Friday, July 03, 2015

SAF should apply judgment

Hi Mr Tan,

In the recent SEA Game, we have seen some very promising young Singapore athletes . The swimming team indeed caught my attention. Swimmers Joseph Schooling and even Quah Zheng Wen are potential Olympic medalists in the future. They need time to train and compete at highest level in the world stage to achieve their highest potential. National service seem to come in the way, as in the past. I am aware that Joseph Schooling had recently being deferred. I am also aware that Mindef has always been very supportive and granted time off to such athletes.

I feel that such promising athletes should be exempted from NS and be put to focus on full time training in their field of sport. Of course, there must be strict selection. At the end of the day, if they do win a medal in the world stage or even a gold medal (maybe I am dreaming), they bring honor to Singapore.

If we are reluctant to give exemption, just let them go for a 3 month BMT to learn the basic soldiering or whatever skill and then be released for full time sport training with the national coaches. To me, that is also a form of NS.

What is your opinion on this?

Shofaran from facebook.

REPLY
I agree with you. Our SAF generals should make judgement rather than apply the "no exception rule" blindly.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It needs guts to say no against the norm. Our generals are just paper generals. We have seen how they perform from managing MRT and ministries even no one (sensible one) expected them to perform anyway.

It's easier to say no so they do not need to carry responsibility to answer to voice against it.

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