BTW I believes communists, in which Singapore may still have
believers, are also having the same treatment as JW.
No. It's commonly understood that enlistees who has past leftist
familial ties would be screened by the ISD; ditto Malays with past
chauvinist familial ties. But not so much nowadays, cuz the current
NSF generation generally have parents would've also gone through
national service themselves.
The US article I posted also mentioned that JWs are the only
conscientious objectors in the local context. It's their choice;
everyone else chose to serve.
I got this blurb from the ST article on the DB life earlier this
year: "Jehovah's Witness members detained for opposing military
service are distinguished by their white T-shirts. They tend the
nursery, feed the fishes in a pond and cook their meals." It's a
boring incarceration, but I don't think as minutely regimented as
the convicted jailbirds when inside.
&, no, JW's aren't as shunned out in the working world.
Obviously, their religion is deemed an outlawed cult in Singapore,
but they're not as dangerous as militarist/deviant Muslims &
thus it's up to individual prejudice on whether to hire them.
I think there was an earlier thread on discriminatory SAF practices
- Google it out if anyone's interested - & someone mentioned
it's not so much with JW's but with gays & bapoks who've been
bureaucratically segregated (upon signing a declaration
form).
Here's something I found elsewhere that expressed this:
"Soldiers who declare themselves to be homosexuals or have
homosexual inclinations are referred to the SAF psychiatrist to
determine their appropriate medical and vocational grading. Those
who are effeminate are usually downgraded to a service vocation
whilst those who are non-effeminate can remain in the combat
vocation.
Those with transsexualism are also assigned non-combat vocations
and they generally are not required to do any form of basic
military training."
source: http://www.med.nus.edu.sg/pcm/34.htm
