Wang Yinchu had a bright future ahead of him, but his future now looks a little bleaker now that the SAF has decided to sentence him to 18 months Detention Barracks for going AWOL in October 2008.
In 2008, 22 year-old Wang was one month away from completing his national service. However, his academic term at the University of Cambridge was starting and MINDEF had not approved his deferment so that he could go and attend to his studies.
Realizing that he would lose his place in the university if he did not attend school, he decided to go AWOL and pursue his pre-clinical medical studies at Cambridge regardless of MINDEF's approval. He spent 5 years abroad to finish his degree there.
When he returned on 2nd July alst year, he was charged in a SAF court and sentenced to 3 weeks detention. However, the chief military prosecutor appealed against this sentence on 29th May asking for a stiffer sentence.
The request was granted, and Wang Yinchu was given 18 months of detention.