Coming next --- CORE VALUES

I have been away for weeks in May to serve my country--- reservist training. Yes, this is the second time I have been called up for reservist training this year but I have no problem with that. I have been asked to "volunteer" for a third time this year but still considering about that. (Note: under the law, any NSmen could not be called up for more than 40 days in a year for reservist training unless he volunteers himself to do so.)

During this period of reservist training, lots of things happen:

1) Our soldiers died in the Taiwan air planes crash

2) NETS announces rate hike

3) Richard Yong, ex-NKF Chairman who is the key player in the charity's scandal reportedly "disappeared" right after he was declared a bankrupt

4) Mr. JB Jeyeratnam gets discharged from bankruptcy and announces plans to form the new political party Democratic Reform Party

All these happen during my reservist training period. I do have things to write about all these happenings but alas, most of the time I was too tired during this period.

I have an opportunity to question one of the most relevant officer involves in manpower about the compensation of those who died in the tour of NS duty. This is after reading what was reported in online news about our Defence Minister making remarks about "being realistic" in the compensations for the dead soldiers. Frankly speaking, I am very pissed off by such insensitive remarks and I think Singaporeans should tell the ministers to be "realistic" about their annual salary too!

Yes, no amount of money would be enough to compensate the loss of life; the loss of the love ones. However, it has bigger implications than the amount of money paid off. It affects morale of the men and women serving the country. I could really imagine how my men would say to me in future in camp training, "Sir, be realistic lah, if we work too hard, too siow on (on the ball), if something happens to us, the Defence Ministry will just tell us or our family members to be 'realistic' about compensation! Who will take care of our families? Better play safe, take it easy and not too seriously..."

As for the NETS rate hike, it is the most unbelievable "reasons" I have read so far! Well, I will leave it to the people to judge whether such reasons are justifiable or not. But it does bring back a subtle point I have been telling my course mates that as an economic trained individual, I HATE MONOPOLIES, be it in economics or politics. If we really have no choice but to be stuck with natural monopolies, then they must be regulated.

As for the "prolonged" NKF saga, what many people feared has finally come true: one of the key player of the scandal has fled the country after being ordered by the court to pay legal compensation amount to a million to NKF. The funny thing is this, since Richard Yong has sold his properties for $7.5 million, by right he would have the money to pay NKF the $1 million. He chose not to pay and wait to be declared bankrupt. And yet, he did a last minute stunt of fleeing the country on the day he is being declared bankrupt? It is so dramatic! Anyway, NSP has just released a press statement on this incredible incident.

Finally one good news. Long time political veteran fighter Mr. JB Jeyaratnam has been discharged from bankruptcy. He has announced plans to start a new party, called Democratic Reform Party. Congratulations to JBJ and his comrades!

This will roughly sums up the main issues happening during my period of reservist training. This period of time is also a good time for me to take leave from my political involvement for a while, so to have more time for reflecting on some more important issues. It just happens that the course I have attended during this period provided me with great amount of inspirations.

I will sum up my learnings and new insights in my next article, "CORE VALUES". This one will be an important piece of writing of the year.

Goh Meng Seng