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It Starts With A Lie

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Jump, Sir? How high, Sir?
The official retirement age for commissioned officers in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is 50 years old, up from 45 previously - adjusted in 2009 so that Colonel Ishak Ismail at age 46 could become the first Malay general in the SAF - and warrant officers and specialists retire at 55. Amidst all the talk about advancing the retirement age for a greying nation, it is plainly contrarian for a career officer of 29 years' service to hang up his star studded uniform at age 47.

Just after another general talked about pureness of heart, the latest lottery player resorts to deceit to beguile the public with, "While I do no rule out the option of returning to the Administrative Service...." The tragedy is that Ng Chee Meng is a qualified pilot, trained at great expense to the taxpayers, to defend the nation from the cockpit of a F-16 Falcon or F-14 Strike Eagle. Unlike Brigadier-General Hoo Cher Mou who was the first non-pilot to be appointed air force chief in Singapore, or any military in the world. Ng chose instead to eject from magnificent flying machines, and parachute into the gutter politics of a third world parliament.

"Given his tested leadership and proven capabilities, I would not at all be surprised if indeed he does (enter politics)," that was Ng Eng Hen, no relation, further insulting the intelligence of the electorate. The Lieutenant General's "leadership' and "capabilities" include sending our young men into the active combat zones of Afghanistan and the Gulf of Aden, while he had the cosy job of doing guard duty for a horrible person lying in state. That and the all important National Day Parade, our paper mill generals' acid test equivalent of John McCain's ordeal at Hotel Hanoi. Play spot the toy soldiers on August 9, you should be able to easily pick out the Rear-Admirals, Brigadier-Generals, Major-General, and the only guy in uniform, the Lieutenant-General. Don't be surprised if some foreign correspondent mistakes the line up at the Padang for Russia's Red Square Parade.


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