Akan datang: SAF Maid saga reviewed

Dear All,
An essay on lessons learned from the SAF Maid saga is now being compiled. This piece will be out soon.

I am grateful to the individuals who provided advice and the people who shared their professional knowledge during the image forensics phase. This includes:
* people who advised which batches of NSFs have received the pixellated fullpacks,
* the plant expert who pointed out the grass cuttings in the original image, noted the interval between grass trimmings in the Bedok Rise area and compared plant growth in two images to help date the original images,
* the Review team whose role is to play devil's advocate,
* current and former media friends/contacts,
* those who helped with the ground recce and ACI.

Had the NSF not come forward, we would have rolled out active searches in the estate. I am confident we would have located his household successfully.

I have learned much from this episode. For sure, there are areas in which we can improve upon. We have a group of passionate netizens and a resource team whose subject matter expertise in land, sea and air domains is something I value highly and cherish. One regret - and this is something I have told some of you before - is that there will probably never be an occasion when the resource team will be able to/would want to meet at the same time.

We follow defence matters under unique circumstances and the need to protect names does not diminish my respect for all of you.

I thank you all.

Best Regards,
David Boey

Maid for the Army: Soldier steps forward to admit actions

Remorseful soldier counselled: Mindef
The Straits Times Forum Page
5 April 2011

THE Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has completed its investigation into the recent case of a serviceman who was photographed with his domestic helper carrying his field pack ('Deafening silence in army backpack saga' by Mr Patrick Tan; last Saturday).

The serviceman concerned has identified himself to his commander.

He was a recruit undergoing the Physical Training Preparatory phase prior to the Basic Military Training phase.

The recruit is remorseful for his actions and realises that it was wrong for him to have allowed this.

He has been counselled and continues his training. The SAF has reminded all servicemen to be mindful of their conduct in public.

Colonel Desmond Tan
Director, Public Affairs
Ministry of Defence

Maid for Our Army: Manhunt now on for individuals in the SAF Maid story

Where did they go?: This is the footpath off Bedok Rise used by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) soldier, believed to be a full-time National Serviceman (NSF), and a woman carrying a fullpack, believed to be his domestic helper, who appeared in that iconic image (please scroll down). To the right of this footpath is the public housing estate which is home to an NSF who made headlines in 2007, Dave Teo.

Plain clothes officers believed to be from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) combed a housing estate in Bedok on Saturday (2 April'11) for the individuals in the infamous picture of a maid carrying a fullpack - but failed to find their targets.

The officers gathered along Bedok Rise, which is near the Tanah Merah MRT station, for a quick debrief yesterday evening and were observed by this blogger. The group stood out in the quiet estate because I have seen police surveillance teams in action and somehow sensed the group did not fit in with the streetscape.

One officer was overheard updating an unnamed party via mobilephone that there were x targets for the day and the maid at one premises was not in.

What gave the game away was an A4 size colour photocopy of two pictures in a local newspaper story that compared the real picture with a fake image of the anonymous soldier, believed to be a full-time National Serviceman (NSF), and a woman whom netizens believe is his domestic helper. Pictures in the 90C story were enlarged and printed in portrait format, possibly to serve as a handy reference for the officers. (By uncanny coincidence, I used the same picture as reference but saved an image of the newspaper article on my mobilephone. I felt it was more discrete as observers would think I was checking my SMS messages whenever I looked at the image on the phone.)

It was surreal being at the spot where the infamous images were taken and the sense of frustration stemmed from not knowing where the soldier was. A sense of being almost within reach, yet not quite there. That said, I thank friends of this blog for all the tipoffs. :-)

The pictures caused intense debate in Singapore this past week as they showed how one soldier can sully the SAF's image by displaying behaviour which Singaporeans viewed as unsoldierly.

As of late Saturday evening, Senang Diri believes the Singaporean Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and SAF investigators had yet to verify the identities of the two individuals in the picture. The numberplates of the private cars used by the suspected stakeout teams were noted by this blogger.

It is interesting to note that the location of the stakeout is literally round the corner from the home of another infamous NSF, Dave Teo, who ran away from camp with his SAR-21 assault rifle and some bullets in 2007. The Bedok South point block flat which he shared with his grandmother and cousins can be seen from the footpath along which MINDEF/SAF's latest bugbear was photographed. Dave Teo was tracked down and arrested by police officers from the crack Special Tactics and Rescue (STAR) unit.

Manhunts in densely-populated Singapore are difficult to execute.

In March 2004, hundreds of SAF soldiers and Singapore Police Force officers were deployed to Pulau Tekong (Singapore's largest offshore island) to hunt down three suspected robbers who landed on the island from Malaysia's Johor state. The fugitives were eventually found by Gurkha police officers.

In February 2008, terror suspect Mas Selamat Kastari walked out of a high security detention centre. He was apprehended by Malaysian police in Johor in April the following year.

Maid the news: The online media storm from the infamous image of the S'pore Army boy tailed by a woman carrying a fullpack

A letter published in The Straits Times Forum Page today reveals more instances of pampered Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) national servicemen.

Look at these extracts from the letter by Oliver Michael, who claims to be a full-time NSman instructor.

"Even routine events reveal this mollycoddling attitude, such as when parents fetch their recruit son: it is not the boy, but the maid, who packs the recruit's belongings into the boot of the car."

"Training facilities are treated like secondary schools with parents hounding instructors over trivial issues. Full-time national servicemen (NSFs) argue with instructors, going so far as to threaten to complain to their Member of Parliament over minor matters."

And here's a creative spin at how the Singaporean Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and SAF could have been spared the online media storm. :-)

Read Oliver Michael's full letter below.

NS does not make men, parents do
Source: The Straits Times Forum
30 March, 2011

By Oliver Michael
AS A Singaporean currently doing my national service as an instructor, I must say the baptism of fire that is national service is not enough to change boys into men ('He's in the army... but she has the backpack'; Monday).

National service has long been associated with making men out of boys. However, parents should be aware that they too play a key role in the grooming of boys into men.

As an instructor, I have come across NS recruits mollycoddled by their parents. For example, parents call up to complain about the harsh training despite the fact that training is gentler now compared to years before.

Even routine events reveal this mollycoddling attitude, such as when parents fetch their recruit son: it is not the boy, but the maid, who packs the recruit's belongings into the boot of the car.

While it is understandable for parents to be concerned about the well-being of their son, too much of it would affect the boy negatively. It would lead to a situation where he is unwilling to step outside of his comfort zone and face the real world.

Training facilities are treated like secondary schools with parents hounding instructors over trivial issues. Full-time national servicemen (NSFs) argue with instructors, going so far as to threaten to complain to their Member of Parliament over minor matters.

These attitudes, and indeed those such as letting one's maid carry one's field pack, become second nature only if one's parents allow it. These attitudes take time to form and, unfortunately, do so in the adolescent years.

Parents should refine their balance of welfare and discipline, of care and coddling, lest they distort the definition of NSFs, and men in general.

Singapore's defence burden - Something no maid can carry

Unless you are Prince William, a walk home from camp doesn’t count as a newsworthy event.

For an unknown Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) soldier, his journey home made the news after the image you see above went viral and ignited debate in Singapore over the mettle of the city state’s citizen soldiers.

This single image has the potential to become iconic. When it does so, it will extract a price from the ongoing efforts by the Singaporean Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and SAF to shore up public support for, and confidence in, the Lion City’s armed forces. Swift and effective remedial action is critical by MINDEF/SAF spin doctors, but more on this later.

The picture of an SAF serviceman, presumably a full-time National Serviceman (NSF), trailed by what one assumes is his domestic helper (or unloved gf?) sums up what the SAF’s detractors have long argued and what local authorities have taken pains to correct – that Singapore’s national servicemen are soft city boys. Spoilt softies, pampered by mummy and daddy, fussed over by a domestic helper, unfit for battle, potential liabilities in combat clearly not up to the mark for the rigours of warfare. You don’t need a picture caption to figure this out, do you?

Few SAF images have stirred emotions among Singaporeans as much as this image because it shows what many have suspected and are too polite to say.

Even if the image was posed - as some establishment and MINDEF/SAF types might vainly argue - the strong sentiments it has triggered is a red flag that highlights the fragility of the SAF’s image as a ready, relevant and decisive fighting force. In my opinion, all it takes now is a training incident right smack in this unfolding hullabaloo for Singaporeans to once again question if NSFs can really do the job.

Singaporeans should be grateful that their government does not trust its citizen soldiers enough to allow them to carry their personal firearms home, just as NSmen in places like Israel and Switzerland routinely do. Nothing is more frightful than an image of a domestic helper, laden with war pack and SAR-21 5.56mm assault rifle, yomping resolutely behind her young master with Hobbit-like determination.

Security obsessed Singaporean authorities would probably fret about maids hatching a Spartacus-like rebellion if their young charges outsourced the carriage of their SAF paraphernalia to their paid labour.

On and offline, Singaporeans have reacted to this incident the usual way. Many have done so by calling for the Government to step in to punish the soldier.

Singapore already has a reputation as a “fine” city because you can be arrested and slapped with a monetary penalty (i.e. a fine) for picking flowers in a public park, for gathering in groups of more than five (deemed illegal assembly) and numerous other misdemeanors. It would be most unfortunate if the hauling of Singapore Army full packs is also deemed a felony. You see, what good is a paper deterrent unless it can be enforced? And by whom? Legions of plain clothes sleuths from Military Police Command who, in this day and age of post 9/11 heightened vigilance, probably have a gadzillion better things to do than spot, arrest and fine the NSF-porter combo?

And where would MINDEF Legal Services draw the line? If maids cannot help their masters carry SAF kit, would it also be illegal for maids to also help NSmen launder their uniforms, polish their boots? That said, I am waiting for the first SAF officer stupid enough to allow his maid to hand wash his MID numberplate staff car in public. I am sure netizens will not disappoint and will know how to capture that Kodak moment, when it happens.

In the longer term, it would be far better for Singaporean society to proactively police itself by drawing up social norms for citizen soldiers. Singaporeans have themselves to blame if the image of their Army takes a knock should it become socially acceptable for SAF servicemen to walk around with baggage porters in tow. Society needs to do some soul-searching whether or not such acts should be condoned.

Singaporeans, like most Asians, hate losing face. If society frowns on such behavior and corrects errant soldiers harshly in public, most self-respecting males would (one would hope) know the proper thing to do. (As an aside, we now see more examples of commuters who believe that the price of their bus/train ticket entitles them to a seat for their bum and assorted shopping bags. In most cases, commuters would rather just keep mum, preferring a non-confrontational approach than causing a ruckus on the bus/train and complaining later there are not enough seats.)

Lessons for DIMs
Whether or not the image is real or staged, it shows the impact that a single NSF can have on the image of Southeast Asia’s best-equipped armed forces. The unknown soldier is the strategic corporal personified, the warfighter at the bottom of the pecking order of rank-and-file who exerts an influence far out of proportion to his rank’s status.

Defence information managers at MINDEF/SAF walked this road before. In September 2007, NSF Corporal Dave Teo Ming fled his camp with his SAR-21 rifle and ammunition while on guard duty. His night time escape led to an island-wide manhunt and gave him more media coverage than the interview with then Chief of Army, Major-General Neo Kian Hong (now Chief of Defence Force) just a week before. Do your own informal street poll and you will find that the number of people who remember the Dave Teo incident will outstrip the number of people who remember the former COA’s talking points on the Third Generation SAF.

The job of shaping public perceptions goes beyond convincing Singaporeans that their men in green won’t turn yellow before their first taste of battle. This is because the SAF's value as a deterrent against military aggression will be compromised if Malaysians and/or Indonesians potential aggressors believe that Singapore's NSmen are soft city boys who will prove a walkover in combat.

MINDEF/SAF is likely to argue that the soldier is an aberration, an atypical example of NSFs who are fully committed to defending their country. A survey of sorts could be used to prop up this assertion. They could trot out NSmen who extended their compulsory NS stint of two years or Operationally Ready NS duty who ran the extra mile for the country (some do so for personal reasons, like getting a free trip to the United States to join a live-fire exercise). Oodles of information of the SAF’s successes in HADR ops and PSOs could be bandied about, as if these missions are leading indicators to the SAF’s performance in a real war (they are not). Some big wig will make a snide comment or two on the picture and then hope the storm will pass.

Shouldering the Defence Burden
Between convincing Singaporeans the SAF is up to the mark and convincing Jalan Padang Tembak foreign defence observers of the same, the second task will prove the more challenging one.

It is critical that MINDEF/SAF not drop the ball on this issue because any hot war scenario is likely to be preceded by a period of tension (POT) during which psychological games will be used to unnerve the Lion City’s citizen soldiers.

As stated in an earlier post, the SAF is more vulnerable than an all-regular force during a POT because its citizen soldiers must be convinced to 1) mobilize 2) equip for operations 3) deploy 4) fight. During peacetime, NSmen may reason (correctly) that it is more worthwhile reporting for a mobex than paying a fine or spending time in jail.

In a hot war scenario or during a situation when a clash of arms seems more than likely, the NSman’s sense of self-preservation may see him fall out at any of the four stages mentioned above.

Remember too that the numerical superiority of the SAF means nothing if the SAF cannot mobilize its full strength because scions of well off families are flown overseas during a POT and thus escape any call up. Once this flight to safety begins and once NS heartlanders see its end result from thinned-out ranks of mobilized units primed for war, it is only a matter of time before a hollowed out Army collapses in the face of a determined opponent.

The will to fight is something the "hearts and minds" campaign will seek to poison and undermine during a POT before the bullets fly.

This defence burden is one that only Singaporeans can carry - because no maid in the world will carry this burden for you.

Singapore Army's leadership renewal

If you get the chance to visit the ante rooms to the offices of Singapore's air and naval chiefs, look at the portraits of their predecessors hanging on the walls.

Long before foreign talent became a buzzword in the city state, Singapore's defence establishment had shown its readiness to cast its net wide for its military leaders. Singapore's fledgling air arm was led by a Taiwanese colonel in its early years after officers from Britain's Royal Air Force laid the groundwork. A New Zealander led the forerunner to the Republic of Singapore Navy.

After 45 years of independence, the Singaporean Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) have many local options for leadership positions. It thus has little need to look abroad for the unconventional - to put it nicely - move of having a foreigner lead a military Service. (That said, the SAF still relies on consultants from a certain foreign country for their military expertise. And let's leave the unique role of the Singapore Police Force Gurkha Contingent out of the picture... if not the argument gets somewhat convulated.)

Last Friday's leadership transition in the Singapore Army, after a retired general was brought back to its top post, shows how far the army has grown as a national institution.

Every SAF Service practices a policy of training-up-training, where a second and even third in line is spotted and groomed to take command. It is a prudent move for a professional of arms. During operations, the command structure could be left in a state of flux if key commanders are left out of battle through enemy action (eg GGK raid) or Murphy's Law (3G command network breaks down).

In earlier leadership transitions, rank-and-file had more success predicting their next Chief of Army (COA) than forecasting soccer scores for the next Premier League match.

Not all who are Service chief material (according to the gossip mill's Table Of Precedence) eventually make the grade. One is said to have faltered after a drink driving incident. Another general is said to have left for the private sector after missing out on the top post during a promotion exercise. Another well-regarded general left to join a bank.

With former COA Major-General Chan Chun Sing and former Commander Training and Doctrine Command Brigadier-General Tan Chuan-Jin pulled offline out of the blue, the Singapore Army's succession plan has been disrupted somewhat.

But this is the sort of situation which underlines the Singapore Army's coming of age as an institution. After decades of leadership development sparked off by the 1970s Goh Keng Swee-era Project Wrangler, the SAF has a pool of commanders ready to take command should the need arise. Among the 700,000-plus Singaporeans who served or continue to serve as SAF Operationally Ready National Servicemen, BG Ravinder Singh answered to call of duty.

With BG Singh as COA, MINDEF/SAF has a stellar example of how an Operationally Ready NSman really is at the forefront of the SAF and shares the same risks, duties and operational responsibilities as SAF regulars. In this regard, the system seems to have forgotten its own propaganda. All that press coverage in the mid 1990s that celebrated the change in nomenclature from reservist - which to soccer mad Singaporeans connotes a bench warmer reserve player - to the mouthful of an acronym ORNS seems to have been forgotten by new generations of journalists who make much ado about an NSman stepping up to the plate.

MINDEF/SAF's carefully calibrated succession plan appears to be a victim of its past year successes. Defence observers expect a smooth leadership transition for each Service with as much certainty as changes in the season. In the past, observers could indeed mentally map out the second, third and even fourth in line to the throne with some degree of assurance the plan would pan out as predicted. This mindmap no longer applies to the New Economy where the lure of the private sector and a more discerning MINDEF/SAF leadership appraisal structure has thinned the ranks of potential Service chiefs.

Much ado has also been made in the local press of a retiree coming back to active service. Remember that before the Military Domain Experts Scheme (MDES) came along, to retire in the SAF's context meant that an SAF serviceman would leave the military in the early to mid 40s for a second career. This timescale is way ahead of the statutory retirement age of 62 years, which means an SAF "retiree" - assuming one's career path led to the 40+ age exit - still has some mileage to offer.

The readiness of former commanders to return to take charge - as BG Singh has done - reflects that the Singapore Army's former generals have never fallen out of sight of the Army command. It also indicates that the Army Family embraces those in and out of uniform, because if MINDEF/SAF so desired, they could have cherry picked from within. (Indeed, a certain newspaper has practised a similar leadership renewal strategy by bringing in civil servants from outside the newsroom with no journalism background to be groomed as newspaper editor and editor-in-chief. *wink*)

The SAF's policy for leadership renewal recognises that the armed forces of a city state with a small population should be prepared to share its human capital. Movements of career officers from the SAF to the Admin Service reflect this reality. Implicit in this sharing process is the fact that human capital (ie. people) can move both ways, as BG Singh's move back to the Singapore Army readily demonstrates.

It is thus perplexing to see today's Sunday Times remark that the new 46-year-old COA "is in good company" on account of his age. This ignorant thought-provoking statement goes on to cite the case of United States General David Petraeus who was 51 when he led a US Army division to war with Iraq in 2003. If Singapore's oldest COA is "in good company", does this mean all previous COAs were odd balls because of their youth?

Surely the writer would know that the career trajectory of SAF commanders moves them at a faster clip than their opposite numbers elsewhere? Which other country (apart from out of whack countries like North Korea) appoints generals at the age of 33 (current PM Lee Hsien Loong). The point is that the national paper should not play up the COA's age to justify his appointment as a sound decision to the detriment of previous SAF Service chiefs. Doing so casts a shadow on previous chiefs who did not have the benefit of "good company" because they assumed command in their late 30s or early 40s. (Another peeve: the over-used imagery of an Army general stepping in and out of uniform, boots and helmets, almost like a strip show. The analogy was used four times. We get the point already.)

Examples abound of older and younger generals who aced their opponents in combat. In World War 2, Allied reversals during the early years of the war saw many retired men in uniform called back to active service. Many led with distinction. In my opinion, the 700,000 former NSmen bring an immense and hitherto untapped value to the SAF as old soldiers, sailors and airmen are seen largely as old fogeys fit only to spin yarns at gatherings or for their quaint value as members of the SAF Veterans League (but more on this on another occasion).

The choice of a COA goes beyond book smarts of an SAF scholar or the street savvy of a commander who can relate to men and women under his command.

No less critical is the job of strengthening defence relations with Singapore's immediate neighbours with whom the SAF trains closely with, and with extant and emerging power houses farther afield such as China and India.

With some Indian newspapers (I mean the country, not Tamil Murasu) already commenting on BG Singh's link with the mother country, one would hope the current COA will be a driving force behind defence ties not just within ASEAN and with Pacific Rim partners but also those in India and beyond. Look at the response from The Times of India, which gushed on 5 March 2011 that BG Singh is the "first Sikh in nearly 30 years to be given the force's baton". It added: "A Singaporean of Indian origin, Singh is currently Deputy Secretary (Technology) at the Defence Ministry. He joined the Singapore Armed Forces in December 1982."

The Indians will likely welcome BG Singh as a former son of bharat who made good. Just wait for the editorials there when he makes his first official visit as COA. And the mainland Chinese will doubtless be keen to suss him out firsthand to see his impact on SAF-People's Liberation Army ties.

So a lot is expected of BG Singh's appointment.

In this regard, I believe the system has made the best of the current situation.

Singapore Civil Defence Force Operation Lionheart search team wraps up operations in Japan

All home safely. Reporting teams from 90C and CNA have also pulled out.


Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) Search Team Returns From Japan
Source: SCDF, 17 Mar 2011

Update No: 4

The SCDF search team comprising 5 search specialists and 5 search dogs left Japan at 2331 hrs yesterday evening. They arrived at Changi International Airport at 0635 hrs this morning.

2. Major Tan Loo Ping and his team were received by Mr Masagos Zulkifli Bin Masagos Mohamad, Minister of State for Home Affairs and Education, Commissioner SCDF, Commissioner Peter Lim, Japanese Ambassador to Singapore, His Excellency, Yoichi Suzuki, and SCDF’s Senior Management. His Excellency, Yoichi Suzuki, expressed his appreciation to SCDF for sending a search team to Japan.

3. This news release (update no.4) is the final update.

Note: All timings are based on Singapore time

Nuclear energy for Singapore? A second look at Singapore's information management and PR strategy for nuclear energy

The "pre-feasibility study" on nuclear energy is said to walk the ground covered by an earlier document.

If the hearsay is true, the Singapore Government should declassify its earlier study on nuclear energy as this would help Singaporeans understand the issues involved. Declassifying the rumoured document would give credit to the team of civil servants who assessed the issue in-depth, and would honour the memory of one who rose to become a minister of state and has since died.

Saying the decision on nuclear energy will take "a long time" and having our Prime Minister envision that a nuke power station would be built within his lifetime sends mixed signals. In politics, nothing is carved in stone but it does not help when the same PM ruled out nuclear energy in 2007. For more, please click here. This sort of public relations flip flop leaves people feeling confused and taken for granted.

No nuclear energy plans yet for S'pore but study in the works
Source: Today Online 04:46 AM Mar 17, 2011

Responding to MediaCorp's queries, Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) reiterated that it "will be a long time" before the Government makes any decision on nuclear energy.

According to MTI, the Government was in the midst of a "pre-feasibility study" on nuclear energy. The pre-feasibility study is to explore whether Singapore can even begin to consider nuclear energy.

The MTI said: "Safety is a very important consideration and is one of the key areas being studied."

It added: "We are closely monitoring and learning from the developments in Japan."

Last November, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had said that while a nuclear power project was not scheduled to start any time soon, a nuclear plant could be built in Singapore "during my lifetime". ESTHER NG

A note to readers: 26 February'11

Hi Everyone,
I am aware that a number of you have been searching this site since 26 February 2011 for postings on Second Lieutenant Daryl Loh.

The memorial notice was noted on the day itself and Mr Lawrence Loh, Daryl's father, is touched that the 10th anniversary was remembered by the Singaporean Chief of Navy in command at the time of the incident.

Mr Loh has granted permission to share this with Daryl's friends: "Yes, I saw the In Memorium ad placed by Tuck Yew. I was both impressed and very touched. It is amazing that after ten years, he can still remember. On my part, I was of two minds about placing an ad. On the one hand, I thought that the 10th Anniversary was a milestone date of sorts, but on the other, I was afraid that the ad would attract another round of phone calls, emails and SMSes from friends, which may trigger another bout of pain. So I decided not to."

The recent memorial marker placed by the Men of Steel has also been noted.

The date 26 March will also be remembered, not just because of Operation Thunderbolt.

Thought for the day: Make training safety your top priority.

25th anniversary of the Hotel New World disaster

Today's marks the 25th anniversary of the collapse of the Hotel New World, a building structural failure that killed 33 people close to the heart of Singapore's city centre. Seventeen people trapped under the rubble were rescued.

Twenty five years ago, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was inexperienced in urban search and rescue and British engineers digging underground train tunnels were brought in to probe the rubble of the collapsed six-storey hotel.

Today, the SCDF's range of core capabilities, readiness state and experience levels have transformed Singapore's fire and ambulance service, and civil rescue teams beyond recognition.

That the SCDF has transformed itself in the space of 25 years reflects the drive and vision of pioneering SCDF officers, many of whom have since retired. If you think such transformation is automatic, take a peek into fire stations in some overseas countries next time you walk past and you may be surprised by the archaic equipment in their vehicle sheds.

Barely three months into 2011, the SCDF has lent its expertise to two oveaseas rescue missions.

At the time of writing, a team of five SCDF officers and five sniffer dogs trained to conduct Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) are on active duty in Japan. The Lionheart team is deployed alongside Japanese rescuers for quake and tsunami relief work. Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) missions spearheaded by the Home Team are assigned the operational title of Lionheart.

Here's why the Lionheart deployments in 2011 are milestones for the SCDF.

1. The Lionheart deployments to Christchurch, New Zealand, and to Japan marked the first time since the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami that the SCDF had Lionheart teams deployed in two countries concurrently. In January 2005, the SCDF had Lionheart teams deployed in Sumatra, in Indonesia, and in Phuket, Thailand.

2. The Lionheart team now in Japan is the northernmost deployment for SCDF officers. This is believed to be the first time SCDF officers are in Japan for a HADR operation. Incidentally, the record for the highest altitude (as opposed to latitude) deployment goes to the SCDF team that helped with the Nepal quake relief mission.

3. The Lionheart team that wrapped up the mission in Christchurch is - you guessed it - the southermost deployment ever staged by the SCDF. Any farther south and they would be in Antarctica. This year's Lionheart deployments show the range of latitudes and climates that the SCDF is prepared to send its people to. (One hopes the Home Team gives its officers a decent cold weather clothing allowance.)

4. The Japan Lionheart team is one of the smallest the SCDF has deployed for a rescue. It also has the highest rescuer to rescue dog ratio of 1:1. Sniffer dogs sent by Singapore give Japanese rescuers that extra edge when combing collapsed structures for survivors. The value of the J-Lion contribution therefore goes beyond the headcount and tonnage of supplies airflown from Singapore.

As we remember the victims of the Hotel New World disaster and recent natural disasters in the Pacific Rim, we should also treasure the contributions of the Lionheart team and SCDF team members who are on call 24/7 and train hard for every 995 call.

Best of luck to the J-Lion team.

Japan's earthquake and tsunami: Media issues to think about

All of a sudden, the crisis in Libya has been knocked off the nightly television news.

The media has zoomed in on Japan where the twin perils of a massive earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan's Honshu island on Friday afternoon are making headline news around the globe.

The killer waves that resulted in Japan's pain are possibly the most televised tsunami in history; the Boxing Day tsunami was filmed to a lesser degree than the footage available on YouTube that shows the moment the tsunami flooded Japanese coastal areas.

Media watchers familiar with the Boxing Day tsunami would recognise several parallels in the way the media is covering the story in Japan. Some points worth noting:

1. The scale of the disaster will be more apparent from aerial surveys and satellite images. The media is likely to use before/after satellite images of Japan's eastern coastline to show the extent of the devastation. Stories are also likely to touch on how the post-tsunami coastline has changed.

2. Agricultural experts may talk about how crop growth will be affected as a result of saltwater leeching into the soil. The high saline content makes the soil unsuitable for planting food crops and this is a story the media may explore. This was experienced by farmers in Sumatra.

3. It is only a matter of time before journalists address whether the ocean's catch is safe for consumption. In the wake of the Boxing Day tsunami, some seafood lovers shunned Sri Lankan mud crabs and other seafood as they feared the crustaceans may have eaten corpses washed into the sea. With seafood forming a large part of the Japanese diet, this topic could surface in the media soon.

4. The psychological impact of the disaster is a ticking time bomb that suicide statistics in coming months may reflect. Disaster relief agencies deployed for the Boxing Day tsunami recognised that survivors are not the only ones vulnerable to post-traumatic stresses triggered by a natural disaster. First responders, care givers and even journalists who witness the tsunami's aftermath can likewise carry emotional scars from their experience in and around the disaster zone.

5. Japanese authorities will have to impose some form of air traffic control in the airspace around the disaster zone. Free wheeling media choppers may have given the world a firsthand look at the tsunami, but uncontrolled and unregulated use of airspace is a danger to flight safety. In Sumatra, Indonesian authorities worked with the Singapore Armed Forces to introduce air lanes off Meulaboh that replaced the see-and-be-seen flight profiles.

6. Watch your local bookstore. Instant books and special edition magazines on the tsunami will soon appear, as was the case for the Boxing Day tsunami when publishers produced quick turnaround books packed with pictures of the disaster.

7. The rapid change of media attention underscores the fragility of the so-called media offensives and agenda-based journalism. Newsmakers who can weather media attention for two weeks' or so will outlast the attention span of media agencies. Singaporean actors embroiled in extra marital affairs have learned this. So too have repressive regimes around the globe. Case in point: We hardly hear about the situation in Bahrain anymore. Stories on Myanmar, for example, pop up every now and again but seldom command sufficient interest among media agencies to fund the freelancers who provide the backbone of their news coverage. And once the story is downgraded from headline material, even top-ranked parachute journalists and leader writers will look for bigger fish to fry.

That two-week window has direct relevance to SAF war planners as a hot war scenario that deploys the full force potential of Singapore's war machine will have to wrap things up within xx days. This falls within the 14-day window of media attention, which means the situation in the SAF's zone of operations will continue to command foreign media attention from the first shot to ceasefire.

Singapore's quake relief team returns from New Zealand

Homecoming: Corporal Muhammad Hasif greets his loved ones at Changi Airport after his return from a military exercise turned quake relief operation in New Zealand. (Source: Ministry of Defence, Singapore)

Singapore contingent returns from Christchurch

Source: Ministry of Defence, Singapore
Posted: 13 Mar 2011, 1910 hours (Time is GMT +8 hours)

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) team which was deployed to assist with the earthquake relief operations in Christchurch, New Zealand, returned home this evening after successfully completing their mission. 70 SAF personnel, together with 30 members from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) urban search and rescue team, were welcomed home by Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General (LG) Neo Kian Hong at a ceremony held at Changi Airport Terminal 3. Also present at the ceremony were Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee, family members of the returning personnel as well as senior SAF and SCDF officers.

Speaking to the SAF team at the reception, LG Neo said, "I congratulate you for successfully completing your mission. You have demonstrated professionalism and commitment in the disaster relief effort to help the people of Christchurch. I thank you and your families who have supported you throughout this deployment."

The 116-strong team began assisting the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and local authorities with rescue operations and providing humanitarian aid to victims of the earthquake in Christchurch on 23 Feb 2011. During their 17-day deployment at Christchurch, the SAF personnel worked closely with the NZDF in conducting cordon operations in the city centre to ensure the safety and security of the residents whose lives and homes were affected by the earthquake. They were also deployed to remove debris in the suburbs, set up water purification units and tents, and provide primary healthcare at the welfare centres. Besides the SAF team, two RSAF C-130s and one KC-135 military aircraft also evacuated civilians, and airlift humanitarian aid and supplies to victims of the earthquake. The aircraft have since returned to Singapore.

The remaining SAF personnel will return to Singapore tomorrow. They will be received by Chief of Army Major-General Chan Chun Sing, senior SAF officers and family members. In Christchurch, the SAF-led Disaster Victim Identification team continues to assist local authorities in forensics work to identify victims killed in the earthquake.

Who watches the Watchers?

Among the comic capers national servicemen are capable of pulling off, the one where Singapore Army soldiers turned a car yard into a Daytona circuit while deployed for Operation Bascinet must rank as a classic.

This incident shows that despite all the high tech wizardry of the Third Generation Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), the drive to develop the SAF's people, warfighting concepts and defence technology counts for nothing if warfighters entrusted with national security operations treat their time on duty as a joke.

The nocturnal adventures at Sembawang Wharves, where factory fresh cars offloaded from Ro-Ro carriers are temporarily stored, came to light last week when their court hearing was reported by the Singaporean media.

Here's what we know of the case:
The soldiers were assigned protection of installation (POI) duty to guard Sembawang Wharves. This former Royal Navy dockyard is classified as a key installation as the RN has berths there and United States Navy personnel use facilities at the sprawling yard on the northern shore of Singapore island.

On the night of Friday 6 August 2010, Army regular Third Sergeant Chiam Toon Chong, 24, and full-time NSmen (NSF) Lance Corporals Tan Yong Cheng and Tan Fu Ning, both 21, were on duty near the car yard where new Kia Koup cars were parked with doors unlocked.

This was no ordinary Friday. It was the eve of a long National Day holiday weekend when corporate Singapore would have shut down for a long weekend.

3SG Chiam is said to have suggested that the trio play with the cars. Press reports state that the group took three Koups on a 15-minute joyride, during which two collided.

3SG Chiam returned to the sleeping quarters around 10pm but the NSFs went for another joyride in two cars. They are said to have gone for a third spin and it was then that the wheel of one Koup was damaged when it went into a drain.

The soldiers returned the cars to the yard and parked the damaged cars out of view. But their game was up when a wharf employee reported the night time antics.

In December 2010, the trio were slapped with detention sentences ranging from nine and 15 months.

From a defence information management perspective, mitigating potential public relations damage from this incident goes beyond ensuring that Army recruitment ads do not coincide with coverage of the case.

One would hope that every serviceman and servicewoman deployed for Ops Bascinet will not fall prey to vigilance fatigue.

The run up to major national holidays must be seen as a critical time for our security forces. Just ask the SAF serviceman who served during the Malindo Darsasa 3AB period of tension in August 1991. There was no time for fun and games.

As the SAF guards against intruders, one cannot realistically expect warfighters to remain on heightened alert for days on end for that one time breach of security that may never come. With nerves kept taut, SAF servicemen may end up like a watch spring that is wound up too tightly - they will feel the strain and eventually break. This is why security battalions and combat units deployed for POI duty should be regularly renewed to keep morale and alert levels high.

Antics among NSFs are not confined to the SAF. The Home Team has its fair share of personnel who make the news for all the wrong reasons.

Managing public perceptions must therefore take into account how our neighbours will view Singapore's NS system.

Many officers in the Malaysian Armed Forces I have spoken to have a high regard for the SAF's battle technology. But when the chit chat shifts to defence manpower matters, that's when their perception of the SAF as a citizen's army of soft city boys sometimes clouds their analysis.

We find the same behaviour among the Indonesians. At the Safkar Indopura war games, TNI warfighters love showing off their jungle survival skills and this includes macho displays of killing and eating assorted jungle wildlife - the kind of stuff known to make some city boys cringe.

The Sembawang Wharves incident makes sad reading because it shows the amount of work needed to ensure that those watching out for us are really doing their job. It would almost be funny if translated into a movie storyline and reading about the case gives one a mental picture of how vigilant that unit really was.

I have heard stories of how guard duty at Changi Airport is sought after by SAF servicemen because they prowl the airport terminals in air conditioned comfort. Another perk: they get to ogle at eye candy as Singapore Airlines flight attendants in tight sarong kebayas saunter past.

The Singapore Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) should keep their morale up by ensuring their essential duties are properly publicised from time to time.

When I was an NSF with PIONEER magazine, we received a letter from a group of storemen whose sole responsibility for 2.5 years was to make wooden pallets. It was dreadfully boring. They felt overshadowed by the frontline roles and asked if PIONEER would consider writing about their low profile role. The magazine obliged and the short story boosted recognition for their critical role in supporting the shipment of SAF material.

During my time with 90C, a photographer and I spent New Year's Eve on Jurong Island with troops on POI duty. We had a warm reception at each guard post we toured and the next morning's newspaper run was something the soldiers looked forward to. It was apparent during the interviews that many of the soldiers had never ushered in a new year away from family and friends before and that point was reflected in the 90C story. That morning's press call and the impending visit by then Chief of Army to Jurong Island made New Year's Eve special for those on the duty roster.

With this argument in mind, the stories showcased by PIONEER about lesser known SAF roles such as vehicle mechanics and air force navigators are welcome. The tricky bit comes with sustaining reader appeal with fresh angles, pictures and perspectives so that the umpteenth behind the scenes story doesn't end up as a page turner as readers second guess what the story is trying to say.

The final point about the Sembawang Wharves incident touches on the SAF's people.

The SAF's value as an instrument of deterrence and as an operationally ready fighting force is only as strong as its weakest links.

On Friday night on 6 August last year, the three SAF servicemen at Sembawang Wharves showed that even those watching out for us, need to be watched sometimes. At that point in time and space, they were the SAF's weak links and they have paid a price for their folly.

Singapore joins quake and tsunami relief operation in Japan; Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) team now airborne on SQ 12

A rescue team from Singapore is currently en route to Japan to join earthquake and tsunami relief operations there after killer waves swamped parts of Japan's eastern seaboard yesterday afternoon.

The mission, codenamed Operation Lionheart, is believed to be the first time a rescue team from Singapore has been sent to Japan for quake relief work.

The Lionheart Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team comprises five personnel and five rescue dogs from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). They are led by Major Tan Loo Ping. All but one of the SCDF officers were in Chrischurch, New Zealand, recently on a previous Lionheart mission after an earthquake levelled parts of the city.

The team took off from Changi International Airport (SIN) aboard Singapore Airlines Flight SQ 12 and is expected to arrive in Tokyo's Narita Airport (NRT) just before 5pm this afternoon. The SCDF Lionheart team will then work alongside Japanese rescue forces.

SCDF Deploys Search Team to Japan
Source: Corporate Communications Branch, Public Affairs Department, SCDF
12 March 2011
Update No: 1

SCDF has deployed 5 search specialists and 5 search dogs to Japan to assist in the search operations following the 8.8 - magnitude earthquake that occurred on 11 Mar 2011. The SCDF officers are from the Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) contingent, codenamed Operation Lionheart.

Led by Search Platoon Commander, Major Tan Loo Ping, the 5-man team comprise experienced officers. Members of the team have all participated in past overseas search and rescue operations. MAJ Tan, including three of the officers, have just returned from Christchurch, New Zealand (NZ) on 6 March 2011 after participating there [NZ] in the search and rescue efforts.

The SCDF search team left via commercial flight (SQ 12) today at 10.44am (Singapore time). The team was sent off by the Senior Director of Emergency Services, Assistant Commissioner Eric Yap. Upon arrival in Japan, MAJ Tan will coordinate with the local authorities as to the areas to be deployed.

Singapore's internal security options: When lethal force might be used

Some of us may feel that riots in Singapore are an unlikely scenario. Singapore has been spared social unrest, but there are elements in Singapore's national security apparatus who train hard to meet and defeat far fetched scenarios.

The red vehicles you see above are used by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) Special Operations Command (SOC). The SOC unit they belong to is known as the Police Task Force (PTF), otherwise known as the riot police.

The vehicle on the right was introduced several years ago to replace the Command Vehicle on the left. The old Command Vehicle dates from a design from pre-Independence days when modified buses were deployed for riot control. The concept successfully quelled riots in Malaya as it gave law enforcement officers a raised platform from which to marshal and deploy riot police against street protests. Riot police from Malaysia's Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) still use Command Vehicles of a similar design as the turret gives them an elevated view of the street scene.

The Command Vehicle includes a turret with an observation deck for four to five PTF officers, a bell for sounding riot police formation changes (continuous rings means "Baton charge!") and a 1234X light box for giving visual cues at night. The flashing "X" signals a baton charge.

Please click on the image to enlarge it and take a close look at the open signboard. This signboard is usually closed up when the PTF troop is deployed for duty. Many of you would be seeing this sign's wording for the first time.

When PTF officers display this in public, it is time to look for cover.

It appears that the old Command Vehicle never deployed the signboard in anger. Had Singapore's riot police wielded the sign against street protestors, such an action would have damaged Singapore's international image.

There may be occasions when brute force is require and where mob violence must be met with terminal intensity. This could include occasions anarchist groups bent on destruction unleash organised mayhem on the city state. Should push come to shove and the safety catches on firearms are put to "fire", Singapore must be prepared to present a credible case for the just use of force to an international audience.

On the home front, the government of the day must fulfill its social contract with Singaporeans by keeping such powerful forces on a tight hold. The sweeping laws in Singapore must never be abused and SPF and Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) capabilities must always be employed responsibly.

Now that a new vehicle has been introduced, it is time to reconsider the use of such language (DISPERSE OR WE FIRE) as it may not work in the 21st century for the following reasons:

1. Many Singaporeans have seen or experienced a real riot. Deploying a sign that says "DISPERSE OR WE FIRE" tells the MTV generation that action is going to take place soon. It is a free show worthy of YouTube and may encourage gawkers to hang around the demonstration site, thus negating the crowd dispersal value of this sign. For example, Gen Ys may linger to watch the action just as many Singaporeans slow down to rubber neck a road traffic accident.

2. It is interesting to speculate the concept of operations (CONOPS) that would see PTF officers deploy such a sign. What sort of firearms would be discharged? What are the conditions for a ceasefire? When the PTF warns that it will open fire, does it mean non-lethal or less than lethal munitions such as CS gas, baton rounds or obscurants? Or does this mean single shots from Taurus revolvers, MP-5 submachine guns or is this a warning that the PTF are about to turn the place into a free fire zone?

3. Who will be the target? Angry Singaporeans or disgruntled foreign workers protesting pay and work conditions? Both groups must be handled with extreme care. Any Singaporean government that draws blood from Singaporeans without just cause loses its social contract with the people.

Shooting foreigners opens a new can of worms. For example, no Malaysian general will stand idly by if Malaysians protesting in Singapore are shot dead or wounded by PTF gunfire. Our northern neighbours can be expected to take a decisive stand against political violence and the situation could escalate alarmingly fast.

4. Where are the troops trained to aim at? A head shot for a brain stem kill? Or a shot at the legs to incapacitate? A leg shot would kill a person within six minutes if a femoral artery is ruptured. What does the CONOPS state if protestors are unarmed? This brings to mind the classic response from South African authorities during the height of the apartheid era when they were accused of using live ammunition against blacks and coloureds. They are quoted as saying: "We will fire rubber bullets, when they throw rubber bricks". Classic.

5. The message "DISPERSE OR WE FIRE" is ungrammatical. To be sure, it sounds like the kind of threat Asian bad guys from a James Bond movie or Dr Fu Manchu show would spout. Singaporeans may be deterred if the sign said simply "Disperse Or We Will Arrest U" or "Disperse Or Fine $1K". The Malay version, "Bersurai Jika Tidak Kami Tembak", is roughly translated as "Disperse, if you do not we fire" - not quite a direct translation of the English text.

6. The sign spells a bonanza for any photo journalist covering a riot. Imagine a picture with unarmed demonstrators in the foreground with the sign in Singapore's four official languages in the background. It says it all: that an unarmed crowd is about to be gunned down. Magazines and media agencies will pay good money for such action shots and the price such publicity will exact on Singapore's international image will be high.

7. As unpalatable or unlikely as nightmare scenarios are to most of us, the hard truth is that our security forces train for many eventualities that may threaten to destabilise our fragile city state. One may deem such situations implausible or improbable, but authorities think otherwise.

Singapore Armed Forces quake relief in New Zealand: RSAF C-130 Hercules transport planes airlift supplies for NZ quake survivors

While the rest of Singapore took time off this weekend, Singaporean C-130 pilots, navigators and airmen from the Air Combat Command's Transport Group were hard at work ferrying earthquake survivors and relief supplies in New Zealand.

The current Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) deployment in support of NZ-led quake relief operations is the Singapore air force's largest and longest range deployment since the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami. To get to New Zealand, RSAF C-130 pilots and airmen flew a single distance trip of around 8,400km from Paya Lebar Air Base (WSAP) to Christchurch (CHC). The C-130s took off from WSAP on Wednesday morning just after 0400hrs Hotel.

Their flight would not have been possible without the RSAF ground support elements who loaded, fuelled and prepared the C-130s for their long flight. RSAF navigators were also instrumental in shepherding the pair of turboprop transports across the vast Australian continent. The flight took them from Paya Lebar Air Base to RAAF Darwin, then to RAAF Richmond and across the Tasman Sea to New Zealand.

The contribution of the RSAF Air Movement Centre (AMC) and Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) Foreign Military Liaison Branch in arranging flight clearances is also acknowledged.

The RSAF contribution was spearheaded by a KC-135R tanker/transport from 112 Squadron.

Early on Wednesday morning, 112 Sqn pilots and airmen flew a KC-135R tanker/transport to Christchurch for quake relief work. A jet-powered sibling of the Boeing 707 airliner, the KC-135R flies faster than the propellor-driven C-130 transports. The KC-135R was thus tasked to fly as pathfinder with the advance party for Singapore's earthquake relief team, which the government of New Zealand accepted for the NZ-led relief operation in South Island's largest city. The team comprises SAF and Singapore Civil Defence Force rescuers.

RSAF C-130s from 122 Squadron are no strangers to New Zealand skies, having participated in the Sky Train series of tactical airlift exercises with the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF).

From time to time, the RNZAF also despatches aircraft to Singapore for war games held under the auspices of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA).

Well done, 112 Squadron and 122 Squadron. Fly safe.

(Note: MINDEF should really work on its paragraphing. See the chunky news release below.)


SAF C-130s assist in Christchurch earthquake

Source: Ministry of Defence, Singapore
Posted: 27 Feb 2011, 1650 hours (Time is GMT +8 hours)

Over the weekend, two Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) C-130 military transport aircraft, which arrived in Christchurch on 24 Feb 2011, were dispatched to assist the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) to airlift humanitarian aid and supplies to victims of the earthquake. The aircraft have made two supply runs to transport bottled water and welfare supplies, as well as a decontamination team and equipment into Christchurch. The aircraft also evacuated 138 civilians out of Christchurch to Wellington and Auckland. The SAF has made available the two C-130s currently based out of Whenuapai Air Base near Auckland for use by the NZDF as part of the ongoing assistance provided by the SAF for the disaster relief efforts in Christchurch, New Zealand.

This morning, the NZDF Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General (LG) Richard Rhys Jones visited the SAF team and expressed his appreciation for the SAF's contributions to the rescue operations and disaster relief efforts thus far. Singapore Contingent Commander Colonel Melvyn Ong, who met with LG Jones, said, "The Singapore contingent remains committed to assisting the NZDF with rescue operations and to provide humanitarian aid to the residents whose lives and homes have been affected by the earthquake. We hope that our assistance has gone some way towards relieving the suffering of the earthquake victims."

Since Friday, two medical officers from the SAF team were deployed with the NZDF mobile primary healthcare team to welfare centres in Christchurch where they provided medical assistance to civilians affected by the earthquake. The 116-strong SAF team continues to be deployed to help the NZDF with cordon operations to ensure the safety and security of the residents whose lives and homes have been affected by the earthquake.
- ENDS -

Libya in crisis - Use of mercenaries to put down political unrest and its relevance to Singapore's internal security

Please vote in the latest poll. The context is a face off between the armed forces and unarmed citizens staging a political protest, as seen in Bahrain, Egypt, Libya and Yemen in recent weeks. If your officer orders you to shoot, would you do so? Many thanks.

Political unrest in the Middle East is the closest thing to the Domino Effect coming true.

After leadership changes in Tunisia and Egypt, the spotlight is now on Libya with the country gripped by civil unrest. The kingdom of Bahrain also pops up in the media with its on again/off again political violence that pits Bahraini against Bahraini.

In recent weeks, we have seen Egyptian security forces lack the will to shoot unarmed Egyptians. But their Libyan neighbours have hired guns to do the state's dirty work.

African mercenaries are said to be prowling key cities with shoot-to-kill orders. Reports from Libya claim that the brutality of these hired guns has in turn prompted some Libyan soldiers to turn on the regime, fuelling a spiral of violence that is tearing the country apart.

The role of mercenaries in keeping the peace by waging war on civilians appears to have bought the embattled Libyan regime some time. It may die soon, but there is little denying that mercenaries have put the regime on life support.

It would appear that when ordered to open fire on civilians, thinking soldiers do reason that they are not paid or conscripted to shoot the very people they train to defend. The reluctance of citizen soldiers, who are mainly conscripts and reservists, to pull the trigger when ordered to do so will cast doubt on the role of the military during a national uprising.

Mercenaries have no such moral dilemma.

Mercenaries/hired guns/private military contractors are loyal to whoever signs their pay cheque. Many will have no compunction using deadly force against unarmed gatherings. This lack of moral compass and their dependable nature during times of strife will make mercenaries sought after as life insurance by regimes worldwide.

To those familiar with Singapore's national security apparatus, the relevance of the points just raised will be obvious. But more on that in a bit.

The security situation in Bahrain sends mixed signals to defence and security watchers around the globe. Authorities there are said to have unleased military and security forces to gun down Bahrainis. But the response from the United States, which has based its 5th Fleet in the Arab kingdom, has been limited to restrained tongue wagging.

There was no Tiananmen redux after blood flowed in Bahrain. The muted response from Western leaders raises the poser whether a country can get away with shooting its own people so long as the bodycount does not hit a trigger point. And if so, despots would no doubt be keen to know that magic number.

One imagines that if a country is a major destination for American weapons makers and a host to US military forces, then the government of the day can get away with murder political violence.

This brings the discussion back to Singapore.

The city state has enjoyed 45 years of peace, progress and prosperity - this after a tumultous start to nationhood which has been hailed as the Singapore story.

In a worst-case scenario, a freak election result could boot out the government of the day. If Singaporeans unwittingly vote in a rogue government, a would-be despot would find that he (or she as the case may be, since there are many bad tempered and scheming Singaporean women out there) has at his/her disposal a host of instruments to muzzle dissent.

In this nightmare future, the new government of the day would also find that Singapore's importance to the US military presence in the Pacific Rim is a useful trump card. As with the case of Bahrain, this trump card is likely to buy the Republic some breathing space should the rogue government find a need to beat down protestors.

At present, the number of Nepali mercenaries in Singapore outnumbers that of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) units on standby as an Alert Red force.

The Nepalis form the Gurkha Contingent - an innocuous sounding set up that counts a brigade strength unit of highly-trained police officers. The GC is equipped with wheeled armour and has its own special forces unit with all the bells and whistles one would expect a SF team to possess.

The hard truth is that if a rogue government takes power some day, Singapore's citizens army will be powerless to stop an oppressive regime from clamping down on dissent using brute force.

Unlike National Service armies in Israel, Sweden and Switzerland, Singaporean NSmen are not allowed to bring their personal fire arms home. This means that a rogue government has little to worry about should it want to impose harsh measures against Singaporeans.

Placed in a similar conundrum as warfighters in the Middle East, SAF officers are unlikely to tolerate a situation should a rogue government order the GC to open fire on civilians. One can imagine a situation where SAF NSFs and NSmen deployed for "civil contingency operations" refuse to obey orders to open fire on unarmed protestors.

Even if the SAF plans to mount a counter strike, the forces at the disposal of Singapore's military can be quickly neutered by the GC. The Gurkhas have superior numbers vis-a-vis SAF standby forces in peacetime and, more importantly, have access to intelligence that alerts the powers-that-be of murmurings of dissent.

The value of intelligence in aiding the fight cannot be under-estimated. Astute information gatherers who can break into the SAF's decision making cycle can rein in the citizen's army before it mobilises for action. The LTIOV for internal security and civil contingency operations is short and the ability of Singapore's internal security apparatus to gather, process and act on time-sensitive intelligence makes it less likely the SAF can hatch a plot under the nose of a rogue government.

Singaporeans who have seen Gurkhas on duty at events such as the Singapore Air Show, Shangri-La Dialogue and high profile international conferences held in Singapore (IMF World Bank Meeting, APEC) will probably agree they stand out as disciplined professionals. Off duty, those you bump into during runs at Mount Vernon or at the East Coast Park are as friendly as they come.

But it is precisely this steel discipline, the fact that they are hard wired to follow orders without question, that worries me.

If the men in white are one day replaced by men in black (i.e. rogue government) who have nefarious intentions, street protests of the kind we have seen in the Middle East are unlikely to result in a change of government. Indeed, civil disobedience in Singapore is likely to be brutally suppressed.

I am unaware of any circuit breaker that could muzzle internal security forces such as the GC so long as Singapore's Prime Minister gets into his Parliament seat by the ballot box.

The elected President might be the people's saviour. But remember that this office was designed more to safeguard the Lion City's massive financial reserves than to hold back the goon squad internal security elements. A People's President may hold another key to the reserves, but he cannot hold back internal security operations and may find himself besieged in the Istana, powerless to intervene.

This nightmare scenario is unlikely to pan out anytime soon and is as likely to come true as the nightmare scenario of Malaysia invading Singapore.

Still, the SAF trains hard to defend Singapore against a full threat spectrum.

And defence aware Singaporean netizens should likewise be mindful of internal security scenarios that could trip up our fragile nation.

Singaporean rescuers in New Zealand: Operation Lion Heart image gallery

"Our team will stay for as long as necessary. This is part of our show of support to the people of New Zealand during this difficult period."
Mr K Shanmugam, Singapore's Minister for Home Affairs and Law.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) has shared the following images of its Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team now deployed in Christchurch to assist New Zealand authorities with quake relief operations.

Singapore has sent 55 SCDF officers and four search dogs to New Zealand under the banner of Operations Lion Heart.

The contingent commander for Ops Lion Heart is Lieutenant Colonel Ling Kok Yong, who is Commander of the 1^st Civil Defence Division. Based at Alexandra Fire Station, the 1st CD Division provides emergency response coverage for the southern parts of Singapore.

The team includes members of the SCDF Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART), which is the SCDF's crack rescue team, as well as SCDF officers trained, organised and supported for USAR work under demanding conditions.

Mr K Shanmugam, Singapore's Minister for Home Affairs and Law, said on Wednesday: "We are all deeply saddened at the loss of so many lives and the scale of the destruction. We are sending our SCDF officers including the DART Team to New Zealand to help - to rescue lives and help in the post-disaster relief efforts. The SCDF team has the experience, and the necessary equipment for the task. They will work with the NZ authorities and be deployed where assigned or needed."

All images courtesy of HQ SCDF. The assistance of the SCDF Public Affairs Department is appreciated.

Wednesday 23 Feb 2011, Singapore
Paya Lebar Air Base, 0300 Hotel, 23 February 2011

Send off: Mr K Shanmugam, Singapore's Minister for Home Affairs and Law and Assistant Commissioner (AC) Eric Yap, Acting Commissioner SCDF, were at Paya Lebar Air Base to send off the Lion Heart contingent. The SCDF Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team, codenamed Operation Lion Heart, were airlifted to New Zealand in two waves.

23 Feb 2011, New Zealand

Life savers: A Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team made up of an SCDF rescuer and his search dog comb the debris of a building along Gloucester Street, about 1km west of the SCDF's base camp at Latimer Square in Christchurch. This picture was taken around 7pm, Singapore time, on 23 Feb 2011.

Protect and save: SCDF rescuers use the keen sense of smell of various breeds of dogs to detect signs of life in debris fields.

Four SCDF search dogs are in Christchurch as part of the 55-member SCDF Operation Lion Heart USAR team. The danger of falling debris from aftershocks which rock the city occasionally is evident in this picture.

24 Feb 2011, New Zealand

Hand of friendship: Prime Minister of New Zealand, Mr John Key briefly spoke to Lieutenant Colonel Ling Kok Yong, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) Commander of the Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Contingent during his visit to the Christchurch Art Gallery, which is now converted to a Crisis Management Centre.

The New Zealand PM was briefed on Singapore's contribution to the quake relief effort and met some of the rescuers deployed to NZ.

Singaporean soldiers join NZ-led quake relief effort

SAF Assists NZDF in Christchurch

Command Group Meeting: The commander of the Singapore contingent now in New Zealand, for quake relief operations, Colonel Melvyn Ong, speaking to his team upon arrival in Christchurch. The RSAF KC-135R from 112 Squadron that was instrumental in airlifting Singaporean rescuers to NZ looms in the background. (Photo credit: Ministry of Defence, Singapore)

Source: Ministry of Defence, Singapore
Posted: 23 Feb 2011, 1640 hours (Time is GMT +8 hours)

A 116-strong Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) team has begun to assist the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and local authorities with rescue operations and providing humanitarian aid to victims of the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand since this morning. The SAF personnel have been deployed to help the NZDF with cordon operations to ensure the safety and security of the residents whose lives and homes have been affected by the earthquake.

Describing the team's efforts, Major Xu Youfeng, Operations Officer Headquarters Guards, said, "We have been working closely with the NZDF and other New Zealand authorities to assist in the conduct of earthquake relief operations since this morning. The NZDF and the locals have been warm and hospitable during our stay here and we are very appreciative of their friendship. We will do the very best we can to help the victims of the earthquake."

The SAF servicemen were participating in a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercise, codenamed Lion Walk, with the NZDF when the earthquake happened. Singapore also dispatched a 55-member Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) urban search and rescue team and an SAF command team to assist in the disaster relief efforts early this morning. The Singapore contingent departed from Paya Lebar Air Base in two RSAF C-130s and one KC-135 military aircraft. The KC-135 aircraft arrived in Christchurch this afternoon and will be evacuating civilians out of the earthquake zone to Auckland, New Zealand.

Ops Lion Heart

C-130s brakes off.

Second C-130 wheels up approx 0416H.

Best of luck to Ops Lion Heart.

Ops Lion Heart

C-130s warming up.

Operation Lion Heart: Singapore's quake relief forces set to depart for Christchurch, New Zealand

Flash: Operation Lion Heart earthquake relief forces due to takeoff from WSAP 0300 Hotel 23 Feb 2011.

Singapore Armed Forces Guardsmen help New Zealanders with quake relief - more help on the way after NZ gov't gives green light

Singaporean soldiers are now assisting with earthquake relief operations in the New Zealand city of Christchurch and more help will wing its way there from Singapore early tomorrow morning.

As you read this, additional quake relief forces are being prepared at the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) air base at Paya Lebar. They were assigned their mission to New Zealand after the NZ government accepted Singapore's offer to assist with quake relief operations in Christchurch, the largest city in New Zealand's South Island.

Rescuers from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) will be airlifted to New Zealand aboard one KC-135R from the RSAF's 112 Squadron and two C-130 Hercules transports from 122 SQN.

The airlift will be the RSAF's largest and longest range humanitarian assistance and disaster relief flight since the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004. The flight from Singapore to New Zealand is expected to take around 12 hours, with refuelling stops in between for the KC-135R and C-130s.

This demands thorough route planning and weather intelligence by RSAF pilots, navigators and airmen as the airlift will have to cover the vast continent of Australia and the wet gap to New Zealand. Anyone who has taken a C-130 ride for any length of time will realise the challenge of riding cargo class in a Herk on a SIN-NZ air route.

Complicating flight schedules and time-on-target arrival planning is the difference in airspeed between the turbofan-powered KC-135Rs and the slower, propellor-driven C-130s. This may see the contingent arrive in New Zealand at staggered timings, complicating the deployment of the Singaporean rescue force in one wave.

Presently deployed in and around Christchurch are 116 SAF regulars and full-time National Servicemen from Headquarters Guards.

The Guardsmen, who are trained as heliborne infantry, are in New Zealand for the Lion Walk land forces manoeuvres with the New Zealand Defence Force.

Their mercy mission alongside New Zealander rescuers extends a helping hand to residents of Christchurch after a 6.3 magnitude temblor struck around midday on Tuesday (22 Feb'11).


DPM Teo Offers Assistance in Response to the Earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand

Source: Ministry of Defence, Singapore
Posted: 22 Feb 2011, 2048 hours (Time is GMT +8 hours)

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean has conveyed Singapore's condolences and offer of assistance to the New Zealand government and people as they grapple with the devastation of the earthquake in Christchurch.

In a telephone conversation with the New Zealand Minister of Defence Dr Wayne Mapp this afternoon, Mr Teo offered the assistance of 116 Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) regulars and full-time national servicemen to help with rescue operations and to provide humanitarian aid to victims of the earthquake. The servicemen, from Headquarters Guards, were participating in the annual bilateral exercise in Christchurch, codenamed Exercise Lion Walk, when the earthquake happened. The exercise has since stopped, and all SAF personnel are safe and accounted for.

The New Zealand authorities have accepted Singapore's offers of assistance. Besides the SAF team in New Zealand, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) will be flying a 55-member Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) urban search and rescue team and a command team led by Colonel Melvyn Ong, Commander 7 Singapore Infantry Brigade, to assist in the disaster relief efforts. The Singapore contingent will depart from Paya Lebar Airbase in two RSAF C-130s and one KC-135 military aircraft early tomorrow morning.

Last updated on 22 Feb 2011

Singapore's Defence Budget FY 2011/12

The record amount of $12.08 billion (US$9.5 billion, RM 28.8 billion, Rp 84 trillion) earmarked for Singapore's defence this coming financial year provides much food for thought for Singapore watchers.

For military buffs, the proposed FY2011/12 defence budget is likely to trigger spirited debates over the type and number of war machines on the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) shopping list.

For government critics, the largest slice of the planned Budget provides ammunition to attack the spending plans of the ruling People's Action Party (PAP).

Singaporean journalists from the mainstream media are likely to churn out arguments defending MINDEF's war chest. And while some reports may build up a case along the lines of "how much is enough", just wait for the "but" in the story for the usual catch phrases and predictable quotes to kick in. *yawns*

With a General Election looming as early as the April-May 2011 timeframe, such arguments better be good.

To skeptical tax payers, painting a doomsday scenario of an underfunded Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) falling victim to threats unseen, unexpected and unfriendly towards Singapore may not sit well with the voting public. They have heard this tune replayed for the past 45 years and the rehashed public relations (PR) script is looking far too predictable.

What Singaporeans need to hear is how the SAF is earning its keep.

And this, in my opinion, is an area MINDEF's spin masters from the Public Affairs Directorate (PAFF) have to work hard to excel at. Spending more than S$100,000 on expen$ive media offensives to carpet bomb Singaporeans with Total Defence messages and televised sing sings is not the way to win hearts and minds.

As Singaporean parliamentarians gear up for the Committee of Supply (COS) debates in March'11, one would hope PAFF would be more creative in selling the SAF's story.

The cookie cutter approach to churning out MINDEF/SAF-friendly media reports based on a rigid PR stylebook and predictable punchlines may not work as threat-weary Singaporeans and carefree Gen Ys throw caution to the wind. Add left-leaning Singaporean politicians into the mix, plus sweet talking politicians north and south of the Lion City and PAFF's storyline may border on paranoia.

It would be tragic for the Republic's defence and security posture if money assigned to protect its national interests ends up triggering voter discontent. Restive voters and a complacent attitude towards national security could undermine the political system that pencilled in that amount for the FY2011/12 spending in the first place, thus contributing to the freak election result theory.

Explaining what makes up operating expenditure should take Singaporean readers and viewers behind the fencelines of vital installations. This way, the media can help citizens see and understand what Island Defence is all about. Such operations, carried out 24/7, have kept the SAF at a high operational tempo since the 9/11 attacks a decade ago.

The security threats are real. Question is: Are heartlanders convinced?

Operating expenditure also embraces SAF missions overseas. Singaporeans need to know why sons of Singapore put their lives on the line on foreign soil and on the high seas far from Singapore's shores. I bet many do not realise what is at stake.

At the same time, MINDEF/SAF must show citizen soldiers that the defence system uses its soldiers' time and commitment prudently. It must also demonstrate that the system is financially prudent and astutely managed. Damage is done whenever citizen soldiers see, sense or experience wastage in terms of their time (through administrative cock ups) or poorly executed military training. Stir coffee with any operationally ready national servicemen and each would have his own stock of stories about the SAF's infamous hurry up and wait culture.

The development expenditure side of the story could provide a tantalising glimpse into the SAF's 3rd Generation transformation effort. Many defence systems and platforms take years to develop, and then some, before the new acquisition attains Initial Operational Capability.

A lot of work also takes place behind the scenes so that SAF war machines can meet its specific operational requirements. Such vital work accounts for part of defence spending and tax payers ought to know more about what they are paying for.

In doing so, one need not give MINDEF/SAF censors a heart attack by revealing trade secrets. PAFF can cherry pick the list of retired SAF war machines for compelling examples - and there are many - of MINDEF's concept-to-retirement approach in defence development. Along the way, introduce the defence engineers, scientists and SAF warfighters who were involved in everything from Project Almond to Project Archer to Project Zebra to make the story come alive. This way, even the Singaporean layperson can appreciate the amount of effort in Ops Tech integration needed to sharpen and maintain the SAF's defence readiness.

Such stories would probably amaze young Singaporeans, many of whom know more about foreign soccer teams than their own country's armed forces.

The PAP's critics have already got their defence themed counter arguments prepared. Red button topics include the need for and duration of National Service, as well as the amount of money spent on defence... with no enemy in sight. When told by a natural orator in front of a crowd hungry for political entertainment, such defence themed jibes are likely to stir listeners into a frenzy because they touch on issues every Singaporean son can relate to.

Such political entertainment comes at a price and a dip in yardsticks used to measure fuzzy concepts like commitment to defence (C2D) is the least of the problems MINDEF/SAF planners need to worry about.

The real worry comes when vigilance fatigue extracts a price in blood from Singaporeans - whatever their age, skin colour or political persuasion.

The FY 2011/12 budget estimates for MINDEF/SAF are a done deal. This is the reality of a one party system. The green light to spend will not mark the end of the story. The real action starts when various political parties hit the campaign trail to woo voters to their camp.

Record defence spending may be needed to make Singapore more secure. At the same time, the billions of dollars proposed for MINDEF/SAF make the system more vulnerable to barbs from its critics.

Such is the irony of politics.