Tag: SAF

  • Maliki Osman: Malay Servicemen Have Progressed Significantly In SAF

    Maliki Osman: Malay Servicemen Have Progressed Significantly In SAF

    Minister of State for Defence Mohamad Maliki Osman has weighed in on the issue of Malays in the Singapore Armed Forces, saying Malay servicemen have made significant progress.

    “Our Malay servicemen have made significant progress in all the services in the SAF based on their capabilities and merits, and I am confident many more will do so in the future,” Dr Maliki said, in comments to Malay language daily Berita Harian published today.

    His comments came as Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said at a forum on Monday night that Malays now serve as sailors on board navy ships, and that the SAF does not discriminate against anyone and promotes men based on their ability.

    Dr Ng had been asked why Malays were previously excluded from the navy.

    The issue of Malays not being deployed in certain Singapore Armed Forces units and under-represented among the SAF’s top ranks has been an issue in the community.

    Yesterday, Dr Maliki – the first Malay political office-holder in the Defence Ministry – said the Malay community continues to make positive contributions to Singapore, including in the area of defence and security.

    “I have met many Malay servicemen in every service and formation in the SAF, including as fighter pilots, commandos, and naval combat systems operators,” he said.

    “Whether they are regulars, NSFs or NSmen, all of them serve with pride.

    Many have also contributed to the SAF’s overseas missions in Afghanistan and Timor Leste,” he added.

    Dr Maliki also noted that at the recent SAF50@Vivo exhibition to celebrate Singapore’s jubilee, he met several Malay servicemen serving in the navy.

    He said: “Together with their non-Malay colleagues, they play an important role in keeping our sea and shore safe, round the clock.”

     

    Source: http://news.asiaone.com

  • 27 National Servicemen Struck By Stomach Ailment

    27 National Servicemen Struck By Stomach Ailment

    A total of 27 servicemen were treated for symptoms of Gastro-Intestinal Disease on Thursday (Jan 22) at Clementi Camp Medical Centre, the Defence Ministry (MINDEF) confirmed on Friday.

    MINDEF said the soldiers’ conditions are stable and all of them have been discharged from the medical centre. They have since been given light duties, MINDEF added.

    The ministry said the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) takes the safety and well-being of its soldiers “very seriously”, and investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.

    “The unit has also taken precautionary measures to prevent the spread of this disease by ceasing cookhouse operations, disinfecting dining and communal areas, and enforcing good personal hygiene practices. The SAF will continue to monitor the situation closely,” MINDEF said.

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

  • MINDEF Rebuts Allegations By MobileStats Technologies

    MINDEF Rebuts Allegations By MobileStats Technologies

    The Defence Ministry, in its online magazine CyberPioneer, has refuted what it said were false allegations in certain online articles that the mobile battalion casualty station (BCS) bought by Mindef had infringed MobileStats Technologies’ patent for its mobile clinic, “Mobile First Aid Post”.

    CyberPioneer team writing in their Facebook post said the articles also wrongly suggested that Mindef was forcing MobileStats to close down, so as take over the patent rights.

    The team members said they spoke to Mindef’s legal team to find out more, and decided to publish the facts to counter the “false and baseless” accusations in the online articles.

    In its Facebook post, CyberPioneer said the recent allegations of patent infringement were not new.

    It said: “Since 2011, the owner of MobileStats has repeatedly turned to the media to accuse Mindef of infringing its patent. Second, these accusations have been deliberated by the High Court and found to be untrue. In January 2014, the Court declared the patent invalid and revoked it.

    “The Court also found that Mindef had not committed any Intellectual Property infringement. We are disappointed that the owner of MobileStats has disrespected the Court’s decision, and continues to make false and unsubstantiated accusations against Mindef.”

    CyberPioneer has regarded the allegations “very seriously” and is referring the matter to the Attorney-General’s Chambers for advice.

    CyberPioneer gave a point-by-point rebuttal to the allegations. The responses are reproduced below:

    #1 Did MINDEF infringe MobileStats’ patent and try to get away with it?

    The Court has considered all factors and ruled that the patent is invalid. Mindef did not infringe any patent as you can’t infringe a patent that was never valid in the first place. MobileStats had patented an idea that has existed since the 1970s (just Google the “mobile medical unit” concept, or see http://youtu.be/evcI-KcZw5E).

    Just as there are many smartphone designs and manufacturers who do not infringe each other’s patents, there are also many ways to design and produce military equipment like the BCS.

    Mindef respects Intellectual Property laws and honours patents that are valid. When there are disputes over the validity of patents, parties can bring the matter to court. Just as you can file patents to prevent unauthorised copying of your inventions, so can others challenge your patents if they do not involve new ideas.

    Most importantly, MINDEF is just a buyer, not the manufacturer. If MobileStats believes it has a valid case, it should pursue the matter with the manufacturer, not the user.

    #2 Did Mindef engage in unfair procurement practices?

    The case was actually a commercial dispute between MobileStats Technologies and Syntech Engineers, which supplied the mobile BCS to Mindef. As the manufacturer of the mobile BCS, the supplier, not the consumer, is responsible for honouring valid patents. Mindef’s actions were correct and above board.

    All of Mindef’s suppliers are required to uphold Intellectual Property laws and obtain the necessary licenses so that Mindef is free to use the products that we have paid for. Mindef simply wants the freedom to deploy our mobile BCS for training and operations and has no interest in acquiring MobileStats’ alleged patents.

    It is unclear why the owners of MobileStats chose to take legal actions against the consumer, instead of the manufacturer. Imagine if Apple sued Samsung handphone users – instead of Samsung Electronics – for allegedly infringing Apple’s Intellectual Property rights.

    #3 Is Mindef out to destroy MobileStats with the prolonged court case and the demand for the payment of $580K?

    This is false. Mindef did not initiate the legal action. It was MobileStats who inexplicably chose to sue Mindef instead of the manufacturer. In defending ourselves, MINDEF’s conduct was in full compliance with court regulations and never found lacking.

    $580K was the amount that the court decided MobileStats should reimburse Mindef for our legal fees. Not a single cent will be kept by Mindef. The money will go to Syntech, the BCS vendor, who honoured their legal obligation to Mindef and bore the cost of the legal proceedings.

    When legal actions are initiated against government agencies like Mindef, these agencies need to respond. Public resources and monies are expended needlessly if such lawsuits are without merit.

    As a government organisation, Mindef has a duty to protect our public monies. We regard such lawsuits taken against Mindef with the utmost seriousness.

     

    Source: http://news.asiaone.com

  • SAF To Deploy Planners In Support Of Multinational Coalition Against The Islamic State

    SAF To Deploy Planners In Support Of Multinational Coalition Against The Islamic State

    The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will further deploy planners to support the multinational coalition against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen said in Parliament on Monday (Jan 19).

    As part of its involvement in the coalition since November 2014, the SAF has sent a needs assessment and survey team, and a liaison officer to facilitate planning and coordination between the SAF and coalition forces.

    Dr Ng revealed this in Parliament in response to questions by MP for Chua Chu Kang GRC Alex Yam on Singapore’s involvement in the fight against ISIS.

    The planners will be deployed to the Combined Joint Task Force Headquarters and the Combined Air Ops Centre, and a site-survey team to prepare for the subsequent deployment of its KC-135 tanker.

    However, Dr Ng said that it was still “premature to determine if there would be further requests” for more support from Singapore.

    He also answered another question on the risk posed to Singapore, due to its early involvement in efforts against ISIS: “It is well-nigh impossible for any security forces in any country to be able to monitor any and every citizen. And our greatest challenge indeed is if an attack occurs, what happens to the unity which we have forged over many years.

    “We must continue to use this time not only to increase our vigilance… But also to ask our community to come together and withstand such false ideologies and stand together if ever such an attack occurs.”

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

  • Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs In Singapore

    Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs In Singapore

    “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” —  some guy on the internet who may or may not be Confucius.

    Well, thanks maybe-Confucius, but not all of us have the luxury of being paid to do what we enjoy.

    For some people (okay, most people), money is what they look for in our job. Because money is more important that any form of job satisfaction.

    Which is why we need lists like these. We’ve checked out the Ministry of Manpower’soccupational wage table last updated in June 2014. Source for your next career move here:

    10. Commodities Derivatives Broker (Median Monthly Wage: $10,000)

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    A commodity broker traditionally buys and sells goods such as oil, grains, or even coffee. A commodities derivatives broker, on the other hand, trades a variety of assets, such as shares and bonds. Potential employers include investment banks, financial clearing houses, and even international stock exchanges.

    With great power comes great responsibility. Accordingly, this job comes with Spider-Man levels of stress and responsibility. Commodity brokers also often have to work long hours, but it’s all good, because opportunities for promotion are aplenty, along with good salaries, and high bonuses. Just be prepared to slog it out for a least a while.

    9. Company Director ($11,800)

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    This is probably one of the harder jobs to just pick up. A company director refers to individuals who have been either voted or appointed to a board of directors, and is responsible for the design and execution of the company’s corporate policy.

    Directors do not have to originally be employees of the company, and can sit on more than one board at any time. Which means these people pick up their salary from two or three different places. Pretty cool right.

    8. General Practitioner / Physician ($12,547)

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    Turns out that guy you always go to for MCs is doing very well for himself, thank you very much. No such thing as Monday Blues for GPs, as they welcome lines of people queuing up for that precious slip of work-prevention paper.

    Being a doctor isn’t really that difficult. All you need are top notch grades to enter medical school (at least all As), minimum of five years of undergraduate study (along with enough money to fund said education), and be accredited with the relevant bodies before actually being able to whip out that trusty stethoscope and pump-action blood pressure monitor.

    7. Chief Operating Officer (COO) / General Manager ($13,135)

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    A COO is typically the second-in-command to the Chief Executive Officer, and is in charge of day-to-day operations. A General Manager is responsible for managing profits and costs of the company. We’re not quite sure why these two rather different job scopes are bundled together.

    But we expect individuals who have the opportunity to rise to either position to have the ability, experience, and gumption to fulfill their roles with aplomb. Experience pays.

    6. University Lecturer ($13,684)

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    We have to admit, this one caught us a little by surprise. Who would have thought university lecturing is such a viable form of income? Turns out relentless research and occasionally ticking off the resident smart mouth is worth the trouble. Of course, lecturers come in many forms. The lucky students get the ones who actually want to teach over doing research.

    Potential university lecturers are typically required to have a Masters in their chosen field, but a Bachelor’s Degree may sometimes suffice.

    5. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) / Managing Director ($17,962)

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    That’s right, the head honcho in most conglomerates comes in at only fifth in the list. Of course, the pay structure for CEOs can range wildly depending on company size, but being a CEO seems like a pretty safe bet to earn some serious moolah. Holders of an MBA generally have an advantage, but possessing a Master’s in the related industry is also useful.

    A CEO’s responsibilities are defined by the board, but should possess some level of leadership qualities, foresight, and be an effective communicator. Interested individuals may want to check out WikiHow’s guide to be a CEO, but we’re pretty sure this tutorial is hardly exhaustive.

    4. Advocate / Solicitor ($18,333)

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    Unlike in other countries, lawyers in Singapore are part of what is known as a fused profession, where they are able to perform the duties of both an advocate or solicitor. An advocate speaks on behalf (“advocates”) of a client, and presents arguments and cases in the place of the client. A solicitor, on the other hand, are trained in all areas of the law.

    We’re pretty sure TV’s favourite occupation is also one of the coolest, if only because you get to cut off somebody in the middle of their sentence with a loud “OBJECTION” and getting to use words like “subpoena” and “impermissible”. Also, hot paralegals are a thing. Probably.

    Lawyers who are neither advocates nor solicitors are unfortunately not included in this entry, and can expect to bring home less than their colleagues.

    3. Specialist Medical Practitioner ($23,085)

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    There’s a reason why those specialists charge so much just to look at. They have spent ridiculous amounts of time to get to that tiny white office and large lab coat. After medical school — which takes a minimum  of five years — hopefuls have to further their education and undergo a multi-year residency in their chosen field before being able to register in Singapore as a specialist. The entire process can take anything from seven to nine years.

    If you’re lucky, you might become known as the ‘son of Punggol’!

    2. Minister ($91,666)

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    The gap between the top two paying positions and the rest is HUGE – a whopping $70,000.

    One sure-fire way to be a minister is to sign on with either the Army, Navy, or Air Force. Don’t believe us? Let’s take a look at current ministers who were once served in the military.

    • Brigadier General Tan Chuan-Jin : Minister for Manpower
    • Rear-Admiral Lui Tuck Yew (Former Chief of Navy): Minister for Transport
    • Rear-Admiral Teo Chee Hean (Former Chief of Navy): Deputy Prime Minister, Co-ordinating Minister for National Security, Minister of Home Affairs
    • Major General Chan Chun Sing (Former Chief of Army): Minister for Social and Family Development

    4 ministers of a 17-member Cabinet is actually a pretty decent ratio. Of course, just because they previously held high positions in fatigues doesn’t mean they’re actually competent ministers. We’ll just let you decide.

    Getting into higher positions can in the military can also lead to better job prospects in Government-linked organizations as well. Just ask SMRT CEO Desmond Kuek (Former Chief of Defence Force) and S-League CEO Lim Chin (Former Chief of Artillery).

    1. Prime Minister ($183,333)

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    With an annual salary of $2.2 million, Singapore’s Prime Minister (PM) comfortably eclipses the combined salaries of the next 5 highest paid world leaders, including US President Barack Obama. This works out to a monthly salary of about $183,333, which means the PM can buy a BTO flat every two months.

    Also, current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong happens to be a former Brigadier General in the Singapore Army, and is yet another soldier who made the jump to politics.

    Haters of the PM’s high salary should note that he actually accepted a 36% pay cut in 2012, so he’s actually working hard on it ok.

    At the end of the day, we’d all probably prefer doing something we enjoy. Unfortunately, not all of us have the opportunity to do so. Maybe the one thing that we actually enjoy is popping bubble wrap. How can that possibly be monetised? And so, banking is the natural option instead. Monetary or family constraints can force some to opt for that soul-sucking, higher-paying gig. Perfectly understandable. All we ask for is that this year, think less about the money, and more about the ones you’re earning the money for.

     

    Source: http://mustsharenews.com