Joseph Kheng-Liang Tan asked:
Do you think the trip to study European conscription models is just a 'wayang' or will they actually adopt some best practices?
REPLY
I was not aware previously about this trip to study the European conscription model.
It is certainly an encouraging development. It means that the Government has finalized recognized the need to review our approach towards compulsory National Service. They also probably recognized the serious damage that NS has caused to the country - which is a topic that I had raised for the past 25 years.
The compulsory NS had placed our males at a serious disadvantage and delay their entry into the workforce for 3 years. It delayed their marriage and is a major cause of the big drop in our birth rate (apart from other factors, like the modern city lifestyle).
In recent years, the problem has been magnified by the entry of foreigners into the workforce, competing with our locals.
I expect, after the trip, that the Government will recognize the need to reduce the NS burden on our males. But, knowing the Government, they will probably implement the change over 3 to 5 years, instead of immediate implementation, and they will find some "less than honest" way of presenting the message.
If they present the message in an honest way and admit their past mistakes, it would be to their big credit, and they can start to rebuild the trust of the people.
Let us wish for the best.
Do you think the trip to study European conscription models is just a 'wayang' or will they actually adopt some best practices?
REPLY
I was not aware previously about this trip to study the European conscription model.
It is certainly an encouraging development. It means that the Government has finalized recognized the need to review our approach towards compulsory National Service. They also probably recognized the serious damage that NS has caused to the country - which is a topic that I had raised for the past 25 years.
The compulsory NS had placed our males at a serious disadvantage and delay their entry into the workforce for 3 years. It delayed their marriage and is a major cause of the big drop in our birth rate (apart from other factors, like the modern city lifestyle).
In recent years, the problem has been magnified by the entry of foreigners into the workforce, competing with our locals.
I expect, after the trip, that the Government will recognize the need to reduce the NS burden on our males. But, knowing the Government, they will probably implement the change over 3 to 5 years, instead of immediate implementation, and they will find some "less than honest" way of presenting the message.
If they present the message in an honest way and admit their past mistakes, it would be to their big credit, and they can start to rebuild the trust of the people.
Let us wish for the best.
Agree with TKL's views. It's an encouraging sign, just hope they dun again resort to stop gaps here and there, tweaks here and there to give citizens a false facade of changes.
ReplyDeleteAlready my married son said his soon to be born son, he would ensure he leaves the country to join cousins to study abroad, and never to come back.