In a previous post on Singapore’s conscription, I highlighted this fact: PAP elites have been shortchanging Singaporean youths for decades with their double standard.
NSFs are not stupid and they ‘have eyes to see’ for themselves how PAP policies have disadvantaged them in their careers, enslaving them to 30-year mortgages for a pigeon hole in the sky, having millions of units of cheap labour at our doorstep waiting to steal our lunch, etc.
No amount of love-our-country-must-serve-NS propaganda will convince NSFs that PAP’s double standard and flawed policies work in our interest.
When I wrote “a monkey is what you get with peanuts as allowance”, it was not meant to be an insult but a reflection of reality. When the top is excessively rewarded to dictate to the rank and file, will they listen and put in their best? Our scholars had better wake up and stop living in la la land.
I used the PM’s salary to drive home the point because it ultimately trickles down to pay increase of generals and army leaders which then mysteriously STOPS there. It should be clear the rank and file never existed in PAP’s elitist system for how could any leader increase his own pay by $1,860,000 from 2000 to 2008 while a recruit got ZERO increase?
If our country is our home, isn’t it an insult to have to be instructed by the PAP government to protect our own home? Who in their right mind will allow strangers to enter their homes?
So why should citizens need to be instructed by PAP to protect our country? Something is very wrong with our system and the reason is Singapore is being run on a commercial basis, as a company.
Since Singapore has one of the widest income inequality, the largest company in the world benefits mostly … top management, ie ministers, CEOs of statutory boards, senior civil servants, etc.
After decades of importing foreigners to create the Singapore ‘miracle’, ‘top management’ has become obscenely wealthy civil servants; they have become more ‘kiasee’ and wants to protect its wealth. What better way than paying third world wages through conscription?
Conscription seriously needs a revamp because we don’t need the numbers, including half a million NS men, to protect Singapore in this age and time. Does the government expect hostile forces to attack us in numbers from the north or south, as in World War 2?
In which planning scenario will there be more than 500,000 men, fully equipped and ready to do battle?
The world has evolved and Singapore will pay a heavy price for PAP’s resistance to meaningful change. And by that, I don’t mean cosmetic changes like … introducing new pixelated uniforms, reducing the weight of boots by 25 grams or any hardware.
PAP’s elitism produces generals who act more like clowns, eg Chan Chun Sing, failed NOL CEO Ng Yat Chung, etc. Are our NSFs putting on a show for these clowns by pretending they are inspirational characters? Without their scholar-related rank, how many Singaporeans really respect our book-smart generals?
PAP needs to discard a flawed immigration policy which prioritises foreigners over locals. Why would any citizen be motivated to serve knowing full well that when he enters the job market, he will be competing with younger foreigners with lower pay expectations? Another important motivating factor is affordable housing which PAP has not been able to ensure.
No politician in any country needs to perpetually instruct citizens to defend their homeland. Resorting to propaganda is insulting as well as self-insulting. NSFs have seen through PAP’s elitist system and most will remain unmotivated without a system revamp.
Philip Ang
Source:
Editor's Note:
Do you have a story to share? Please use our submission form or email us at editorial@allsingaporestuff.com. If not, why not give us a 'Like'?