What is NS? National Service ...
So, every young men around the age of 18 and above will come to terms with this, and have to adhere to this. Young men are drafted to different units, most of them army and others to Police and Civil Defence.
This issue is blown up due to the recent furore over the "punishment" of the pianst who has eluded, serving the nation 28 years ago illegally. (Take note that I will not be mentioning names ...)
Today, that guy has become a renounced pianst and musician. And he has come back to Singapore, and is only slapped with a 5000 dollars fine.
There are 2 sides, one of which belittle the action and seek to condemn the action. Some shout unfairness, as 5000 bucks seem to be to little and of no significance to the famous and affluent artist. Most of these people are NS people.
The other side, many of which come from the journalists, claim that there are certain things that the pianst has endured and 5000 bucks is indeed enough for a punishment. The pianst has faced the music of his own "punishment", by giving up his special priviledges and not meetinh his parents who are currently in Singapore. Some said that the system is the one that should be blamed and not the pianst himself and the others bemoan losing a foreign talent now just because of the big hoo-ha (That pianst states that he will cancel his performance and delete his judge status in a music competition) over his past.
No matter what both sides think of him, I still think that what he did is still wrong. This verdict might seem to be bias as I am an NS men myself. For that, passing this judgement seems plausible to me.
There is a reporter who claim that there are many others but yet there is no big hoo-ha. But too bad for this guy, he is famous and is really a "talent" and thus, his action is equally exposed too. For the others, they are lucky that they are quite obscured in terms of their name and yet, I will equally blame them for their cowardice to face the national service.
Even if a person has done wrong, and he become rich, powerful and talented years later, but he is still wrong by law.
First, such a light punishment will give the wrong signal. I am not wrong in saying that most of the people do not love NS at all. It takes away our time and disrupt our study. But still, we will have to continue to serve the nation. To repay the country and also to contribute to the defense of our country, no matter millitary, civil or security.
Many people are rich enough nowadays, and they can easily find ways to wriggle out of this system. But yet, many people continue to serve the nation. Some out of fear of law, but some, out of respect, responisibility and gratitude to the country. Yes, that pianst, 28 years ago will have to forsake his chance for another 2.5 years, but I believed if he is that talented and rich, he can continue to pursue his passion and that the institute can still accept him. No, but he uses the excuse that for fear of rejection and it is a golden opportunity, that he has to make the choice of a person who run away from contribution to the nation. This will make him look like a yellow coward and a deserter and also, a very irresponsible fellow.
Some reporter claim that he does not enjoy rights in Singapore enough and thus the punishment is quite "alright". Hey, in law, do we need to look into the details of the person who has not enjoy enough rights itself to pass out punishment. And does not enjoying that rights, make him a non-Singaporean 28 years ago.
Yes, he come back to face the music now, and he is relieved. Good for him, but I think he know that he can get away lightly because he has something now that make him different from us if we were to do that. He holds status and his so called talents ... If we were to follow him, and we are to be nobody, I think the punishments will have been a little bit harsher like jail terms.
Anyway, I do not feel that sad that we have lost a "Singaporean talent". What is the use of a talent ... A talent without courage to serve the nation, a person who do not believe in himself thinking that serving the nation is tantamount to throwing away a golden opportunity for oneself to become a talent in the future, a person who is relatively irresponsible in fighting for the nation, I will have not even treat him as a talent in the first place. No, not even those who create AIDS vaccine and come back yelling that he has escaped draftings so that he can create the vaccine.
All these are craps. I do not like NS in the first place, but I do know the importance of us leading the role. If 10% of us will to be like that pianst and I think many people can do it, what will happen to Singapore? Thus, this person deserved to be condemned.
At least in NS, it is up to individuals to prove that how they can spend time wisely and not wasting of time. It is an obligation. It is a matter of survivial of nation.
One interesting thing to take note is that for many, I stress the word "many" with "most", people who support that pianst with certain justification that look nice on paper but very unfair in reality, many of them are female who do not spend 2 to 2.5 years of their lifespans, serving the nation at all.
I know that the crux of the matter might be with the systems, might be with the law, but we should not be supporting that pianst and letting him too lightly off at all. We should be compassionate but in right contexts. I do not trust a talent that do not live up to his obligation. And it is a matter of fact that he has to stay overseas and do not or cannot enjoy the rights of Singapore because simply he broke the law in the first place. So enough of the crap "enjoyment of rights" thing.
The system and law presently might have allowed people to escape with AWOL. If I will to be aware of the other people who are like the piansts earlier (I am still young and recently become more mature and aware), I will equally blame the other people, and thus I am not being unfairly unjust to that pianst just because he has talents. I do not want any accusations that I "envy" his talents and therefore try to make him down as hard as possible.
For now, Singapore is more stable and richer than 28 years ago. And his motive in coming back to contribute and to meet his parents is equilavent to getting and reaping some rewards from the present Singapore which has recognised Arts just only recently. Thus, he come back "bravely" to face the music, and a lousy music it is ...
We will acknowledge his talent but his action make me sick ... And I congratulate him in enjoying his status as a British citizen and good luck to him. He has become a model for those people who can find ways to get out of NS. And he is a typical example to show, that the world is still unfair in one way or another. But I can say that even some rich people prefer to send their "talented" son to Singapore so that they will learn what is hardship and what is teamwork and responsibility. That pianst is not loyal and I do not want to hear any one saying that he is "loyal" ... "Loyal", my foot ... In fact, that pianist can be a hypocrite (A possibility, and notice the word "can"), and a cavalier Singaporean ...
(Above is just what I thought of. It is crude and offensive. But I do not care. The world is quite unfair and even a system of fairness like communists is still unfair afterall. Anyway, good for that guy and I hope that all the best for him in overseas. His action have somehow make him an "outcast" (Not a real outcast, but to us, he is an outcast by heart), for all his talents, in Singapore ... I may be wrong and all these are my views. But still, I have always felt that a talent does not give him/her the power to break the law and be irresponsible ...)
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A good saying from my friend ...
"Those who are skilled in combat do not become angered,
those who are skilled at winning do not become afraid.
So the wise win b4 the fight, while the ignorant fight to win."
---Sensei Nitewalk (1986- )
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