 265 of such scholars, the second
most prestigious to the President’s Scholarship.
Prime Minister Lee himself was a pioneer recipient of the SAF
Overseas Scholarship in 1971.
Opportunities are aplenty in this globalised world.
So Mr Lee said Singapore must impress upon the young the
importance of the SAF. And he hopes that young Singaporeans will
then respond to maintain and enhance the security of this nation. —
CNA/ms
If that is true of what he said, he can quit politics and go
back to the army. Any way, we don't need him to
be our PM, MP or whatever in the political scene.
