Speech by Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen, at the Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Scholarship Award Presentation Ceremony

PSC Chairman,
CDF,
PS(DD),
Chiefs of Services,
Parents,
Principals,
Distinguished Guests,
SAF Overseas Scholarship Recipients.

Let me bid a warm welcome to all of you at tonight's dinner cum SAFOS Award presentation ceremony. I want to congratulate tonight’s eight SAFOS recipients.

MINDEF and SAF are delighted with this year’s harvest - it was a good one and I want to thank the Chairman and members of PSC for their hard work in selecting this bountiful crop. PSC members, when I spoke to them just now, said that we did not lower standards and that they just were very good this year. I replied, "I never hesitated or thought of you lowering standards, and you must never do that." But we are thankful, and it shows the amount of young Singaporeans that are still keen to be part of these schemes and to be able to contribute to Singapore. For the scholarship recipients, I am sure that your family members are filled with joy and pride for this significant achievement. It’s a special day for you and we share in your joy.

The SAFOS is indeed a highly prestigious award and a much coveted one, with an illustrious alumni. Since its inception in 1971, over 40 years ago, and with the eight of you, 292 would have received the SAFOS. This alumni has had an impact far greater than its small numbers and contributed significantly to Singapore in all fields of public and private sectors. Currently, seven out of 18 Cabinet Ministers are former SAF Overseas Scholars, while many others serve in top leadership positions such as Permanent Secretaries of Ministries, as well as Chief Executives of statutory boards and private sector organisations, some of whom are here today to join us.

Why is that so? Why is this alumni, not large in numbers - why is it that this group of people has had an impact greater than its numbers? I don’t think this is a coincidence. I think this is a unique aspect of our Singapore system and I think tonight is a good time to just reflect a little bit on why the SAFOS has succeeded. As I said, the SAFOS was introduced in 1971 it was not a norm that Singaporeans parents aspired for their children to enter the military as a first choice of career. In fact, by Asian traditions, the military was not high on the aspiration list. Neither did Singapore have a political climate like some other ASEAN countries have where military people take a more dominant position in society. For example like in Vietnam, where even now the military plays a dominant role in Government, or Indonesia, where people in politics distinguish themselves in the military prior to office - the late President Suharto, and the current President SBY are prime examples. But we don’t have that political climate.

Thus SAFOS, with its concept of a scholar soldier where the brightest and ablest within society are hand-picked and then hardened like steel within the crucible of the military, I think was a bold one in 1971. I think in 1971, there was no certainty that it would succeed. But after over 40 years, we can safely conclude that SAFOS has succeeded in its aims and for the good of Singapore. We have good enough examples to arrive at that conclusion.

I believe another reason why the SAFOS alumni has had a greater impact on society is that very few organisations in Singapore present the opportunities that the SAF can in building leaders. Let me put it simply for you. If you are able to lead a battalion, a brigade or a division of almost 20,000 men, or have taken charge of naval and air force squadrons, I think few other tasks and responsibilities will daunt you. Because in the SAF, you have to lead men and women and you have to earn your respect on the ground. Titles can only bring you so far. When I engage with servicemen, they tell me interesting stories, and there was one particular story which has stayed with me. This officer told me that he was sent to a mono intake - mono intake sometimes has Singaporeans who are low socio-economic and educational levels are not as high - and a soldier said, "Why don't we meet out of camp, you take out your rank, I take out my rank, and we have a go at it?" It tested him how he would respond. At the end of it, they were very good friends. You can't fake it. You have to lead men and women, you have to show that you have the ability to lead across the board, rank and file, mix with different people and in your SAF career, apart from having to lead and be responsible for thousands of men and women, you will be exposed to uncertain and unfamiliar circumstances and terrain as part of your leadership and character building. Two of your SAFOS alumni - LTC Tan Yueh Phern, and LTC Pang Tzer Yeu were recently deployed into Afghanistan recently. It was a tough mission but they came back far better because of it.

But the SAFOS brand is only as good as its last performer. Others before you have set a high bar, which you now have the responsibility to uphold. This is the reason why we have a rigorous selection process to ensure that SAFOS recipients here have the wherewithal in leadership skills, mental ability and fortitude and above all, the right values. Integrity and honesty are cardinal values within the SAF. So let me make it very plain, now that you have already signed onto the SAF, these values must be part of your core values or your core self. More so because you are SAFOS recipients, you must lead by example. Care and concern for your soldiers must become second nature. Respect and collegiality toward your peers will keep you in high regard in the eyes of others. I make it plain to you that these are high standards and tough responsibilities, but they come part and parcel with the prestige of an SAF scholar.

Our commitment to you is that you will be refined like precious metal. It starts with the best education at world-class universities locally or abroad. After you return from overseas studies, you will be stretched and tested to ensure that you have what it takes to assume higher appointments. You will be given challenging portfolios and leadership positions at a relatively younger age compared to your peers. I hope you do your best and succeed in each of these opportunities provided because you alone hold the key to your own success. We can provide the opportunities, but you must measure up to the mark.

An SAF career is a national calling, with all its associated responsibilities and expectations. As leaders within the SAF, you will be directly responsible for the safety and security of our nation and of your men.

Through the hard work and visionary efforts of those who have gone before you, today, the SAF is well-respected as a highly professional and effective fighting force, capable of conducting a wide spectrum of operations. It has gained the respect of other militaries and has participated with them in many overseas missions, whether it's against terrorism, maritime piracy and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).This is another important dimension in your career within the SAF, where you will have close interactions with military leaders of other countries, and through that improve bilateral ties. Many of those whom you interact with will become leaders in their societies. So we have many instances where our SAF officers who have attended staff courses in other countries or gone abroad, and had been a course mate of the next President of Indonesia, for example. Or the next Cabinet Minister. Remember therefore that in your military careers, you serve as a military diplomat for Singapore and our interests.

Let me once again extend my congratulations to the eight of you for being awarded the SAF Overseas Scholarship. I am sure that, during this evening’s celebration, you will also remember your parents, your teachers and peers who have guided and supported you. I am particularly glad that your parents as well as your principals are here because they share in your achievements. This national calling, to be a SAFOS recipient, comes with a heavy responsibility, but it is a noble and deeply satisfying one. As SAFOS recipients, you will be regarded as role models personifying the values of the SAF. Uphold the highest standards of behaviour and decorum in whatever you do. Exercise your duties diligently and take care of the men and women under your charge.

On this note, I wish you every success in your studies and I look forward to your contributions to the SAF and Singapore. Congratulations.