NS man realise he been con into doing NS

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The Soldier, his mother and Foreign Talent
April 21st, 2011 | Author: Contributions

I could not curtail my enthusiasm in wanting to write this piece. The best thing that happened to me is the advance of “free internet” papers and our ability to get it published. And here goes my story which would never get an air in the mainstream.

It was one of those dreaded MRT trips I hate taking- on a Sunday when the train is invaded by all the ‘much need and self serving’ foreign talents. But then I could not avoid this time. My journey started in Boon Lay and it was evening. Among others, a young Chinese boy in his army outfit boarded the train. My hunch was he was booking in for the week at Changi for his tekong camp. With him was his mother. What strike me was, she reminded of mothers I know of in the 70s where they followed their sons on the weekend book ins. She looked the typical housewife with a worried look in her face and handkerchief which she used to wipe her temple and that of her son periodically until the aircon in the train sufficed the sweat. 2 stops later an Indian National boarded with his family. With the typical fashion of Indian Nationals who are FT’s- he parked his pram in the middle of the train with an overgrown child in it. The FT sat beside the Army boy in a seat meant for the elderly. He was having a good time smiling and all, talking to his wife who was standing. I believe it was a family outing in a train system his country can never materialise in another 30 years. What made my heart sink was the full picture being played infront of my eyes “a national service man who by now was nodding away with insufficient sleep & beside him someone who is enjoying a train ride”. How I was wish the soldier was a FT too.

The greatest virtue this country has given us was our naivety. It took us so long to realise that we are being run over by FT’s especially the likes from India, China and the Philippines- the epitome of corrupt nations among the world. They would bring with them their culture, their own enclaves and their own people to the workforce while the 18 year old infront of my eyes was working hard to have them protected.

I recall some 20 years ago when I reported for BMT. It is ritualistic those days for any sons going for NS, especially if you are a Taoist or Hindu, you be brought to a temple and prayers are offered to the gods. And my dad told me how proud he was in seeing me off to the army to train to defend this country. But today I feel all my efforts have bore fruit for the FT’s who swarm into our island. Now the question is do we really need them? I am neither an economist nor a talented individual but then what I would want to hear from the experts is the real reason why we have FT’s in this country. I do not belief for one that we cannot create our own talents. I recall clearly when Goh Keng Swee had the last laugh when we were able to train and materialise our own batch of Army Officers against the better judgement of the Israelis.

I am still puzzled by this turn of events for I am not getting a forthright answer from the incumbents whose general statement is “We need them”. How bad would we be without them? I need some answers before I decide where my votes goes to for I don’t want my child to be having the same predicament 20 years from now!

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Bila Bila Ong