Monday, July 11, 2011

My views of National Service - two sides

During my time as CEO of NTUC Income, I supported National Service in the following ways:
  • I gave priority to reservist training. All employees had to report for reservist training as required by SAF, i.e. NO request for deferment. 
  • NTUC Income actively participated in SAF Day to recognize the contribution of NSmen
  • NTUC Income was recognised for the Most Supportive Employee by SAF for many years
During the same period, I also wrote several letters to the newspapers to ask for the burden of national service to be fairly shared by males, females and non-citizens. I also spoke to many MPs and ministers. I once raised this matter in a private conversation with the then Defense Minister.

Read this previous posting.

I supported the need to defend the nation, but wished to see the burden spread fairly among the people.

Tan Kin Lian
at

9 comments:

  1. AnonymousJuly 11, 2011 12:54 PM

    Those young people who served NS should be guaranteed a job after NS or after graduation. Their jobs shouldn't be stolen by FTs while they are performing their NS duty.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJuly 11, 2011 1:18 PM

    This National Service "unfairness" issue or perception has been around for many, many years, in fact longer than any other issues.

    But the fact that it poses no problem to the PAP winning big at every election shows that it is just one of the many issues, and may not even be the main or big issue.

    So maybe that's a reason why not much is being done to address it?

    Or can a new elected President do anything about it?

    Remember the President cannot initiate any policies or proposals in any way, so how can he be able to do anything?

    Unless the constitution is amended on this by a 2/3 parliament majority but is there any such hope in current circumstances?

    ReplyDelete
  3. James DeanJuly 11, 2011 1:37 PM

    Dear Mr Tan,

    Reducing NS to 1 yr is a practical step. Also lowering our defense budget and channeling the savings accrued from this move to a special medical fund for the aged sounds sane. Why on earth should we want to spread the unnecessary burden of a 2 year NS onto others?

    ReplyDelete
  4. davidJuly 11, 2011 6:20 PM

    I like to reply to James Dean's comments. The time to train a soldier and allow him to have practical training cannot fit within a year for most roles. For some - maybe. After attaining the basic skill sets, we need the soldier to practise what is taught and this will take time. thanks

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lye Khuen WayJuly 11, 2011 7:01 PM

    As one who had served 2&1/2 years as a Full-time NS man and the accompanying reservist years, I am both proud to have done my part and at the same time, angry that the younger Singapore men are defending PRs and their sons who are depriving the true-blue Singaporeans of jobs.
    This have become a bigger issue of late, as more FTs were let in.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousJuly 11, 2011 7:33 PM

    A) Pay the NS men well, better than private employers

    B) Actively offer them employment within the SAF with retirement at 62

    C) Offer tax rebates if employers employ NS men to counter FT and female bias

    Its ok to have our boys defend business interests with their lives.
    Just pay for it, pay well, so well that they can retire comfortably.

    Otherwise, no meaning to run around jungles and feed mosquitoes,
    while females and FT roam around centrepoint shopping in aircon comfort.

    I myself will rejoin MINDEF.. its safer

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousJuly 11, 2011 11:30 PM

    Employers of permanent residents(PR) and foreigners must pay levies on every PRs and foreigners under their payroll as a kind of insurance security fees enjoyed by employers, PRs and foreigners for the defence provided by Singaporean NSmen.
    After all, Singaporeans have always been told that there is no free lunch in Singapore.

    The levies to be paid by an employer per year are 10% of the total annual income of the total number of PRs and foreigners employed in the company.

    The collected levies can be put to a fund, called "NSmen fund". The fund can be used
    to help unlucky NSmen who have lost their jobs,
    to help hardworking NSmen to upgrade themselves by paying for training courses,
    to help poor NSmen to buy HDB flats,
    to encourage married NSmen to produce more children by providing incentives,
    etc.

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousJuly 12, 2011 10:05 AM

    The Gov can be the employer foa all singaporeans, male, females, young or old, NS included.

    They can be employed in Police, SAF, Teachers, Taxi drivers, Bus Drivers in otherwords, all the support and infrastructure frameworks.

    Non-citizens and PRs can be employed by business.. retail, hotels, F&B, cleaners, manufacturing ( all ) shipyards, chemicals, call centres, sales.

    There! problem solved and we live happily with each other.. what is so difficult with that?

    ReplyDelete
  9. bsdJuly 13, 2011 5:14 AM

    Foreigners have a headstart over the locals in their career.

    Do you know that the newly-appointed President of Asset Management for GIC Lim Chow Kiat was a Malaysian who started in GIC 2 years ahead of his Singaporean peers?

    ReplyDelete