The REAL problem with NS
The recent debate about NS seems to prove something which MINDEF does not want to acknowledge and neither do the politicians.
Now there was a recent ruckus regarding the Melvyn Tan case. The prevailing sentiment is that Mr Tan got away too lightly. People said that for those who served 2.5 years of NSF and subsequent in camp trainings, it was unfair for Mr Tan to just pay a $3000 fine and get away virutally scott free.
So it's more of a case of punishing severely those who chose to default to please those who served their NS "LIABILITIES".
To me the REAL problem is NS still being viewed and referred to as LIABILITIES. What does that tell us about the state of minds of our NSmen and citizens?
I'll give you an analogy. As a doctor in the public hospitals, we used to propose having less 24-36 hour call duties, allowing doctors on call for the past 24 hours to go on post call day offs etc. The comment coming from the senior doctors was always "We had to do it, we did it and so YOU MUST DO IT too." So again similar to that of the NS issue. We have suffered and so you must suffer too.
However if we look at say university degrees, the duration of the medical undergraduate course is longer than one in the arts and social sciences faculty.
Medical undergraduates could argue that they have to study for 5 years as an undergrad versus 3 years for an arts undergraduate and thus it's unfair etc. But they don't. Why? It appears to be a privelege to be a medical student. And of course there are paybacks when you enter the workforce, eg readily available jobs, higher starting pay etc. So nobody complains about the longer course, the shorter holidays, the higher school fees etc.
Perhaps the REAL problem with NS is that people don't see NS as a privelege and honor to serve the country. Perhaps they don't even see NS as being necessary at all. Perhaps they don't even care about Singapore. Perhaps NS in reality is a LIABILITY (MINDEF calls it that anyway) which confers no advantages or benefits to the Singaporean who does it.
Come on, in truth, do the 700,000 NS actually feel happy that the sentences will become heftier for defaulters? Or does it merely keep the angry 700,000 quiet?
posted by Dr Oz bloke @ 5:01 PM
11 Comments:
Please don't play play with semantics.
"Liability" here means your duty to train to defend the country. Not something you would lose.
Frankly, without NS, you fellows will not be able to post delicious ditties on the net. You'll be queueing up for your gruel in a concentration camp.
If there was no NS, we'd probably be part of Malaysia.
I would be a Malaysian chinese.
Are all Malaysian chinese in concentration camps?
Now I'm not saying that there should not be NS or that there should not be a Singapore.
But I think your example is a bit extreme. A more realistic scenario would simply be that Singapore would be part of Malaysia and the people treated as Malaysians in the long run.
I won't go into arguments whether the UN security council and the US would have a say in allowing our countries to go to war etc.
As for semantics, it's not about that. Ask most NS men whether he lost 2.5 years of his life to NS and see what the answer is.
Nope, Malaysian Chinese are not in concentration camps. Those with any means or with any marketable talent are in....yes, you guessed it, Singapore. Only the vegetable farmers, the small time traders and the taxi drivers or pimps are left. Even Malaysian tycoons have their safety nests for their loved ones here, protected by our mighty armed forces. You may scoff at the qualities of our NS men, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Rest assured that you and your family would be safe in the event that those guys up north or south decides to go for broke. And we don't even have to call for the UN security council or the US for intervention!
When the day comes for us being INVITED back again, it will be on OUR terms for a truly MALAYSIAN Malaysia.
"You may scoff at the qualities of our NS men, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Rest assured that you and your family would be safe in the event that those guys up north or south decides to go for broke."
I have my reasons for scoffing at the qualities of our NS men. My experience during my time in NS tells me so.
If I were to share my experience with you, you would be very angry that there are such inconsistencies in the way we train and treat various people in the SAF.
I have also seen as evidence that the senior officers in the SAF undertake projects and brainstorm for ideas that would assist in their quests for that promotion and mostly for self serving interests rather than improving the SAF's fighting and defence capabilities.
One simple example is the ISO program in the SAF. Why in the world would armed forces need to be ISO certified?
I would not share these with you over this blog because they would cause much controversy and problems.
While you feel much assured that we will be well protected by highly loyal and well trained troops ( I wonder what makes you believe that so much? Personal experience?)
My point is that we are all shaped by our experiences, and mine tell me otherwise.
Can we change the topic to something more in line with your work as a doc?
After all, I'm only interested in medical matters mostly, that's the reason for my presence here. Can we leave defence matters to those who are paid to crack their heads on the matter?
Hmmm...I guess that's the stand of most Singaporeans isn't it?
Let the good government handle it. That's what we pay them for. They are the best at handling that.
And then when they screw up we can blame them too, won't be blaming ourselves for being indifferent or "bochup"
How come you are so interested in medical issues or specifically why do you hate docs so much?
Care to share your personal experiences that shaped your opinions?
When WE pay top dollars, we don't expect monkeys so rest assured that everything is hoky doky. OK?
OZ, Let's get one thing straight and I have repeated myself many times until I turn blue in the face. I DON'T HATE DOCTORS! Period. I just like to play the Devil's Advocate. Spices everything and ratchets the decimal up a bit instead of making your blog and that of another one a hen house with mollycoddling clucks :-) and everyone nodding their heads in unison with serene agreement. And no one in my immediate family has ever lost life or limb due to the doctor's negligence or incompetence. But I have to admit that I am abit sexist but not a misogynist. I like womem alot but not in their professional capacity. But also, that is not to say that there are no exceptional female professionals out there. However, they are few and far between. I respect my wife and my daughters in law alot and the feeling is mutual. So I hope we are not "Lost in Translation" oky doky?
Okey dokey!
Err so if you pay peanuts then you get monkeys? No wonder we got Durai, according to Goh Chok Tong's wife we paid him peanuts!
Anyway I doubt that paying people top dollar has anything to do with guaranteeing their performances.
Anyway just a few facts on the pay of our TOP DOGS in SG compared to other country top dogs:
1. Singapore Prime Minister's Basic Salary US$1,100,000 (SGD1,958,000) a year
Minister's Basic: US$655,530 to US$819,124 (SGD1,166,844 to SGD1,458,040) a year
2. Singapore President basic salary SGD$2,373,100 a year
3. United States of America President: US$200,000 Vice President: US$181,400
Cabinet Secretaries: US$157,000
4. United Kingdom Prime Minister: US$170,556 Ministers: US$146,299 Senior Civil
Servants: US$262,438
5. Australia Prime Minister: US$137,060 Deputy Prime Minister: US$111,439
Treasurer: US$102,682
6. Hong Kong Chief Executive : US$416,615 Top Civil Servant: US$278,538
Financial Sec: US$315,077
Source: Asian Wall Street Journal July 10 2000 and the Straits Times 26 Jan 2005 for SG President's salary.
Aiyah, OZ, if you so flustered about their pay and can't fight them, go join them lah. You WILL make a good Minister of Health or Minister of Defence. Shake them up a bit.
Okay Lauban, I gotta go play mahjong.
See ya.
I've been given that opportunity to try that, but I have no desire to make that sort of money via that route. I'd rather be a stock broker or businessman if I want the money.
What I am flustered is when Singaporeans say things like :
"When WE pay top dollars, we don't expect monkeys so rest assured that everything is hoky doky. OK?"
That's foolish in my opinion. So if you pay top dollar to the eager beaver GP you mentioned, you won't expect him to be a monkey and the rest will be hunky dory?
You're nuts! hee hee
"You're nuts! hee hee"
Yes, I quite agree. Sometimes. But you are real entertaining and I'm bored. I am just waiting for the harsh winter in China to pass into the pleasantness of spring before I go climb Huangshan or Ermei Shan.
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