tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post7970982016634535037..comments2024-03-28T21:39:05.175+08:00Comments on Senang Diri: 45 Years of National Service: NS defaulter's homecoming for National Museum concertDavid Boeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11401913253357584603noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-40101686482009664432013-01-10T21:11:01.695+08:002013-01-10T21:11:01.695+08:00Degmor Inc. is the only company that can promise a...Degmor Inc. is the only company that can promise all three of these qualities and qualifications. When disaster strikes, do you really want to trust your property to someone who doesn’t have your best interests at heart?<br />Contact us today.<a href="http://degmorinc.com/restoration-services/water-damage.html" rel="nofollow">water damage service</a>nipasarkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17851086152557540666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-16263603329412407302012-01-03T09:23:10.416+08:002012-01-03T09:23:10.416+08:00maybe David Boey's latest blog entry will remi...maybe David Boey's latest blog entry will remind us all that whether we like it or not, NS is here to stay. You want to push yourself or "keng" for those 2 plus yrs, it's your choice. <br /><br />maybe for those who question NS/ICT and its worth and what this dialogue is all about, read this and spare a thought to the parents, spouses, loved ones etc who lost their sons/husbands/boyfrens/brothers during NS. <br /><br />http://kementah.blogspot.com/2012/01/singapore-armed-forces-saf-training.htmljason ongnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-49888413037013559172012-01-02T23:30:37.142+08:002012-01-02T23:30:37.142+08:00Actually, what would you all have him do instead? ...Actually, what would you all have him do instead? Not return to perform at all? He is not obliged to do that and don't think he needs the Singapore audience to be more famous you know?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-16723702166655492142012-01-02T16:44:24.505+08:002012-01-02T16:44:24.505+08:00For those who choose to forgive and forget, it is ...For those who choose to forgive and forget, it is their choice. But do you know that Melvyn Tan is one of the lengthiest defaulters and yet what he got is a miserly fine.<br /><br />There are countless defaulters with very much lesser period and was sent to jail, and still had to serve their NS obligation thereafter if they are below 40.<br /><br />Those who have renounce their citizenship without serving their NS are blacklisted from employment in Singapore.<br /><br />Melvyn Tan is a musician, why is he allow to perform here?<br /> <br />What we want is fairness and this case is hardly so.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-67468813530731777402012-01-02T15:53:24.313+08:002012-01-02T15:53:24.313+08:00http://www.tremeritus.com/2012/01/02/ns-defaulter-...http://www.tremeritus.com/2012/01/02/ns-defaulter-quietly-returning-back-to-singapore-to-perform-in-public-concert-again/<br /><br />fyi..Kojakbthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06938593018212833366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-72641032799967978022012-01-02T10:01:34.546+08:002012-01-02T10:01:34.546+08:00"At the time of his studies, he was one of 4 ..."At the time of his studies, he was one of 4 bright young Singaporean pianists studying in London/Europe. The other 3 being Seow Yit Kin, Ong Lip Tat, and Koh Joo Ann. Due to connections and being related to politicians, the other 3 were granted EXEMPTION from national service. Melvyn was always thought to be the most promising of the 4." - Anonymous 31 Dec'2011 8:36 PM<br /><br />Hi,<br />The claim posted above is new to me. <br /><br />Had we known or been given an inkling, it would have been reflected in the 90 cents newspaper's story in Jan 2006 when Melvyn's case was mentioned in Parliament. If you check Google or the Nat'l Library archives, you'll find that I was the one who wrote the story.<br /><br />Please email me. Am keen to find out more.<br /><br />Best Regards,<br /><br /><br />DavidDavid Boeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11401913253357584603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-46223744315498014222012-01-02T01:56:45.486+08:002012-01-02T01:56:45.486+08:00National security is a public good. in other words...National security is a public good. in other words the capitalist free market system will fail to provide for it, and hence people have to be conscripted to perform this service.<br /><br />In short: it is a Tax. <br /><br />and like all taxes, the basic assumption behind the economic (especially OUR economic) principles of self interest are that most will attempt to avoid, and some will evade. (for the uninitiated, technically avoid = creative but still legal means of reducing one's tax obligations, and evade = illegal means of doing so)<br /><br />That is why this tax has to be enforced under threat of incarceration; everybody but the most misty eyed naivetes will know that a volunteer army will be badly understaffed. The purpose of this threat is to make it, purely from the process of weighing self-interest based pros and cons, not worth your while to evade it. An implicit assumption of this is that if people had the werewithal, the gall, or otherwise any capacity to do what Melvin Tan did. They Would.<br /><br />To romanticise NS and bring up things like "sweat and blood" and "bonds" is thus plain naive. It's like asking our million dollar a year ministers to serve for free out of their fervent patriotic spirit.<br /><br />In summary: leaving the moralising out of the question has allowed me to see that the system is designed such that for most people, its not worth the risk to evade NS. As with all systems, however, once in a blue moon a Melvyn Tan will come along, and his balance sheet all thigns considered will make his decision a justifiable one to himself. So administratively speaking, his penalty was too light. Not because it was "unethical", "an insult to NSmen" or "unfair on NSmen", but simply because it has failed in its role to provide a deterrent.Paidmytaxesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-88991982169531555062012-01-02T00:57:49.453+08:002012-01-02T00:57:49.453+08:00Love it or hate it - NS is necessary. what this wh...Love it or hate it - NS is necessary. what this whole discussion really boils down to is integrity, accountability and being responsible. <br /><br />for melvyn tan to get away "scot free" stains the honour of the uniform of those who have served and in some cases, made the ultimate sacrifice. how do we answer to their parents, spouses, children etc? <br /><br />i hv faithfully served my NS and ICT in an infantry battalion and lets face it - all of us hv commitments, so what makes melvyn tan so special? i recall having known hokkien peng who are the only child of single widowed parents. i know of one who wanted to AWOL to help his mother at her hawker stall but was couselled to grit his teeth and bear it all. had he AWOL-ed, he wld hv been thrown into DB! fast forward 20 yrs, we've all MR-ed and proud tt we stuck to our guns.<br /><br />the fact that melvyn tan is back in spore again for the 2nd/3rd time is to me, an insult to all of us who hv donned the uniform....Jason Ongnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-5494333414433868142012-01-01T16:47:04.648+08:002012-01-01T16:47:04.648+08:00To those who love serving NS and ICT and want to v...To those who love serving NS and ICT and want to volunteer, good for you. Continue serving NS on volunteer terms on poor pay and help the men dig holes outfield every week during training and clean your rifle every night. Don't pretend to be some patriotic citizen if you are some officer strutting about in your tent and getting ferried around in a landrover - that is not really that tough. Two years in NS may not mean that much a big deal, but a 10-year ICT cycle can be very inconvenient if you are trying to build a career at the same time. Besides, ICT is not just about a short 1 or 2 weeks a year. They also do recalls, suddenly call you back for parades or special events - like the CO wants to talk to everyone.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-79123892327202166512012-01-01T13:14:29.650+08:002012-01-01T13:14:29.650+08:00Kojakbt,
Proceed. Pse include link to this blog.Kojakbt,<br />Proceed. Pse include link to this blog.David Boeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11401913253357584603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-64491190854892320072012-01-01T08:38:03.035+08:002012-01-01T08:38:03.035+08:00I would countenance forgiveness if he had found a ...I would countenance forgiveness if he had found a way to turn sea water into fuel, grow crops in the desert or create meaningful and lucrative jobs/lives for all Singaporeans. But music? whose short of music?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-63988023070896874302012-01-01T00:48:04.749+08:002012-01-01T00:48:04.749+08:00FXXk the defaulter. And who the fxxk was the judg...FXXk the defaulter. And who the fxxk was the judge that awarded the S$3000 fine - not even a custodial sentence?? <br /><br />So the defaulter wants the stage in a land that he chose not to defend. Don't you have any shame at all???Tan Ah Kownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-50558660225558275862011-12-31T20:55:26.653+08:002011-12-31T20:55:26.653+08:00I served the army from 2007 to 2009 in Armour.
...I served the army from 2007 to 2009 in Armour. <br /><br />Despite that, i am in complete support of Melvyn's decision to default on the army. international renown, and as well as letting the world know that he's a singaporean pianist, is enough to pay back his dues to the nation. <br /><br />these two years, is an absolute waste of any singaporean male's time, and like many, i rotted in my unit, doing as little as i could, and stayed out of trouble.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-71251183788739777522011-12-31T20:36:47.566+08:002011-12-31T20:36:47.566+08:00If you do not know the full story behind his defau...If you do not know the full story behind his defaulting, please keep your views to yourself.<br /><br />At the time of his studies, he was one of 4 bright young Singaporean pianists studying in London/Europe. The other 3 being Seow Yit Kin, Ong Lip Tat, and Koh Joo Ann. Due to connections and being related to politicians, the other 3 were granted EXEMPTION from national service. Melvyn was always thought to be the most promising of the 4.<br /><br />Is he the only one who has ever defaulted from national service? And for all the hypocrites out there, I'm sure you'd all gladly default if money wasn't an issue.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-47632573141832737612011-12-31T19:59:46.635+08:002011-12-31T19:59:46.635+08:00I don't blame Melvyn Tan. He has the right to ...I don't blame Melvyn Tan. He has the right to make his choices and who are we to even judge his decisions? If you need someone to account of this, hold MINDEF and the Civil Court responsible for letting him off so lightly.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-76007069416513993412011-12-31T18:42:10.570+08:002011-12-31T18:42:10.570+08:00NS is not merely 2 or 2.5 years. The 10 or 13 year...NS is not merely 2 or 2.5 years. The 10 or 13 years of reservist liability may be a much bigger commitment to many, particularly as we strive to balance our career and family commitments. I am past 40 and I am still doing my reservist. It takes a lot of my time each year, not just the IPPT or the ICT or even the many half or one day sessions, but much of work or spare time spent on phone and computer. And I am not even a CO. Can I also add that much time is spent or wasted coping with or fighting MINDEF bureaucracy. Why I do this? Do I have a choice? It is my duty imposed by the law and by our sense of responsibility to the people we serve with. For all the commitments that all of us NSmen or NSF put in, we do deserve far more recognition that what MINDEF gives. Even the NSRA is quite pathetic partly because of the CPF nature of payment and partly of the small sum involved relative to our loss of income opportunity outside. Worst of all, we hear how this govt let people like Mervyn Tan get off with the token fine and a whole lot of PRs getting off even more easily (eg renounce PR easily and then come back to live and work in Sg again). It is insulting to all of us who have to serve and also to persuade our subordinates that they have to serve. MINDEF must get its act together and stop allowing exceptions to the rule and stop letting people pay their way out of NS. The other way is to grant really substantial benefits to NSmen and I mean really substantial benefit such as no income tax liability at all. MINDEF has to show that it really respects the commitments of NSmen by providing substantial recognition that everyone (citizens and non citizens alike) will recognise as substantial. If they continue to give such paltry recognition to the issues, they cannot blame any decline in attitude among those serving.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-49790374756498254102011-12-31T17:33:59.985+08:002011-12-31T17:33:59.985+08:00I am completing my 10 year cycle and has volunteer...I am completing my 10 year cycle and has volunteered for another 5 years with possibly more to come. I am 31 and proud to continue serving my Singapore beyond what is required of me. I do not need Melvyn Tan, we do not need Melvyn Tan, my Singapore does not need Melvyn Tan.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-72821958138702918942011-12-31T17:08:38.802+08:002011-12-31T17:08:38.802+08:00Lots of sour grapes here! I served 2.5 years too s...Lots of sour grapes here! I served 2.5 years too so what? If he sustained injury to his hands in NS, losing the opportunity to reach his potential, maybe you'll think its fair? Just because you can't climb to the top, don't envy those who can<br /><br />I say good on him for doing what he did! For this warm and loving government will not give a rat's ass had he been hurt during NS back in 1974Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-51309433305694833772011-12-31T17:00:47.698+08:002011-12-31T17:00:47.698+08:00Following on .. to ensure real love for the nation...Following on .. to ensure real love for the nation, and improve the citizenry's views and acceptance for NS, flexibility in enlistment cannot be ignored. It's tough to impose patriotism, but it can be made to grow slowly when people feel there is greater variation in how they can serve their nation. <br /><br />Service to nation, ownership of this nation, will give us long-term benefits in making our population more aware of what they have to defend. Make your citizens want to defend what they have, allow them a wider variety of enlistment options to suit different strokes of folks which may give us happier, more hardworking soldiers. <br /><br />Many here have displayed a lot of emotion and passion over NS, and that is heartening though. NS is about protecting the state, and the state is still made up of individuals like you and I.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-35879451673050992692011-12-31T16:53:31.234+08:002011-12-31T16:53:31.234+08:00Simple, reform the NS system to that of South Kore...Simple, reform the NS system to that of South Korea's. Flexible enlistment age to allow citizens who are involved in music and sports to enlist later and serve reservist duties till a later age. Fairer for all. <br /><br />If a nation technically at war can do so, I don't see how we can't do it. Before anyone uses KATUSA as a counter-argument, might I just say that KATUSA forces are not the majority of the personnel keeping watch over South Korea, nor USFK. It is still the ROK Armed Forces. <br /><br />Something worth pondering, no?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-74210734418915762572011-12-31T16:25:25.457+08:002011-12-31T16:25:25.457+08:00Whatever it is, he should not be invited to perfor...Whatever it is, he should not be invited to perform. He blatantly disregard the Singapore's Government policy on compiulsory NS for all male citizens who reached the age of 18 yrs. I have 2 sons who served the National Service and belief you me, it was really tough. He had gotten out with a paltry fine which is 'UNFAIR'. What's there for him to showcase in his music? We have other musicians as capable, so what difference does it make to have him come back as a foreign talent? We don't need such man made foreign talent in Singapore. What's in his thought to come here to perform? A country which he abandon. It's a mockery of the NS policy and foreign talents policy!! May the people who invite him to perform, please WAKE UP!!!!Lim C Knoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-59197994749030959802011-12-31T16:06:10.388+08:002011-12-31T16:06:10.388+08:00"I find it amusing how much weight you are gi..."I find it amusing how much weight you are giving NS as if NSmen were out there fighting an actual war everyday defending our country. It's cute." <br /><br />whoever you are, shame on you. you probably didnt know what NS is all about and probably wished you did what Mr Melvyn Tan did. NS was in all likelihood a waste of your 2 plus years of yr life...Mel Leenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-41465361685042529642011-12-31T15:48:17.372+08:002011-12-31T15:48:17.372+08:00He is but one of those who 'got away' with...He is but one of those who 'got away' with a light penalty, but think about those who studied medicine who also managed to defer their NS until much later and serving a much more comfortable line than most of us. That screams 'UNFAIR'. Perhaps Melvyn can make it up by doing ICT? There are people serving ICT till 50.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-487681047450523172011-12-31T15:21:22.215+08:002011-12-31T15:21:22.215+08:00TODAY, 18th January, 2006
MAKE JAIL MANDATORY FOR ...TODAY, 18th January, 2006<br />MAKE JAIL MANDATORY FOR NS EVADERS<br /><br />Allowing rich kids to buy their way out isn’t fair on the rest Letter from<br />Adrian Kwong<br />I refer to the proposed review of penalties for defaulting on one’s NS<br />obligations, “No dodging this draft” (Jan 17).<br />What is wrong with the Melyvn Tan case is that the time one spends in<br />National Service (NS) cannot simply be equated to a monetary fine.<br />To make that link cheapens the entire system of NS, as well as the debt<br />that society owes to each NSman.<br />For many Singaporean men, as the army song goes, NS is about serving “once<br />in a life, two years of our time”.<br />One does what must be done, and gets it out of the way.<br />I admit I am not sure I would have chosen to do NS if I had had a choice<br />of paying “liquidated damages”.<br />I am sure I could have made better use of the time if I was not required<br />by law to put on the uniform. Who wouldn’t want an extra two years’<br />headstart in job seniority, income and free time?<br />But NS is not about choices or doing what is convenient for you. NS is<br />about sacrificing one’s civilian freedoms, delaying one’s education or<br />career or life-goals, to do what must be done for the greater good.<br />It may traditionally have been done under threat of prosecution, but I get<br />ahead of myself.<br />In a system where every able-bodied Singaporean man (to date, probably<br />something like 700,000 of us) does his duty at and for the appointed time,<br />everyone of us enjoys the benefits knowing that the burden is shared<br />fairly equally.<br />However, when some can choose not to participate because they are better<br />endowed financially, the system breaks down.<br />Why should I sacrifice two years of my time, if a cost-benefit analysis<br />tells me I could make more money simply paying the fine while I work in a<br />better-paying civilian job?<br />Given that the average monthly household income in 2003 was $4,867, it<br />should be fairly obvious that even a $20,000 fine could be easily earned<br />back in less time than the two-year NS period.<br />Worse, making NS evasion as simple as paying a fixed fine obviously<br />favours the well-off over the less well-off.<br />That’s in contrast to the element of social equity – akin to progressive<br />income tax – in the current system of making the overseas-bound would-be<br />enlistee’s parents forfeit either a fixed sum or a multiple of their<br />yearly income.<br />I see no way in which simply increasing the fine sends the right message.<br />What is a “serious case” anyway? How is a mere fine for most cases a<br />sufficient deterrent? In an increasingly affluent society, a fine is a<br />limp slap on the wrist, whether that wrist belongs to a concert pianist or<br />otherwise.<br />Personally, I would argue for a mandatory jail sentence equal to the<br />period of NS evaded.<br />In the absence of a mandatory jail sentence, there would be a serious<br />inconsistency in that a conscientious defaulter (such as a follower of the<br />Jehovah’s Witness religious group) would generally serve a sentence in the<br />SAF detention barracks longer than his actual full-time NS liability,<br />while someone who simply refused to serve and fled the country before<br />coming back at age 40, would still have his two years of freedom.<br />I urge the Government to consider the message it is sending by this move.Adrian Kwongnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2348464617577736454.post-20554475107699078522011-12-31T15:19:55.622+08:002011-12-31T15:19:55.622+08:00I will consider discuss this matter at the Meet Th...I will consider discuss this matter at the Meet The People session...hopefully the matter can be more transparentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com