Lee Ching Wern
[email protected]
In 1972, when Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean first joined the
Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) as an 18-year-old, the army was a
different creature.
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"National service, at that time in the 60s, was not well-received.
The Government took a long time to persuade Singaporeans that their
decision to impose universal conscription, though painful, was
necessary," recalled Rear-Admiral Teo.
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Morale was low. Some people even deliberately underperformed so
that they didn't have to take up leadership positions.
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But today, what RAdm Teo has under his command is a greatly
transformed defence force one that he speaks of with pride.
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Interviewed by Today in his office at the Ministry of Defence
before he left for the United States last week to visit the
Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF's) four training
detachments, he spoke about how things have changed.
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And he was not just referring to the SAF's high-tech capabilities
or training facilities today.
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RAdm Teo sees in national servicemen today the spirit and
commitment to risk their lives for Singapore should there be a
war.
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Asked if a younger generation of Singaporeans, who have not been
tested in a real national crisis, had the mental mettle to stick
one out, he sat forward.
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"The answer is yes," he said resolutely.
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"Why do I have confidence in Singaporeans? You look at the way we
came together in Sars the fighting spirit. And, the evacuation of
Singaporeans from Cambodia in 1997."
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When violence broke out between rival political factions there in
1997, 450 Singaporeans evacuated the country.
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"What I found most interesting then was the way the Singaporeans
organised themselves. They split themselves into groups and
appointed In-Charges to contact each other during emergencies. When
the time came for them to be evacuated, they organised themselves
most quickly and expeditiously," said RAdm Teo.
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A conscripted army is not necessarily less motivated than an army
of volunteers. In fact, according to a Mindef survey last year, 83
per cent of the 1,000 Singaporeans interviewed said they would risk
their lives to fight for Singapore a very high commitment level
by any country's standards, said RAdm Teo.
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"I have seen Singaporeans in training exercises with other
countries. They don't want to lose to their counterparts in the
other armed forces. So, they really try very hard and we don't
lose. This gives us a very strong unit spirit. We'll get together
to say mai zo lau kui (Hokkien for "Let's not embarrass
ourselves"), and keep the Singapore flag flying high," said RAdm
Teo, laughing.
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It helps greatly that many national servicemen go through their
entire period of service attached to the same unit.
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"In the heat of battle, what makes you climb out of your foxhole or
come out from behind cover and attack? People fight for their
buddies. Will you risk your life for someone you don't know?
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"Our units stay together for a long, long time. These are real
friends. And this, is one of the strongest factors in the
SAF."
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But on the issue of women and NS, the ministry is not quite
prepared to budge.
While the SAF has opened up many jobs to women in the army, the
navy and the air force, "where their contributions enhance the
operational readiness of the SAF", RAdm Teo explained, "it is not
clear to me that the universal conscription of women will achieve
that."
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A compulsory system of enlistment must be "for a clear overriding
national purpose" that of national defence.
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Other secondary benefits of NS, such as character building, can be
fulfilled through other community channels. "If you call people up
to achieve only the secondary benefits, in the long term, it cannot
be sustained," said RAdm Teo.
--Today
