GE: Cutting defence spending "populist", says Tan Chuan Jin
By Hetty Musfirah | Posted: 02 May 2011 2208 hrs <LINK rel=image_src href="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/imagegallery/store/phpvIDHIb.jpg">
<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=260 align=right><TBODY><TR><TD width=20 align=right></TD><TD width=240 align=right>
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=60 vAlign=top></TD><TD class=update height=80 vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#f6f6f6 width=138>Photos </TD><TD bgColor=#f6f6f6 width=47>1 of 1</TD><TD bgColor=#f6f6f6 width=18><INPUT id=btnPrev disabled value="<< Previous" src="/images/butt_previous.gif" width=18 height=15 type=image></TD><TD bgColor=#f6f6f6 width=19><INPUT id=bntPlay value="Play - Stop" src="/images/butt_stop.gif" width=19 height=15 type=image></TD><TD bgColor=#f6f6f6 width=18><INPUT id=btnNext disabled value=" Next >> " src="/images/butt_next.gif" width=18 height=15 type=image></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Brigadier-General (NS) Tan Chuan Jin (R)</TD></TR><TR><TD></TD><TD class=update></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD><TD><TABLE style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #cccccc" border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=240><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width="100%"><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#cccccc vAlign=top>
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>Special Report </TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#cccccc vAlign=top>
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=subheader vAlign=top width="4%">•</TD><TD class=bodytext width="96%">Vote 2011 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- for Facebook Like function --><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=510><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=4><HR align=left color=#dddddd SIZE=1 width=510></TD></TR><TR><TD height=30 vAlign=middle width=510 colSpan=4><?xml:namespace prefix = fb ns = "http://www.facebook.com/2008/fbml" /><fb:like class="fb_like fb_edge_widget_with_comment fb_iframe_widget" action="recommend" href="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1126334/1/.html" layout="standard" show_faces="false" width="510"><IFRAME style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; WIDTH: 510px; HEIGHT: 22px; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" id=f3a67f96042bd8 class=fb_ltr title="Like this content on Facebook." src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?action=recommend&api_key=113370852059819&channel_url=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.ak.fbcdn.net%2Fconnect%2Fxd_proxy.php%3Fversion%3D0%23cb%3Df16635739d0d74f%26origin%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.channelnewsasia.com%252Fff18bf7a8ff9df%26relation%3Dparent.parent%26transport%3Dflash&href=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.channelnewsasia.com%2Fstories%2Fsingaporelocalnews%2Fview%2F1126334%2F1%2F.html&layout=standard&locale=en_US&node_type=1&sdk=joey&show_faces=false&width=510" frameBorder=0 allowTransparency name=f335700e42a0166 scrolling=no></IFRAME></fb:like></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=4><HR align=left color=#dddddd SIZE=1 width=510></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
SINGAPORE: The People's Action Party (PAP) candidate for Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency (GRC) Tan Chuan Jin said the National Solidarity Party's (NSP) suggestions to cut defence spending are populist in nature.
Brigadier-General Tan said the army plays a very important role and that Singapore cannot afford to build an army overnight should a crisis arise.
Brig-Gen Tan has served in the Singapore Armed Forces for nearly 24 years.
"You cannot be definitive that peace will continue forever. If something arises, you cannot build an army overnight," he said.
"What's actually surprising, in spite of what is clear, (is that) they throw this card out, to say 'oh, let's cut the budget, let's cut the army size'
"This is popular and sometimes they will cite places like Taiwan and Europe. But the circumstances are very different (here).
"For our needs, I think it's quite clear that the army is a very critical component as with the air-force and navy.
"They come up with a lot of calculations. Frankly, it does not hold water and certainly goes against the conventional wisdom of what we have learnt in the past.
"So I think that, to me, shows, the length at which they are prepared to go just to get into Parliament, to throw out popular options, be it in the economic side of the house or in this case ,in national security, which I think is important to highlight.
Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, who was on the walkabout with Brig-Gen Tan, posed a challenge to the NSP to give details and show the consequences of their suggestions.
Mr Goh said the pool of men for national service is shrinking due to the declining birth rate.
"Reduce the army to what size? Please tell me. (If) you say reduce it by 100 men, that's no problem; (if) you say reduce by half, then that's a problem," Mr Goh said.
-CNA/wk
By Hetty Musfirah | Posted: 02 May 2011 2208 hrs <LINK rel=image_src href="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/imagegallery/store/phpvIDHIb.jpg">
<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=260 align=right><TBODY><TR><TD width=20 align=right></TD><TD width=240 align=right>
Brigadier-General (NS) Tan Chuan Jin (R)</TD></TR><TR><TD></TD><TD class=update></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD><TD><TABLE style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #cccccc" border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=240><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width="100%"><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#cccccc vAlign=top>
SINGAPORE: The People's Action Party (PAP) candidate for Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency (GRC) Tan Chuan Jin said the National Solidarity Party's (NSP) suggestions to cut defence spending are populist in nature.
Brigadier-General Tan said the army plays a very important role and that Singapore cannot afford to build an army overnight should a crisis arise.
Brig-Gen Tan has served in the Singapore Armed Forces for nearly 24 years.
"You cannot be definitive that peace will continue forever. If something arises, you cannot build an army overnight," he said.
"What's actually surprising, in spite of what is clear, (is that) they throw this card out, to say 'oh, let's cut the budget, let's cut the army size'
"This is popular and sometimes they will cite places like Taiwan and Europe. But the circumstances are very different (here).
"For our needs, I think it's quite clear that the army is a very critical component as with the air-force and navy.
"They come up with a lot of calculations. Frankly, it does not hold water and certainly goes against the conventional wisdom of what we have learnt in the past.
"So I think that, to me, shows, the length at which they are prepared to go just to get into Parliament, to throw out popular options, be it in the economic side of the house or in this case ,in national security, which I think is important to highlight.
Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, who was on the walkabout with Brig-Gen Tan, posed a challenge to the NSP to give details and show the consequences of their suggestions.
Mr Goh said the pool of men for national service is shrinking due to the declining birth rate.
"Reduce the army to what size? Please tell me. (If) you say reduce it by 100 men, that's no problem; (if) you say reduce by half, then that's a problem," Mr Goh said.
-CNA/wk
