more of rubbish from minister who kill sg with NS

uesday, Oct 04, 2011
EXEMPTING outstanding sportsmen from national service is not feasible as it makes a "mockery" of the universal conscription system, said Major-General (NS) Chan Chun Sing, Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, yesterday.

MG Chan said: "To have partial conscription is very difficult. If we start to exempt one from the next, it becomes very difficult to hold the line.

"Who is there to say that you are a sportsman and I am a musician and therefore I cannot pursue my dream?"

He added that there is also a difficulty in establishing what defines "top sportsmen".

He said that if one day Singapore could come to a consensus on the definition of what NS should include, "there is nothing, absolutely nothing, to say that we cannot execute this".

"The question is can you hold the line and make sure it is fair and equitable to all?"

MG Chan was speaking at a dialogue session with youth called Kopi Talk. The event was organised by the Government's feedback unit, Reach.

About 80 tertiary students from various universities attended the session at the Singapore Institute of Management, along with Reach chairman Amy Khor.

MG Chan was responding to a query on whether he felt it was "counter-productive" that top sportsmen are not given time off from their national service obligations for training, unlike in countries such as South Korea.

Other issues raised include the rationale behind policymaking and political activeness.

MG Chan said the Government prides itself on being pragmatic in its policies because it is a necessity for a small country like Singapore.

"We have to offer people something that other people cannot offer or do not offer as well. And that is the basis of our survival."