6/26/2012
Is there still a need for NS?
‘Mr Lee(MM) goes on to say that the economy and defence are closely interlinked and “without a strong economy, there can be no strong defence. Without a strong defence, there will be no Singapore.’ Rajiv Chaudhry
I was thinking about this same issue when I read Rajiv Chaudhry’s article. Rethinking of Singapore’s Defence Needs. He came to the conclusion that Singapore was overspending on defence and also there was no need to defend Singapore for its wealth. He also repeated the point that Singapore was indefensible and thus it was all a futile attempt and a waste of valuable resources to build up a huge defence force.
My earlier view coincides with the establishment’s view, that it is necessary to build a capable and effective defence force to protect country, people and our sovereignty. My views have since changed with the new developments in our national policies. We used to have something to defend and die for, our country, our national wealth, our sovereignty, our way of life, the future of our children. All these are passé, no longer relevant in current context.
Our military is to defend the country from foreign aggression, preventing foreigners from coming in to occupy our land. This is irrelevant today when we open our doors to invite foreigners to live with us and help themselves with everything we got, and with the citizens having to compete against foreigners in a playing field that is tilted against the citizens. Why waste trying to defend something that is already given away? Why defend something that is no longer a right or a special privilege as a citizen?
What about our national wealth, our national reserves? Another illusion that is no longer of any meaning to the people. What national wealth? It is only hearsay, like our CPF savings, a statement to feel good but benefitting who? Who is being paid in the millions from our savings? Even our own savings in the CPF, in a sense, are no longer our savings. So what is there to defend when it is no longer yours?
Our national assets, strategic assets, land and properties, even islands, could possibly be put on sale when the price is right. Who knows, Sentosa will be on the auction table and going to the highest bidder one day. What is there to defend?
Our way of life is no longer to be treasured. It is being adulterated, diluted by the worst of the new immigrants. And with so many here, the call for integration of migrants to our way of life could be the reverse, the locals integrating into the migrant’s way of life.
The rationale for NS is no longer valid with the new circumstances and economic situation. Some may still remember that one of the reasons, other than defence, was the flood of employable young men and women coming of age. The British were withdrawing and the economy was still very backwards. There was a big problem of employment and a way must be found to delay these young people from entering the job market. NS could absorb and delay the males for two and a half years, taking the pressure off for a while.
What we are facing today is exactly the opposite. By keeping the men in NS, we are causing more shortages and strains in the supply of workers to the economy. There is no need to hold them back anymore, and rightly they should be released to the job market instead of crying father and mother that there are not enough workers available and we need to import more. When the need to defend the country is no longer there, no longer necessary, when everything can be sold, when foreigners are invited to share our wealth and our land, NS has outlived its usefulness and no longer needed. What is there to defend when there is nothing to defend? The only thing left worthy of defending for the average NS men will be their HDB flats and the wealth and properties of the rich, including foreigners. The foreigners need not pay or contribute to our defence. They got a free right at the expense of our NS men.
It is so strange that we have arrived at such a scenario as a nation, a country, when we are no longer a nation, a country, but a hotel. A hotel only needs to employ security guards like the Gurkhas. At best we are just a city state for citizens of the world.
Time to ask the NS men what do you think, or what are you defending?
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37 comments:
Just buy a nuclear bomb as a deterrent.
Stop national service.
This will release much needed manpower back into the workforce.
Also increase our family income.
And reduce our dependency on a mercenary army (I mean foreign talents).
Time to slaughter this sacred cow.
Wasn't the slaughter of sacred cows the rallying cry of the early years of the LHL regime?
The Police, the Army defends the MIW. It is demeaning to ask Sporeans to defend pieces of paper like CPF and National REserves. Many Sporeans are resigned to the fact that the only way to get hold of their CPF is to die. AS for the reserves, defending what one do not know is a stupid concept that only MIW kid themselves to believe in.
Sporeans used to believe what the Govt tells them.History has taught Sporeans well, they no longer swallow hook line and sinker
what is the nationality of this Rajiv Chaudhry ? and what country is he living in now ?
There was'nt any need to start with
and no good reason to have it(NS) all along.
Very likely a new citizen or PR.
NS has lost its meaning and intent long ago. Imagine a security guard at a budget hotel who watches day in and out, foreigners having a good time and leaving residue behind. Doing that for years and pulling in a 12 hour shift, paid pittance with escalating costs. Somemore told by the supervisor that he should be lucky that the foreigners are scre**ng happy.
RB ...I witnessed the conscripts oath taking some years back n was disturbed that the conscripts were obliged to take an oath to defend the country with their lives..I can understand professional soldiers making that oath but having a bunch of 18 year olds fresh from school...innocent babes compared to the people who framed the oath..declare that they will lay down their lives in a roaring gusto of allegiance is to attack any common sense. These kids didn't choose to be conscripted!! Perhaps we should ask the same of our political leaders..will any of them lay down their lives or take the first plane out..my bet is that they will choose to direct any insurgency from further afields comfort .
Hi jjgg, traditional values, they used to called them virtues, but laughable aspirations fit only for the unthinking masses, believe in statehood or nationhood where the people are owners of a land.
Today, people don't take statehood seriously. Matilah would have a good laugh at our NS men pledging to fight and die for the stateless or visitors to our hotel.
Unless the people believe in statehood, in ownership of the land and this is my country, NS becomes a joke. But if they do, it is expected of every citizen to fight and die for the piece of land called country. I can live and die for that. Of course the smart elite will laugh themselves crazy at the plebians for having such values. Like you said, many already prepared to scoot if necessary.
Once this concept of statehood becomes a joke, when citizenship is a joke, when citizens are victims or disadvantaged in their own country, then it is only right for the citizens to rethink what NS is all about?
ya, some elites will be laughing in private at the silly NSmen who have nothing, not even a lousy HDB flat, but would have to fight and die to defend and protect the wealth and multi million dollar properties and assets of the rich.
A true citizen soldiers give away his life to protect someone he love, he sons, his daughters...etc. But today, due to crazy FT policy, we are having no sons and daughters. Base on fertility rate of 1 and lower, within 5 generation or 100 years, 100 today Singaporeans will only beget just merely 3 5th generation grandson. PAP's genocide against Singaporeans will make Hitler proud.
Who are we protecting? We are protecting precisely the FT who come here to screw us.
And besides, who is leading the SAF? They are those useless scholar general, spending time in aircon room rather than in the field. PM Lee Hsien Loong is epitome of such useless piece of shit. For his around 13 years in SAF, around 7 years was spend in universities or military college in western countries.
In time of war, you are canon fodder, and these shit general will deploy you as if they are playing computer games. If win they take credit. Your family will bear all the injury if you got killed or maim. Worst if you are crippled for life, PAP may not even foot one cent for your medical bills.
If Malaysia or Indonesia attack us, I advocate our citizen soldiers welcome them with open arms and turn our guns towards PAP. If we are part of Malaysia, every Singaporeans today will have cheap housing and less stressful lifestyle. Basic healthcare will be free. Due to abundent of land and less stressful lifestyle, fertility rate will be more than replacement. Then we will have sons and daughter, someone that we are willing to sacrifice.
Hi Veritas, you are very angry and your statements are very fierce. Bloggers please ignore some of the things Veritas posted this morning.
Take care brother. Have a Tiger.
Silly Singaporeans are being held at ransom to pay for half a million or one million for a roof over their heads. No land below their feet.
And some believe this is worth it.
Oops I went overboard. Forget about my last paragraph. We should defend Singapore upon foreign aggression.
But I see PAP's policy chiping off our perseverance in the past 2 decades. The citizen's loyalty is getting thinner and thinner each day. If PAP business as usual, dono if any ppl to stick his head out upon a crisis.
After being whacked by gangsters, can kena fined for hitting back, and nearly got jailed some more, who else would dare to stand up when got trouble?
Everyone would stay far far away and say, not my busines. Better don't get involved.
Have the people heard that hundreds of thousands of poor Indian farmers in India are deserting their farms and packing up their bags to emigrate to Singapore. This is nothing to wonder because Singapore is welcoming them with open arms and I hope not also with open legs.
Eagles Eye
18 year old men are called to serve.
In exchange for a token salary.
They are put in harm's way.
What about the politicians being called to serve?
Are they also accepting a token salary?
Are they in harm's way?
But I dun understand myself why die die I still feel that doing NS is good for Singaporean.I said its a privilege.Not every one have a chance.
Free uniform,free food,free lodging,free training to turn me into a man.Got allowance some more.
I want to be grateful to the Garmen.I may be a victim of injustice getting poorer every day but this NS issue is something that I feel a necessity and is proud of.
Be proud.Grievances aside.Go for NS.Never live to regret.
This government shall dismiss us NS Men at their own Peril
I still remember my oath ...
We, members of the Singapore Armed Forces, do solemnly and sincerely
pledge that we will always bear true faith and allegiance to the President and the Republic of Singapore. We will always support and defend the
Constitution. We will preserve and protect the honor and independence of our country with our lives.
NS Men must and we will defend this country! From External n INTERNAL Threats.....
Once NS Men have enough of their Threats! There will come a time to live up to our OATH we took!
Call me naive but i will hold my oath to my grave, where can we/i run to? only way is to stand and fight or die trying
Singaporean Bengster
Yes, Matilah would say go ahead, gong kia, and enjoy his time in HV.
When nation or country is worth defending, and the citizens will rise to defend it voluntarily. When the citizens are starting to have doubts and question the need to do so, it is serious.
NS is a dbl edge sword ... The PAPies cannot use NS Men against its own citizens ...
At most if they use the Gurkha there will be big response from us NS men ....
I once asked my friend who is a army LT(NS) if he will follow an order to turn against our own country men ....
and he replied without fear or hesitation .... the first round will go to the one who gives that order ...
So i m all for NS ... its the only glue now that binds us to our soil
Bengster
what is race of veritas, the "ah kua" ?
When the parents and the elders of the NS Men dare not even vote for change, how many NS Men will dare to behave differently as ordered.
if m'sia or indonesia attack us, die lah. one hdb flat fall, all panic like crazy. that's y s'pore must be pally with us & china and get the big boys to tell the small boys not to bully the little red dot boy. but there's no point in indon n msia to attack us. all d wealth r overseas. m'sia & indon will just inherit a 600sqkm pile of rubble. we can send our jets from aust & us to bomb jakarta & kl, but these 2 cuntrees big enough to survive d destruction. but we will b wiped out.
yah. i remember when hotel new world collapsed, just 7 stories n inside got only less than 10 prostitutes and 2 timing husbands, the whole of singapore was at a standstill.
Anyone who believes Indon and Malaysia will attack Sin must go IMH and stay in the bomb shelter there. Let out from there he/she will be a threat to others around.
I commented before Israel IDF is a de facto volunteer army. Although Israel de jure is force conscription, the government give cue to those who want to exempt. Around 20% of Jews no serve NS.
They can exempt themselves by religious ground, by going overseas, by medical reasons....etc. Despite of this, morale of IDF is high and the most dangerous units are over-subscribe.
The units that got the best VOLUNTEER are the most dangerous such as paratrooper, Golani Brigade, Sayeret Matkal...etc.
The reasons are, the Israel ELITES SET EXAMPLE by volunteering these units. Yonatan Netanyahu for example. He is deceased brother for Israeli PM Binyamin Netanyahu. Our useless generals who like to pretend studying in western university is the same as serving the army. Yonatan Netanyahu is DEAN LIST in Havard, yet he drop out, rush to battle field, to fight for his country. Yonatan is also from one of the elite family of Israel. He could have enjoy life in USA make lots of $$$$. Instead, he got himself killed in a special operation.
IDF is the one of the most meritocratic institution I ever seen. NCOs are chosen among soldiers by peer appraisals. Officers are chosen among NCOs by peer appraisals. These people have to earn recognition among colleagues. In SAF, there are so many snobs and white horse chosen to be officer even their performance sucks.
In Israel, the elite shown self-sacrifice. IDF officers are suppose to serve 5 years against. Normal soldiers serve 3 years. IDF officers many of them elites give the best part of their youth to their countries.
In SG, officers serve SHORTER or same, than many of their man. In the worst case, those obese soldiers serve 2.5 months more. SAF is the only military in the world whereby officers serve shorter than man.
It is plague by white-horse-ism, air-con general, elite AWOLism (like gay pianist Melvin Tan)...etc.
SAF is so screw up not because of our responsible people. Its screw up because of irresponsible elite gaming the the system.
The Israelis or Jews have a time tested and identifiable race which Matilah thinks is nonsense. It is this racial origin that keeps them together as a people, a nation, something that they will fight and die for. You don't have to pay them to fight for Israel.
We are trying to create a nation of a mixed bag of people. Halfway there and we are messing it up again. Now we are starting it all over and in a new mess.
Where is the identity, the unifying factor as a people, as a nation? Habis lah. Many are thinking of running road when there is a crisis. On the other hand the Israelis will be running back to Israel as one people, one nation and one Israel.
We are failing as one people, one nation and one Singapore.
Thats right RB.
Elites making due sacrifice and setting examples are what the shape a nation. Unfortunately, I do not see our elites have Noblesse oblige, not a single one.
However crooked Kennedy family are, we saw them speaking for the people despite they screw around like animal in their private life. We saw JFK nearly got himself killed in WW2. Our elites have non of those.
In SG, our elite our keep on saying they are talent and Singaporeans are daft. And prosperity of Singapore is because of their effort + help of FT. That is despite clear evidence that our elites got the full advantage from the system and the average joe pay all the dues.
yes. even the british elites, when britain was at the peak of its powers just b4 WW1, rushed to fight. WW1 wiped out the aristocracy. the lords' heirs and younger sons, most of them died in WW1. i don't see our elites' sons fighting in a war. even in NS they want and are given special treatment. no need to say ministers' sons, even SME's bosses' sons r given special treatment.
Redbean,
How strange. In just one generation the mind of our NS men can be so extreme.
When I was in NS, Singapore is my home and the only thought was that I had to serve to protect the country even if I have to go to war. To my son and nephews, they do NS because it is the law. Loyalty and defending the country is far from their mind. They are graduates form overseas universities and are back here because of their filial piety to their aged parent. They feel there is nothing for them in Singapore even though we are a first world country like the countries their have graduated from their studies.
There must be something seriously wrong here that cannot attract our young to stay?
Military force made up of conscripts is usually ineffective. The exception is the state of Israel, and probably Switzerland.
NS is slavery. Period.
The PAP's premise was "if we don't have NS, we won't have people to defend the cuntry". Show's you how little trust the PAP have/ had for the people.
I am not alone when I say this: I was considering a professional military career in either the RSAF or the RSN. When I got the sense that these people were there to fuck you over with their shitty attitude, I said "fuck it" -- I'll just do NS. I wouldn't have hesitated to go and defend my family and friends should the need rise...and then they spoilt the whole show with a severe lack of goodwill on their part -- the govt simply doesn't trust the people. What a fine way to start a long-term relationship.
But, payback and reciprocity is a BITCH. You don't trust the people, when the people have conferred you the HONOUR and PRIVILEGE of running the cunty? Well then FUCK YOU (sir), we don't trust you either!
Government serves the people. The other way around becomes hell very quickly.
...but as a Hotel, I must concur that Singapore does indeed ROCK!
I believe that many Singaporeans, and FT's -- men and women -- will lay down their lives for their home.
...but you look at them with suspicion, pre-judge them incorrectly...and worst of all, stole their home!
So FUCK YOU! (sir)
Chia Lat Leow.....
Seems that so many have wasted their 2 and a half years in NS.
Meandeaf kokup or CO never do a proper job.
Looks like many need more ICT to learn about Ching Chong Pao Kuo.
Matilah, soon Sinkie land will be defended by the new citizens and they will protect it with their nails to keep Sinkies away.
Sinkies will protect themselves
and not Singapore la.
Sinkies do not own Singapore, so what
to protect?
Logical or not?
patriot
Tioh! tioh!
Kamsia! kamsia!
If NS is necessary , then why does the government employ mercenaries to guard strategic places ?
Many other countries learnt decades ago that it is better to have a professional military ( with possibility of education and civil qualifications) than have NS.
The NS idea is outdated , and with current military technology is useless and wasteful .
Maybe just a way of getting PAP people into top positions , seeing all the brigadier generals etc that get good posts and salaries including a pension .
Ns was removed decades ago in many countries as it was clear that only a trained professional force with real combat experience is usefull during conflict , and they need constant training and experience on new equipment and techniques , this is impossible with NS people .
Also the officers themselves have no experience of handling real soldiers and even less experience of combat .
NS is just one expensive waste of time and moneyand an excuse for officers to get better qualifications
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