ESSENTIAL TO NEVER LET OUR GUARD DOWN: MR CHAN

With the recent terror attacks in France and Australia, it is more important than ever to stay vigilant even in peace time, said 2nd Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing during his visit to 807^th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (807 SIR) at Jurong Island on 22 Jan.

"We must not let our guard down in Singapore, especially for vital installations like this in Jurong Island."

Commending the readiness and focus of the men on duty, he added: "The NSmen (Operationally Ready National Servicemen) are all very mission oriented in what they do, so they take the mission very seriously.

"Since the last time I've been here (Jurong Island) to see the soldiers, the commanders and men have constantly made improvements to the way they do things to be more efficient and effective."

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) works closely with the Home Team and other agencies to protect key installations, and Mr Chan emphasised that "we will continue to make sure that we maintain our vigilance and our readiness as security challenges become more complex".

Commanding Officer of 807 SIR, Major (MAJ) (NS) Edmund Yeo agreed with Mr Chan, adding: "The NSmen get to be deployed and get to play a part in defending the nation. In current circumstances, (operations are) very real, and the men are very committed."

While protecting the island is a heavy responsibility, MAJ (NS) Yeo credited strong family support in helping him juggle his NS, work and family commitments. "Having good family encouragement and a good mindset provides me with the support to carry out operations successfully."

Lance-Corporal (LCP) (NS) Abdul Razak, a security trooper from 807 SIR, shared that he found that his deployment meaningful, saying: "I am very honoured and proud to be a part of these security operations."

"I understand why we are here, and what we are doing this for I think it is very important for every National Serviceman to know that the security of Singapore is very important and that their contributions (to defence) are important."

Also present at today's visit was Chief of Staff - General Staff, Brigadier-General (BG) Lim Hock Yu; Commander, 2nd People's Defence Force, BG Terry Siow; and other commanders.