Singapore blogger calls NS ‘slavery’

[peppertail]

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/what...ws-passionate-response-094212412.html#more-id

Want an instance of "modern day slavery" in Singapore? Look to National Service (NS), claims local blogger Alvin Lim.
Last Friday, he launched into an anti-NS tirade on his Alvinology site -- attracting 248 comments on the article itself, more than 8,000 Facebook shares and "over 100,000 page views over the weekend", according to a follow-up post by Lim on Monday.
The marketing professional, 33, was moved to blog his distaste for military conscription after reading a BBC report mentioning a certain Alex Liang, who renounced his Singapore citizenship to settle in the United Kingdom.
Pointing to NS as his primary reason, Liang told BBC that "Singaporean males (are) discriminated against by the government because of compulsory national service and many years of reservist obligations afterwards".
This clearly touched a raw nerve with Lim, who opened his strongly-worded blog post by concurring that he was "sick and tired" of the "stupid discriminatory" nature of NS.
He then ripped into the IPPT system; the hair checks conducted during reservist/in-camp training (ICT) and the need to notify the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) when travelling overseas, among other requirements of NS.
"My only crime was being born a Singaporean male," Lim proclaimed, adding that if he ever chose to "migrate out of Singapore... MINDEF and SAF are highly responsible".
He ended by calling for a review of the NS and reservist system.
Responses to the article streamed in thick and fast, with the bulk of them echoing Lim's call for a makeover of the NS process.
"Male Singaporeans are effectively handicapped – first by the 2/2.5 years spent in full time NS and then thereafter by the annual ICTs," said reader "rytt".
Another commenter, "voice of people", agreed that the NS method of punishment by "charging people who (do) not obey, is the same as whipping slaves into their bidding".
However, a number spoke up in defence of NS, such as "Average singaporean dude", who argued that "those two years brought me lessons, lifelong friends, skills and fitness that few other countries can give".
After the weekend, Lim wrote a response to clarify his stance on NS. Among other points, he mocked the ideology of "nation before self" while admitting to looking out for his own "self interest and comfort".
Lim then drew the same conclusion of NS as "modern slavery" and repeated his demand for a review of the system.

 

[peppertail]

Here is his blog post: http://alvinology.com/2013/10/07/on-national-service/

I completely agree with him. 2 years of full time NS is already long by international standards. 20 years of reservist service afterwards is a total overkill. Where is the enemy that makes Singapore so special ???

 

[looneytan]

Where is the enemy ???

an imported German

 

[Scrooball (clone)]

He did a great job marketing his blog

 

[laksaboy]

The very nature of conscription means forcing someone to do something against his will: fundamentally, it is not dissimilar to forcing a Muslim to eat pork or rape.

Of course, you may be a proponent of compulsory military service, you look forward to army life and you believe you can make the most out of it... then again, you also can 'make the most' out of your days in prison too.

 

[songsongjurong]

Singapore
In 1972 the Singapore government de-registered and banned the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses on the grounds that its members refuse to perform military service (which is obligatory for all male citizens), salute the flag, or swear oaths of allegiance to the state.[49][50] Singapore has banned all written materials (including Bibles) published by the International Bible Students Association and the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, both publishing arms of the Jehovah's Witnesses. A person in possession of banned literature can be fined up to S$2,000 (US$1,460) and jailed up to 12 months for a first conviction.[51]
In February 1995, Singapore police raided private homes where group members were holding religious meetings, in an operation codenamed "Operation Hope". Officers seized Bibles, religious literature, documents and computers, and eventually brought charges against 69 Jehovah's Witnesses, many of whom went to jail.[52][53] In March 1995, 74-year-old Yu Nguk Ding was arrested for carrying two "undesirable publications"—one of them a Bible printed by the Watch Tower Society.[54]
In 1996, eighteen Jehovah's Witnesses were convicted for unlawfully meeting in a Singapore apartment and were given sentences from one to four weeks in jail.[55] Canadian Queens Counsel Glen How flew to Singapore to defend the Jehovah's Witnesses and argued that the restrictions against the Jehovah's Witnesses violated their constitutional rights. Then-Chief Justice Yong Pung How questioned How's sanity, accused him of "living in a cartoon world" and referred to "funny, cranky religious groups" before denying the appeal.[52] In 1998, two Jehovah's Witnesses were charged in a Singapore court for possessing and distributing banned religious publications.[56]
In 1998 a Jehovah's Witness lost a law suit against a government school for wrongful dismissal for refusing to sing the national anthem or salute the flag. In March 1999, the Court of Appeals denied his appeal.[49] In 2000, public secondary schools indefinitely suspended at least fifteen Jehovah's Witness students for refusing to sing the national anthem or participate in the flag ceremony.[57] In April 2001, one public school teacher, also a member of Jehovah's Witnesses, resigned after being threatened with dismissal for refusing to participate in singing the national anthem.[49]
Singapore authorities have seized Jehovah's Witnesses' literature on various occasions from individuals attempting to cross the Malaysia-Singapore border. In thirteen cases, authorities warned the Jehovah's Witnesses, but did not press charges.[57][58][59]
As of 2008, there were 23 members of Jehovah's Witnesses incarcerated in the armed forces detention barracks for refusal to carry out mandatory military service. The initial sentence for failure to comply is 15 months' imprisonment, with an additional 24 months for a second refusal. All of the Jehovah's Witnesses in detention were incarcerated for failing to perform their initial military obligations and expect to serve a total of 39 months.[59] Failure to perform annual military reserve duty, which is required of all those who have completed their initial 2-year obligation, results in a 40-day sentence, with a 12-month sentence after four refusals.[59][60] There is no alternative civilian service for Jehovah's witnesses.
In 2008–2009, the Singapore government declined to make data available to the public concerning arrests of Jehovah's Witnesses.[61][62]

 

[songsongjurong]

 

[zhihau]

Want an instance of "modern day slavery" in Singapore? Look to National Service (NS), claims local blogger Alvin Lim.

... also in the news, the first CDF says NS is an accepted way of life... :p:p:p

 

[johnny333]

Over the years while there have been increasing reasons for Spore males to leave Spore, the major reason Spore for males to leave is NS. The PAP gov't is well aware of this & that's why they have increased the penalties to deter runaways.

 

[LuXun]

this pic has become iconic.

 

[zhihau]

Over the years while there have been increasing reasons for Spore males to leave Spore

it's the trident... the CPF, HDB & NS.

 

[johnny333]

it's the trident... the CPF, HDB & NS.

It's the fami-Lee bizness
They need cheap security guards(NSmen) to jaga their property(which includes HDB)

 

[laksaboy]

It's the fami-Lee bizness
They need cheap security guards(NSmen) to jaga their property(which includes HDB)

Don't forget: cheap circus performers to rehearse and perform their NDPs, and also provide the security and the labour to pack the goodie bags.

 

[TopSage]

under pap things are quite extreme...singapore men are conscripted for 2+ yrs one of the longest
period in the world yet do not come first when it comes to jobs and scholarship/university education.
They push up the obligation of the people to do NS but do not provide the corresponding benefits in the form of jobs, rights, healthcare, etc.

 

[Poomer]

Comment on Yahoo News article on this blog post:

NS was started in the years when the nation was just born and we were passionate about our nation. Everyone of us was asked to sacrifice for the sake of our country. We were all in the same boat. Things have changed. Singapore is no longer ours. Why should we be asked to sacrifice for the sake of foreigners? Abolish NS; it is no longer relevant. Under these circumstances when we are asked to share our resources with additional 3M or more strangers, the nation has forfeited its right to call upon Singaporeans to make these sacrifices.

Fella summarised it very well.

 

[johnny333]

Comment on Yahoo News article on this blog post:
Fella summarised it very well.

I read a book that speculated that NS was implemented because LKY was afraid that the Malaysian would arrest him. Back then Malaysian forces were station in Spore & they could easily arrest him.

 

[Pioneer]

If Alvin Lim gets his way, then a lot of Singaporeans has to thank him for the efforts

 

[winnipegjets]

Here is his blog post: http://alvinology.com/2013/10/07/on-national-service/

I completely agree with him. 2 years of full time NS is already long by international standards. 20 years of reservist service afterwards is a total overkill. Where is the enemy that makes Singapore so special ???

NS is not for defence ...it is the final step of molding the mind that start when one attends school. That sinkees are so compliant is not merely an act of nature.

 

[Leongsam]

Characters like this deserve to be locked up for a long, long time. They are a threat to national security.

 

[singveld]

Characters like this deserve to be locked up for a long, long time. They are a threat to national security.

he even go to disneyland in hongkong, that is the worse disneyland in the whole entire world. who is stupid enough to go there, must have poor judgement.

PAP dun care about the view of one blogger on the internet.