Speech by Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen at the MINDEF/SAF Scholarship Awards Ceremony

Minister of State for Defence,
Chairman PSC,
CDF,
PS(DD),
Chief of Air Force,
Chief of Navy,
Parents,
Principals,
Distinguished Guests,
Scholarship Recipients.

Introduction

This year we give out awards to 43 MINDEF/SAF scholarship recipients. We do this every year, but the significance of this annual act far outstrips the simple ceremony that we conduct. Each year we do this, we renew the ranks of our top leadership. If we fail to do this, then I think that without good and capable leaders, the SAF cannot be the cutting edge force that can ably defend Singapore's sovereignty and address a multitude of security challenges. All you have to do is open the newspapers. You read about the security challenges, and you know that they are complex problems and we need top minds, good leadership to be able to address them adequately. So, I want to thank, first of all, the PSC, those who spent many hours sieving through many top applicants to select for us the scholarship recipients, our own scholarship interview members, your parents and principals, who are stakeholders in this important endeavour.

Our People Are The Source Of The SAF's Strength

This heavy commitment and emphasis on bringing in the brightest and best into the military, and MINDEF, as we do for other Government departments, was neither intuitive nor easy. Few countries adopt this systematic approach, combing through each cohort, finding the jewels, bright people with good values to come into military.  And even if they do, they may not succeed in doing so. You know the Chinese saying - 好男不当兵. In our Asian culture, what do parents tell their young children? Do they tell them when they are young, son, daughter, study hard and one day you will be a General? It's not natural. Let's be frank about it. They will usually say, the usual professions which I shall not name today. Not only small countries. Even countries with large populations. You're not talking about Singapore. Even America, UK, China, and India depend on families with deep military traditions to induct bright people into their military. Whether it's West Point in the United States, Sandhurst in the UK, National Defense University in China, or National Defence Academy in India. Without these traditions, they may not have that rich trawl. But our pioneer leaders made a deliberate act for the SAF. In 1971, then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew wrote to Dr Goh Keng Swee who was the Minister for Defence, and I quote what he said. It's recorded. This is from Mr Lee. "If annually we can get four to five for the Army, two to three for the Air Force and Navy each, we shall really have first class staff officers by 1980, creative and imaginative." The overall point is that you've got to start now. You've got to get first-class staff officers if you want to change a military. This was the genesis of the SAF scholarships, which were therefore born like many things that Mr Lee did, and today, we enjoy the fruits of that bold vision.

Since then, successive generations of SAF scholars have been educated under what we call the SAF scholarships. They've returned, completed illustrious and impactful careers. They understood what was expected of them, and in their process, transformed the SAF for the better. And the SAF that you see today is the culmination of those efforts. But beyond the SAF, the SAF scholars have gone on to make significant impact, whether as Ministers, civil servants and captains of industry in the private sector. Some people comment, looking at society large, at the top leadership of society at large, that the SAF scholars have an unfair presence in the top ranks.  We recently held our SAF50 Dinner. It was wisely chosen at the Pasir Laba Camp, where most of us have our memories and invited the pioneers. The obvious from just observing from those attending, that the influence of, on our society, by SAF scholars has been pervasive at its highest levels. Why? I don't think this wide impact of SAF scholars in society at large is a matter of coincidence because the military is inherently an ideal ground to test and groom leaders. Just think about it.

You have to win the respect of men and women you lead, before they will charge for you. I remember my own OCS days as a cadet. We had this outstanding SAF scholar with wonderful pedigree and bearing. He was trained in Sandhurst. No aspersions on where he was trained. But he was trained in Sandhurst and walked around with a stick. He would goad us, and he would challenge us to charge up Peng Kang hill. He lost all credibility with his men. Why? He would shout at us from the bottom of the hill. Effete or uncaring leadership is quickly shown up, no matter how great your academic credentials.

Security challenges are seldom unidimensional or confined to one country. Within the SAF, our commanders and men have been thrown into faraway places in a moment's notice - We've thrown them into Afghanistan, which is nearly 6000 kilometres away. We've thrown them into the Gulf of Aden. Different cultures and different ways of working. We've activated them to look for missing airplanes, to rescue and treat earthquake and tsunami victims; to deter human and weapons smuggling and many such incidents. There isn't a standard operating procedure for many of these exigencies. So, to the scholars, I say to you. This is not a routine desk job career that you have signed up for. An SAF career will stretch and test you. I hope you succeed, because if you do not, we will let, have to let you go. I say this because in the SAF, we have to do this for the sake of the lives of men and women under you, as poor leadership can adversely impact many lives. This is the onerous responsibility. I don't want your parents to worry, but I'll tell them we'll take care of your sons and daughters too. But this is the onerous responsibility you undertake as future SAF leaders. But if you succeed, this is our promise. You will be among the best leaders in society at large.

Grooming Leaders Of Tomorrow

Why do I say this? Because over the past 44 years, MINDEF and the SAF has awarded 791 scholars, scholarships, 308 SAF Overseas Scholarships, 408 Merit Scholarships, 75 Defence Merit Scholarships. We must continue to evolve to remain competitive and attractive to our talented young men and women. And of this 700, nearly 800 scholars that we have awarded, the success rate is very high. They come back, they are able to do things, and they make impactful contributions to society at large. We thought that for this year, we ought to do a little rebranding. The SAFOS, the SAF Overseas Scholarship, was the term that was created- at a time when studying overseas, that time was Cambridge and Oxford, was seen as something very prestigious; which it still is. But over time, our universities have caught up. We're among the top in the world, so instead of calling it the Overseas Scholarship, it will be named the SAF Scholarship, which is widely regarded as second only to the President's Scholarship.

Great Demands And Expectations

This year, we have a bumper crop of 43 scholarships. More than usual, but not at the expense of quality and because we also received many more quality applications. I do not know why this is so. I will speak to you to see if there has been a trend in your peers and I hope it has. But, this is a good trend nonetheless. And it indicates that there is a continuing desire in our young to serve our nation through the SAF. All 43 recipients, parents and principals can be very proud of them, have gone through a rigorous selection process that allows us to scrutinise and select people with the right attributes and qualities - service, excellence and a strong sense of duty, honour and country.

We will invest heavily in you, because we will also place the greatest in demands and expectations on your shoulders.  And, like your predecessors, we will demand nothing short of the highest standards of acuity, strength of character, as you go through your career paths in many spheres: operations command, policy, technology, finance, public communications. It goes on and you will bestretched with the broadest range of opportunities and portfolios, and to be able to address issues of the greatest complexity.

As I have said, those who have gone on this path before you, and there have been many, have blazed a trail and set high standards that you must now aspire to. Officers like Lieutenant-Colonel (LTC) Sean Wat, an SAF Overseas Scholarship recipient, and Executive Officer of a Formidable-Class frigate. And we pressed the button when AirAsia flight QZ8501 went missing, and he had to work over the New Year period. And Sean brought the team together to accomplish the mission despite rough sea conditions. Officers like Major (MAJ) Lee Mei Yi, an SAF Merit Scholarship (Women) recipient and an F-16 fighter pilot. So she stands at the frontline of defending our skies. People like Lydia Lau, a Defence Merit Scholar, who recently returned from a two-month attachment to the United Nations (UN), supporting our Permanent Mission there to deal with international security issues.

Tonight, you get the chance to interact with many of your seniors over dinner, hear their stories for a foretaste of things to come in your own career. 

Conclusion

Let me once again extend my congratulations to all of you and, to the PSC, principals, parents, who have helped us in this process. If each generation shows the same unwavering determination to take up the duty of defending Singapore, I am confident that we will be able to confront uncertainties with courage and resilience, and emerge stronger as a nation. I wish every one of you success in your studies, and I look forward to your continued contributions to do Singapore proud. Thank you very much.

More Resources

• Prestigious Defence Scholarships Awarded to 43 Recipients