Awol For 30 Years And Only Got $5000 Fine?

[pcwe68]

Sorry I am oversea currently, so did not follow or read the singapore News. (and I have served NS and done reservist)

I think the main point here is, did he enlist in the first place? If not, he is still a civilian. So all the AWOL thingy doesn't apply. He committed a civilian offence (i.e. did not enlist), so the fine of just $5000, should be applicable to everyone not just the WH.

Next, is he below 40 years old, if not, Mindef also don't want him, too old.

Finally, is he still a Singaporean? He didn't want his Singapore citizenship anymore, so he does not enjoy any benefit from Singapore or its government. (i.e. he rather be a "2nd class" citizen in another country) So the government cannot do anything to him except to charge him for the civilian offence he committed 30 years ago.

Anyway, if they start reviewing the penalty, you guys better pray hard your sons remember to enlist, otherwise, you are going to pay with the new penalty and not just $5000!

 

[xtemujin]

Dear Colonel Benedict Lim,


Thank you for the replies that was published in the Straits Times.

I would like to add that no matter how you damage control, slice and dice the situation, it has cheapen the blood, sweat and tears of those who have served the 2/2.5 years of National Service.

I now understand that the 3G SAF is a 3 Grand($3000) SAF.


Thank you.


Yours truly,
NSman with 10 years of reservist.

 

[reachme2003]

dr, you are entitle to your opinion. i am entitle to mine. i see no necessity to see 'eye to eye'.

So what appeared in the forum is reliable?

 

[student]

dr, you are entitle to your opinion. i am entitle to mine. i see no necessity to see 'eye to eye'.

There is no need to see "eye-to-eye".

But knowing what to believe and deem reliable is to me quite important. I am not a press person, but over a quarter of century experience dealing with the press, and "other things" have made me a skeptic.

You are entitled to believe what you want to believe. It is OK with me.

 

[zaren]

There is no need to see "eye-to-eye".

But knowing what to believe and deem reliable is to me quite important. I am not a press person, but over a quarter of century experience dealing with the press, and "other things" have made me a skeptic.

You are entitled to believe what you want to believe. It is OK with me.

in this case, we have also heard defence minister teo chee hean speak on TV about the review of penalties by MINDEF for ppl who evade NS, and the possibility of pressing for jail sentences in the future.

so, what was reported previously in the ST forum about this particular issue was reliable.

to me, ST is definitely not so untruthful in its reporting that it can only be labelled "entertainment". case in point....T.T. Durai learned the hard way that the ST did report the NKF saga fairly and factually.

 

[reachme2003]

let me clarify.

the MOD's reply was published in the forum page. while the editor of forum reserves the right to edit letters sent in, i do not think that replies from ministries, government related bodies or agencies published in forum are subject to such editing. for this reason, it is reliable.

maybe, in my small and narrow mind, i cannot see that it is not reliable.

so, what was reported previously in the ST forum about this particular issue was reliable.

 

[student]

in this case, we have also heard defence minister teo chee hean speak on TV about the review of penalties by MINDEF for ppl who evade NS, and the possibility of pressing for jail sentences in the future.

so, what was reported previously in the ST forum about this particular issue was reliable.

to me, ST is definitely not so untruthful in its reporting that it can only be labelled "entertainment". case in point....T.T. Durai learned the hard way that the ST did report the NKF saga fairly and factually.

My concept of "reliabilty" differs somewhat.

The "reporting" may even be verbatim (which is seldom the case), and in that sense, they are "reliable". But I have seen enough to be convinced that what was "reliably" reported may not contain "reliable" facts. And with due respects to the people being quoted, I take all reports with a pinch of salt. I do not care where they were from.

Of course, not all reports are "inaccurate". The problem is that I do not know which reports are accurate.

Sometimes what was not spoken is a lot more revealing.

 

[judeseah]

in this case, we have also heard defence minister teo chee hean speak on TV about the review of penalties by MINDEF for ppl who evade NS, and the possibility of pressing for jail sentences in the future.

so, what was reported previously in the ST forum about this particular issue was reliable.

to me, ST is definitely not so untruthful in its reporting that it can only be labelled "entertainment". case in point....T.T. Durai learned the hard way that the ST did report the NKF saga fairly and factually.

why not press for jail sentence now???
waiting for a poor evader???

:dunno:

 

[zaren]

why not press for jail sentence now???
waiting for a poor evader???

:dunno:

u have to draw the line somewhere. unless MINDEF decides to appeal the decision by the court and press for a jail sentence now for melvyn tan, melvyn will be the last draft dodger who is lucky enough to escape a jail sentence.

 

[Belle&Sebastain]

I was 31 when I recived my thank you letter for completing the ICT cycle.


:devil:

are you from commandos?
:think:

 

[reachme2003]

may be the last. parliament will sit before the end of the year to debate it. still have time. hehe!

u have to draw the line somewhere. unless MINDEF decides to appeal the decision by the court and press for a jail sentence now for melvyn tan, melvyn will be the last draft dodger who is lucky enough to escape a jail sentence.

 

[Spectrum]

ST is definitely not so untruthful in its reporting that it can only be labelled "entertainment". case in point....T.T. Durai learned the hard way that the ST did report the NKF saga fairly and factually.

Yah hor! No news on what's happening to the NKF thingy till now. Hmmmmm......:think: :think: Something fishy.....:think:

 

[reachme2003]

maybe the outcome of KPMG's audit timed for release in mid dec is to coincide with the merry making and 'forgive and forget' sentiments commonly associated with the season.

Yah hor! No news on what's happening to the NKF thingy till now. Hmmmmm......:think: :think: Something fishy.....:think:

 

[Spectrum]

may be the last. parliament will sit before the end of the year to debate it. still have time. hehe!

Frankly speaking. If you are a child of any 'Big Shots' or related to any of the gov people here.....most probably, you are save from all this things. But, even if you are serving the army, you will be in good hands all the way. Well, this is life in the reality of Singapore. Don't you people think so? Normal folks life here is cheap anyway, but not the 'Big Shots'.:bsmilie:

 

[reachme2003]

pianist tan has called off his appearances in dec. likely cause - the deteriorating public sentiments.

 

[scanner]

But, even if you are serving the army, you will be in good hands all the way. Well, this is life in the reality of Singapore. Don't you people think so? Normal folks life here is cheap anyway, but not the 'Big Shots'.:bsmilie:

Thats why there is such classification called "White horse". :bsmilie:

 

[mattlock]

pianist tan has called off his appearances in dec. likely cause - the deteriorating public sentiments.

Pity. so all this hoohaa and in the end we lose a talent. He could have saved $5000 and all the trouble.

 

[Ansel]

Pity. so all this hoohaa and in the end we lose a talent. He could have saved $5000 and all the trouble.

I understand MT also lost his $30k security deposit made in the seventies, which converted to today's terms, is probably a sizable sum.

Wonder why most people in Singapore think that the *ONLY* way a man can serve his country is to serve NS. MT could have been made to serve in other ways, since he is already near 50 years old liao. He could have been welcomed back to his country of birth with open arms and encouraged to serve Singapore in his field of expertise, ie, the Arts; something which we are known to have paid foreigners $m's of dollars to do.

I did my time in NS(2.5 years + reservist years), so I can understand the hardship most NSmen experienced. But I am open to the idea that if someone can serve the country in some special way, he need not do NS the usual way, like the rest of us.

Jus IMHO.

 

[jasphotography]

are you from commandos?
:think:

trust me, I have seen togu in the flesh, he is no commandos material, haha... ;p