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Tag: SAF

  • Young Boy Meets Soldier, Talk About Beyblade And Sings Pokemon Song

    Young Boy Meets Soldier, Talk About Beyblade And Sings Pokemon Song

    When we think of soldiers, we tend to have a mental picture of a valiant individual in green holding a rifle preparing to defend our country.

    Behind their tough demeanour however lies a side of gentleness and compassion, as one SAF soldier has shown.

    Twitter user @turtlebossy shared photos showing an SAF serviceman interacting with a boy on board a public bus.

    saf-man-and-boy-bond-over-pokemon-and-beyblade

    According to the netizen, the boy first said to his mother “mummy look it’s an army person” before going up to the soldier.

    Not wanting to disappoint his new fan, the serviceman then had a conversation with the boy about Beyblade.

    Source: www.stomp.com.sg

  • Damanhuri Abas: I Protest Benjamin Netanyahu’s Planned Visit To Singapore

    Damanhuri Abas: I Protest Benjamin Netanyahu’s Planned Visit To Singapore

    I read with great consternation that Singapore will be hosting the Israeli PM, Benjamin Netanyahu as a state guest.

    The Israeli PM is directly responsible for the current continued oppression of the Palestinian people through its illegal occupation of Gaza and the West Bank as stated by numerous UN resolutions which Israel continuously ignores with the shameful backing of the US government. Its occupying forces conducts numerous crimes against Palestinian civilians and its forces have conducted many agressions in occupied Palestinian territories that are culpable to war crimes, as recent as the last Gaza incursion in 2014 that claims thousands of Palestinian lives through excessive use of powerful bombs on densely populated Palestinian residential areas.

    The Singapore government may seem to think that it is acceptable to host the Israeli PM afterall the Israelis are the pioneering country that provided military assistance in terms of training and guidance to the Singapore Armed Forces when Singapore first setup its nascent military defence unit after independence.

    It serves as no great solace to know that we had relied on Israeli military advice and guidance in the formation of our Armed Forces. This is especially so as a Malay/Muslim Singaporean who has felt direct discrimination towards his race in the Singapore Armed Forces.

    This discrimination has most probably arisen from the advice and guidance of the Israeli military consultants who may have sowed distrust towards the Malay/Muslim citizens serving the Singapore Armed Forces likely rationalized and justified by their own experience and paranoia towards the Palestinan people (and the Arabs too) that they have kept under siege for 60 years encounting with no end to hostility nor nearing any peaceful settlement to the last remaining illegal occupation to exist on God’s earth.

    Such inhumane treatment that the Israelis imposed upon the Palestian people in the occupied territories has resulted in extreme distrust between them and the Palestinians and overtime have led to a toxic unsustainable relationship based on fears and suspicion with no end in sight.

    Likewise, a toxic relationship too may have emerged in our own land caused by our own policies for the last 50 years that blankets the entire Malay/Muslim population as suspicious and not to be fully trusted to be given full access to all military positions, especially so-called ‘sensitive areas’ in the Singapore Armed Forces. This unjustified and unproven fears that have shaped and colored policies preventing Malay/Muslim citizens full meritocratic access to all possible ranks and files in the military must end immediately.

    Only when this happens will the process of correction and rapprochement begin to eradicate the poisoned perceptions that have developed overtime by the majority towards Malay/Muslim trustworthiness in and beyond the Military into other aspects of society. This disriminatory policy must stop for the sake of fairness, justice and a true harmonious multi-racial/multi-religious Singapore that we intend to build for this nation.

    For all the above reasons, as a Malay/Muslim Singaporean I protest the coming of Mr Benjamin Netanyahu to my country. He is also an alleged war criminal.

    I forward below an email from our very own Dr Ang Swee Chai from Medical Aid for Palestinian, a London based NGO, in support of my involvement in previous protest effort against the brutal acts of the Israeli government towards the Palestinian people that the invited Isreali PM is currently heading.

    —— Forwarded message ———-
    From: SWEE ANG <[email protected]>
    Date: Fri, Nov 23, 2012 at 3:08 AM
    Subject: In support of your work
    To: “[email protected]” <[email protected]>
    Cc: AimeeShalan <[email protected]>, stevenjames <[email protected]>

    Dear Damanhuri Abas and FMSA,

    Thank you for emailing me so that I can support what you and the Fellowship of Muslim Students Association are doing. As you know a ceasefire is in place after 150 Gazans were killed and nearly a thousand injured. As you know Gaza is half the size of Singapore and home to 1.7 million people, 80% of them refugees from the rest of Palestine. They were forced out from the rest of Palestine in 1948 and took refuge in Gaza. Since 2007 Gaza’s people are under constant military blockade. All her borders with Israel are sealed by the military and none can move in or out, except through Rafah which until recently was also closed by President Mubarak. The sea of Gaza is manned by Israeli warships and no one from Gaza can wander beyond 3 nautical miles. The targetting of fishing boats and killing and injury of fishermen by warships firing at them even with the 3 nautical miles are all too often.

    Even before this recent assault, military helicopters regularly fly into Gaza and kill and injure civilians. When you hear the word targets mentioned by the BBC and the Western Press, you do not hear the cries of the mothers who lost their babies, who are sometimes just called collateral damage. The skies of Gaza are patrolled by drones and the whole of Gaza is under surveillance and drone attacks are frequent.

    Electricity is scarce, many of the 21,000 homes and buildings destroyed from Cast Lead four years ago not rebuilt since there is also a blockade on building materials. The schools destroyed during Cast Lead are also not rebuilt and children are now crammed into whatever school buildings which are still functional. Many people are still living in tents or in temporary buildings. Unemployment is high since factories and workshops cannot function and even if they function the military siege makes it impossible to export their goods and import raw materials. It is the same with agriculture produce – all forms of trade is made impossible by the blockade. Hospitals are starved of medical supplies.

    Water is also a problem in Gaza since Israel has dug deep wells and siphoned off the natural water from Gaza. The water from Gaza now is heavily polluted and contains high nitrates and unfit for washing and drinking.

    You can find more facts from various sources including from the website of Medical Aid for Palestinians and Palestine Solidarity Campaign – I have only given you a very sketchy description.

    So when F16s bomb Gaza the last 9 days, hitting hundreds of “targets” daily, those of us who know Gaza well can only cry out in shock and anger against this atrocity and injustice. Yet many of us are astonished by the courage of people in Gaza in resisting the assault. The ceasefire is agreed on mainly because Israel knows it cannot beat down Gaza despite pounding it incessantly with bombs. They had planned a land invasion but did not go through with it not because they are humane, but because they know they cannot win and do not have the stomach to go through with it. Hilary Clinton got to turn round from her visit to Burma to fly Cairo to support a truce called by the new Egyptian Government.

    Your supporters need to know the following:

    Israel is the sixth largest military power in the world. In 2009 it has –

    200-300 nuclear warheads
    300 F16s
    60 military helicopters
    60 warships
    3650 tanks
    Plus daily military aid of eight million dollars from the USA ( as opposed to non-military aid) and the huge support of the Western Press and governments.

    Palestine has none of the above. Gaza has home made rockets.

    But Palestine has truth on her side. Despite the killing and the suppression of truth, people from all over the world are beginning to find out. And I hope your meeting will help others understand what is going on. Up to 1982, I was the victim of lies against the Palestinians until I went out to work in Sabra and Shatilla. By God’s grace I have seen the truth and may this never depart from me.

    I hope one day your Association will have the chance to visit Gaza and West Bank, and meet the people there. But until then take it from me that it is a great honour to be able to support them. For me it is a personal privilege that Medical Aid for Palestinians have been able to be partners to the humanitarian Palestinian institutions in Gaza, West Bank and in Lebanon. I hope your institution will be the same.

    Best wishes
    Dr Ang Swee Chai.
    22 November 2012

     

    Source: Damanhuri Abas

  • ME3 Silvakumar S/O Utharapathy – Signals Specialist Is Serangoon Road Hero

    ME3 Silvakumar S/O Utharapathy – Signals Specialist Is Serangoon Road Hero

    Seen the reports (http://ebx.sh/2eB9o9I) on how a group of men returning from a ceremonial procession helped administer CPR to an unconscious elderly man on Sunday?

    Meet ME3 Silvakumar s/o Utharapathy! The 58-year old Signals specialist was on his way to the temple for a fire-walking ceremony when he came across the elderly man lying on the ground at a Shell station along Serangoon Road. Instinctively, he stepped forward and helped to resuscitate him before the SCDF ambulance arrived.

    ME3 Silvakumar’s act of kindness embodies the Soldier Strong spirit, and we salute him for his selflessness! We caught up with him today to find out more.

    ME3 Silvakumar shared that he had learned CPR in the Army back in 1982 and is a skill that he keeps refreshed constantly. However, he highlights that learning how to perform CPR was one thing, but deciding to act when the moment required it was a different thing altogether. He adds, “I hope people will learn to not be afraid of helping others in public, especially when a life is at stake, because sometimes it might be too late waiting for the authorities.” Ultimately, ME3 Silvakumar is humbled by the inadvertent publicity garnered, but hopes that through this incident, people will be inspired to step forward when they know that they can make a difference.

    When asked to describe her father in a word, Ms Aishwaryaa Kumar (left), daughter of ME3 Silvakumar, said “selfless”. His tendency to go above and beyond self was not isolated to this incident, and she described various other occasions during which he demonstrated such courage. A significant incident occurred in 2009 when ME3 Silvakumar rushed into the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta shortly after it was bombed by terrorists. He was near the hotel when he heard an explosion and saw the smoke, and within minutes, he was on his bicycle racing over. He ran into the hotel and eventually brought out two injured victims and sent them to the hospital.

    Of his selflessness, Ms Kumar adds, “He doesn’t ask for anything in return. He reminds us that it doesn’t matter if we are unappreciated; what matters most is that it doesn’t stop you from helping and making a difference to someone’s life.”

    Well done, ME3 Silvakumar!

    #SoldierStrong
    #SGSecure

    Photos by: REC Tan Jit Jenn (Army News)

     

    Source: The Singapore Army

  • Penerima Anugerah Pedang Merit Beri Kejutan Buat Ibu-Bapa

    Penerima Anugerah Pedang Merit Beri Kejutan Buat Ibu-Bapa

    APABILA ibu bapa beliau terbaca namanya tertera dalam senarai penerima anugerah Pedang Merit semasa Perbarisan Pentauliahan bagi pegawai Sekolah Kadet Pegawai (OCS) baru-baru ini, mereka tertanya-tanya apakah betul nama tersebut nama anak mereka.

    Ini kerana Pegawai Kadet (OCT) Angkatan Bersenjata Singapura (SAF) Muhammad Hidayatullah Abdul Majid, 21 tahun, itu langsung tidak memberitahu keluarganya bahawa beliau merupakan antara 10 peratus kadet terbaik yang terpilih menerima anugerah khas tersebut.

    “Saya ingin berikan kejutan istimewa kepada mereka dalam majlis itu,” kata Encik Hidayatullah.

    Menurutnya, walaupun ibu bapanya terkejut, mereka gembira dan bersyukur dengan pencapaiannya itu.

    Pengiktirafan Pedang Merit diberikan kepada 10 peratus kadet terbaik yang terpilih pada akhir Kursus Pegawai Kadet (OCC), berdasarkan prestasi cemerlang dalam semua aspek, termasuk fizikal, akademik, perancangan dan perlaksanaan, kepimpinan dan lain-lain.

    Encik Hidayatullah berkata anugerah tersebut adalah hadiah kerja keras dan latihan yang dilaluinya dalam OCS selama sekitar sembilan bulan.

    Tambahnya, beliau sama sekali tidak menjangka akan terpilih kerana ramai kadet lain telah memperlihatkan kecekapan mereka.

    “Saya bersyukur dan anugerah ini membawa maksud bahawa saya mampu menjadi seorang pemimpin yang berkebolehan dan mampu memikul tanggungjawab lebih berat,” katanya.

    Semasa dihubungi ketika majlis Perbarisan Pentauliahan OCS Sabtu lalu, Encik Hidayatullah, yang telah dinaikkan pangkat sebagai Leftenan Muda (2LT), berkata perasaannya bercampurcampur – antara gembira dengan gementar kerana perlu melaksanakan tugas baru.

    “Saya berasa teruja diberi peranan kepimpinan, tetapi pada masa yang sama saya juga berasa gementar kerana ini bermakna saya harus memikul tanggungjawab lebih berat,” ujar beliau yang telah diberi peranan memimpin formasi Kawalan SAF (Guards formation).

    Encik Hidayatullah selanjutnya berkata beliau mendapat inspirasi dan dorongan daripada pegawai-pegawai kanan yang ditemuinya semasa menjalani Perkhidmatan Negara (NS) yang telah memberikan kata-kata perangsang dan tunjuk ajar.

    Menyentuh tentang masa depannya, bekas pelajar Politeknik Temasek itu berkata beliau ingin menyambung pelajarannya di universiti tempatan dalam bidang sosiologi.

    Encik Hidayatullah berkata dari segi kerjaya, beliau berminat menceburi bidang media atau menjadi seorang kaunselor.

    “Pada pendapat saya, media merupakan wadah yang baik untuk menyebarkan kepada orang ramai peri pentingnya Pertahanan Mutlak di Singapura.

    “Ini kerana setiap individu memainkan peranan penting dalam memastikan keselamatan Singapura dan rakyatnya,” kata beliau.

    Seramai 335 pegawai kadet telah diiktiraf sebagai pegawai SAF Sabtu lalu.

     

    Source: www.beritaharian.sg

  • Mohamed Jufrie Mahmood: Jangan Lekas Terpedaya Tipu Daya PAP

    Mohamed Jufrie Mahmood: Jangan Lekas Terpedaya Tipu Daya PAP

    Baru saya katakan dua hari lepas. Ini buktinya. Walaupun segelintir saja yg diambil masuk dalam angkatan bersenjata kita anak bangsa kita tetap dapat mencapai kecemerlangan.

    Syabas!

    Tapi kita harus sedar dan jangan lekas terpedaya dgn tipudaya PAP dan alat sebaran amnya.

    Masih hanya SEGELINTIR!!

    Seperti kata onputih “A swallow does not a summer make” (Seekor burung layang-layang bukan petanda musim panas dah tiba)

     

    Source: Mohamed Jufrie Mahmood