Defence Minister Launches Afghanistan Exhibition in the Heartlands

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen interacting with visitors at the SAF's exhibition named supportingthepeaceandreconstructionofafghanistan.

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen launched the exhibition commemorating the Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF) 6-year operations in Afghanistan.  The exhibition, named "Supporting the Peace and Reconstruction of Afghanistan", is being launched at the Toa Payoh HDB Hub. Hosted by Chief of Army Major-General Ravinder Singh, Dr Ng viewed exhibits like the Multi-purpose Tactical Vehicle and the up-armored transport vehicle used in the SAF's mission in Afghanistan, together with information panels and videos which detailed the SAF's contributions.

As part of the exhibition, servicemen previously deployed in Afghanistan will share with the public their experiences operating in the harsh and challenging environment. On the decision to bring the exhibition to the heartlands, Brigadier-General Desmond Tan, Chief Guards Officer, explained: "We wanted to share with Singaporeans the journey that our servicemen took these past 6 years in contributing to the international security and safeguarding our country against the threat of terrorism. Now our soldiers have all returned, we felt that it is opportune for Singaporeans to learn more about our contributions towards the stabilisation and reconstruction effort in Afghanistan."

Also present at the exhibition launch are Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, grassroots leaders from the community and senior commanders from the SAF. The exhibition will travel to Choa Chu Kang from 7 to 8 September, Orchard Road from 21 to 22 September and Tampines from 28 to 29 September 2013. Thereafter, the exhibition will move to the Army Museum for public viewing till the end of 2013.

Dr Ng interacting with ME3 Mazlan B. Mohd Khalid, an ambassador at the exhibition and a military medical expert who was deployed to Afghanistan for Operation Blue Ridge.