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Cannot Tahan...Don't Know What She Thinking

This post is certainty the longest I've written. Certainty not for the faint-hearted.

I read The Straits Time dated Tuesday December 6, 2005 Review Section Page 24 titled “RETHINK SCOPE OF NATIONAL SERVICE” and decides to give my 2 cents worth of personal opinion strictly regards to the article itself.

Excerpts from the article itself. The first sentences read:

WHAT maketh a man?

To many Singaporeans, a boy becomes a man during national service. He enters the barracks unsure, weak, and afraid; emerges 2 years later, stronger fitter and tougher, not only physically but mentally as well.

To many Singaporeans, Melvyn Tan is less than a man because he never went through this national test. He is also less of a patriot because he never served his country.

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What maketh national service? The carrying of a gun and the ability to shoot to kill?

Alex: Let’s me assure you myself that national service is certainty more than that. It is the ability to withstand hardship and adversity and come out a stronger, better person. It provide a perfect environment to mix around with the good and bad, to befriend life-long brothers and condemn backstabbers to hell eternally, to learn and manage soldiers from all walks of life, to accomplish tasks set by the commanders which ultimate aim is to protect Singapore and let its citizen sleep more peacefully in the night and wake up to be able to see the new dawn.

Article: Not every man is a warrior. National service currently also extends to the police force and the SAF music and drama company and there is no reason why it cannot be extended further to include other forms of non-combat service.

Instead of spending 2 years in an army camp here, maybe some of our young men could be posted to a Singapore mission overseas to do clerical, administrative and other work. Some could be even sent to Aceh or other tsunami-hit countries where the SAF is helping in the rehabilitation process.

Alex: I’m not very sure why the hell the writer could think of this suggestion. Is she actually trying to prove the age old proverb “The pen is mightier than the sword”? And if say Singapore really face an incoming attack from the hostile country, what good could this young men doing admin work overseas can contribute to Singapore? Help pen out the wills of the soldiers before they fight? Or help splash ink from the pen into the eyes of the enemy so that they all become “bobo” shooter?

Look, if you want to do clerical or administrative work, there is always CMPB waiting your arrival at Depot Road to indulge the paperwork you might be interested in. No such need to go overseas and waste taxpayer money too.

By suggesting sending young men to Aceh help out the rehabilitation process, what if they did contract any illness or kill in action because of a straying bullet. Who is going to answer to their parent? Rehabilitation is one issue, defending the country is another. Are those countries we help before be able to come to our help in future when we come under attack?

Article: Incorporating a civilian national service would also eradicate another favorite bugbear- that woman currently do not “serve their country”.

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Young woman could be also called upon to serve their country for 2 years. They could serve in clerical roles here, as well as overseas. And any Singaporean with a special aptitude-for the arts, for science or for writing could be channeled to do his/her national service in an appropriate industry here or elsewhere.

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We need to rethink national service so we do not lose another Singaporean like Melvyn Tan.

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He is today in the classical world - a bona fide Singapore-born international star.

Alex: Touchy issues. No comment for these. But I must correct something over here. Melvyn Tan is not a Singaporean. He is a British. He gave up his citizenship 30 years ago upon the pretext of fulfilling his ambition before nation interest.

Article: We experienced the return of a prodigal son. But rather than embracing him and his achievements, we chose to shoot him down and play up what he didn’t do – serve his national service, even though he and his family had paid their dues.

Alex: I personally feel the writer is a lady and therefore she did not have the opportunity to serve in the army. Money is not everything. If money can really solve everything, all the NSmen will not need to come back for their reservist for I believed they can certainty enough money outside the workplace to excuse themselves.

No amount of money can be exchange for the sweat, effort and time to fulfill what is expected of every Singapore male citizen – the NS liability.

The writer remark he and his family had paid their dues? What dues? The loss of the $3000 dollars fine as well as the $30000 bond is chicken feet for a person who lives in London famed district. Beside, the family does meet up with each other for the last 30 years. It’s only till recently his elders were too old to travel and Melvyn Tan was forced to come back. Imagine this? If his elders are to immigrate to Britain to join him, would he ever even think of coming back to Singapore soil at all?

I could even fondly remember the cheeky remarks Rockson Takumi Tan wrote in his blog. He said: “ KNN I got friend who run away from army go oversea study, their mother father die already he also cannot come back see them. Come back will go jail. “

Now what dues are we talking about over here?

posted by Immortali @ 1:36 pm