Singapore Army engagement session with Pukul Habis author

When your talk comes after the Singapore Army's physically demanding IPPT test, which almost all in the audience went through earlier that morning, and before lunch in an air-conditioned auditorium, you do wonder whether the audience would snooze through the session.

Any questions? Three hands shot up.

This was followed by a steady stream of questions from the soldiers all the way till the end of the Q&A.

A Singapore Army unit hosted me this week for an engagement session. It was my first such session with the army since my debut novel, Pukul Habis, was published over two-and-a-half years ago (!). 

Many in the audience were born after August 1991, when the real Pukul Habis episode which inspired the book's title, took place. 

I was encouraged by the thought-provoking and probing questions. It was nice to stand in front of an inquisitive and curious audience, whom I think were engaged by the talk's subject matter.

Yes, there were officers who are army regulars. Best of all, these were mostly Operationally-Ready National Servicemen (i.e. reservists), ordinary citizens who will fold away their army uniforms and return to their daily lives outside the army from tomorrow.

I enjoyed the session. Hope you did too.

Thank you for hosting.