Friday, June 13, 2008

How many people died in SAF since 2001?

I got the following data from here:
2001(from theonlinecitizen)
April 06: MR Loke Ming (1WO navy) (2.4km)
Oct 29: MR Kwok Wei Ming (CPL Commandos) (Training?)

2002(from theonlinecitizen)
Feb 25: MR Tan Kim Keng (Officer cadet OCS) (Navigation training)
May 15: MR Mohd Shalan bin Abdul Rahim (LCP Reservist) (IPPT)
OCT 10: MR Ivan Oh Yong Hua (REC BMTC) (Training?)

2003(from theonlinecitizen, wikipedia)
Jan 3: Miss Goh Hui Ling (CPL Navy) (RSS Courageous collision, death: "lodged in between bunks")
Jan 3: Miss Heng Sock Ling (1SG Navy) (RSS Courageous collision, death: "mutilated bodies washed up in Bintan")
Jan 3: Miss Seah Ai Leng (1SG Navy) (RSS Courageous collision, death: "mutilated bodies washed up in Bintan")
Jan 3: Miss Chua Bee Lin (2SG Navy) (RSS Courageous collision, assumed death: "body never found")
July 21: MR Hu En Huai (2SG Commandos) (Combat Survival Training: Forced water treatment by trainers)
Sept 03: MR Rajagopal Thirukumaran (2SG Commandos) (Ranger Selection Test, 5km Run, assumed irregular heartbeat)
Sept 23: MR Andrew Chew Heng Huat (REC BMTC) (IPPT, assumed irregular heartbeat)

2005(from theonlinecitizen)
June 22: MR Tek Kok Lian (2WO, ?) (Routine run, heart attack)
June 29: MR Ivan Ong Peng Ghee (3SG BMTC) (Routine run)
July 14: MR Shiva s/o Mohan (1SG Commandos) (Rappelling Instructor Course, fell 20m from heli)

2006
Feb 1: MR Mohd Sufian Jamil (REC BMTC) (Organs failure after injection of anti-malaria)
June 21: MR Lionel Lin Shi Guan (LTA Commandos) (Training at pool)
Sept 18: MR Ambrose Yeo Chang Wen (PTE HQ supply and transport) (death:???)
Nov 17: MR Tan Boon Toon (2WO Senior Tech at ???) (death:???)

2007(from sgforum)
May 11: MR Fan Yao Jin (PTE storeman) (Taiwan Plane Crash into Store)
May 11: MR Isz Sazli Bin Sapari (3SG storeman) (Taiwan Plane Crash into Store)
May 28: MR Calvin Chow Han Min (LCP storeman) (Taiwan Plane Crash into Store)
Aug 26: MR Ho Si Qiu (OCS, died at AHM)
Sep 16: MR Cheok Beng Teck (MINDEF CIO)
Nov 15: MR Ricky Liu Jun Hong (CPL RSAF) (2.4km, though we're not close but he was my ex-poly classmate)
June 15: MR Quek Meng Chua (Senior DXO, Treadmill) (death:???)

2008(from theonlinecitizen, channelnewsasia)
Feb 02: MR Tan Yit Guan (MAJ, Logistics) (Routine run, death: sudden collapse)
June 10: MR Andrew Cheah Wei Siong (REC, BMTC Mild-Obese) (2km route march, death: sudden collapse)
June 12: MR Lam Jia Hao (Officer Cadet/pilot trainee, Airforce) (death: sudden collapse)


The Chinese say:
好男不当兵,
好铁不打钉!

(Great men would not want to become soldiers,
just as great iron would not want to become nails)

I think the ancient Chinese said that, because at that time, they were living in a dynastic political environment where power passed from father to son, Emperor to crown prince. When they had no say in how the country was run, why would they want to become soldiers just to help the Emperor passed on his ill-gotten power and wealth to his crown prince?

However, such words of wisdom do not apply to truly democratic countries like Singapore. In Singapore, power does not pass from father to son. Our leaders do not have any ill-gotten wealth to be protected from war. And so, when we do NS, it is for our own sake, so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for Singapore - a democratic country, for which we are the Master, and for which we have lots of say on how it is to be run.

Without NS, we would be overrun by enemies and would end up washing toilets and clearing plates at hawker centres for these enemies even when we are 80 years old. Our CPF money would be robbed by these invaders, and we won't get to see our money even at 80 years old. It is only with NS, that we can defend our way of life - to retire and enjoy our golden years with our CPF, upon reaching 55 years old.

Therefore, in the final analysis, our Singapore, our esteemed leaders, our democracy, our cpf money, our retirement etc etc are all worth defending.

For this reason, I support NS!

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