NS - Is it necessary?

Conscription or Conviction??

Article: Give up citizenship? Brothers must do NS first
From: http://newslink.asiaone.com/user/OrderArticleRequest.action?order=&_sourcePage=%2FWEB-INF%2Fjsp%2Fuser%2Fsearch_type_result.jsp&month=08&year=2008&date=25&docLanguage=en&documentId=nica_ST_2008_9793287

This article is about 3 brothers, born to a Norwegian father and a Singaporean mother, wanting to renounce their Singaporean citizenship. However the Ministry of Defence has rejected their application of exemption, because they have not served NS yet. The three brothers left Singapore when each turned 18, after their O Levels and just before they were called up for NS. They were sent enlistment letters by the Ministry but in turn, each brother ignored the call-up. They are seen as NS defaulters and are unable to return to Singapore to visit their parents because they would be arrested on arrival. As such, they are trying very hard to renounce their citizenship, which has not been successful.

The Ministry of Defence director of public affairs, Colonel Darius Lim said: "Only persons who have emigrated at a very young age together with their families, and who have not enjoyed the privileges of Singapore citizenship, will be allowed to renounce their Singapore citizenships without serving national service." The three brothers are Singapore citizens and are thus obligated to serve NS and they can give up their Singapore passport only after they have done so.

The issue of NS in Singapore has always been a very complicated one. There are many issues and controversies, like the one in the article. NS is the enlistment of male citizens at the age of 18 to serve in the army for 2 years and train into able-bodied soldiers. They are expected to answer re-service call-ups in the future.

Many people find NS a waste of time. The two years that they “lose” are very important to them as they want to develop their careers and educations overseas. However their chance to upgrade themselves has gone down the drain due to NS, which is compulsory for all male citizens. They find it very unfair when they compare it to their overseas counterparts, who do not need to serve in the army. As such these people can have a head start in their careers and our “soldiers-wannabe-graduates” find it hard to swallow.

Some think it as a hazard to their own lives. Many accidents have happened throughout the history of NS. Tales of trainees fainting under the hellish torments of the sadistic instructors have spread in the whole nation. Even a ten-year-old kid knows that NS equates to hell. Our young men fear NS, they dread their 18^th birthdays, because they know of the sheer pressure they are going to undergo.

As such, many have tried to escape this conscription, by moving overseas and renouncing their citizenships. Whether or not they “succeed” is not an issue. The issue lies in the attitude our Singaporeans have.

Referring to the article, although the three brothers claimed they did not deliberately want to escape NS, they should not have held dual citizenships in the first place. By doing so, they are just treating Singapore as a stepping stone to excellence. All Singaporean citizens are given the same privileges, the Norwegian brothers enjoyed top class education and services and held our very convenient red passport. All of our Singapore boys served NS, and the brothers should not be an exception.

This trend of escapism is on the rise. In my opinion, the best way to stamp it out would be through education. The government should educate the boys that NS is not a waste on time; it is in fact influential in our country’s growth. It is of utmost importance to emphasize that NS is the only way to defend our small country, because outsourcing is too risky and unreliable. NS should not be replaced by mercenary forces. Mercenaries are too expensive to hire. They are motivated by private monetary gains, and are not fighting for the people. Also, history has shown that they cannot stay firm on their ground in the frontlines when battles turned ugly and resources grew thin. Thus, Singapore cannot afford both the high cost and the risk involved. It is thus necessary to keep NS.

Another effective measure is to increase the fines and penalties awarded to NS defaults. This would teach the defaults an painfully unforgettable lesson and would serve as a strong public warning for future generations of enlistees. Any consideration of intentionally escaping NS would be dashed immediately.

Singapore is our country, we should defend it ourselves. Remember in 1942, during World War Two, we relied on British forces and did not have a proper military. We fell to the Japanese in the blink of an eye. We should not let history repeat itself; treat NS seriously.