MAKING HIS OWN WAY

Officer Cadet (OCT) Mikail Kalimuddin has big shoes to fill.

Awarded both the President's Scholarship and the Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Scholarship (SAFOS) this year, OCT Kalimuddin follows in the footsteps of past recipients like the Prime Minister, Mr Lee Hsien Loong, and Minister for Defence, Mr Teo Chee Hean.

But the 19-year-old is keeping his cool about it.

"I suppose there's some pressure, to continue to uphold the reputation of the scholarship, and to prove yourself as deserving of it. But the pressure comes internally, not so much from other people," said OCT Kalimuddin.

"I want to make my own contributions, not do the same thing as someone else. I'm sure there's some area where my own capabilities and qualities can be fully utilised and I hope to make a major contribution there," said the former President of the Student Council at Hwa Chong Institution determinedly.

An area of interest is the SAF's transformation, which OCT Kalimuddin believes will take place on a much larger scale, particularly among soldiers at the ground level, within the next decade or so.

"Right now, there's a change of mindset among the SAF's leaders, which is a precursor to the transformation that will occur next. I look forward to be part of the team that will effect change on the ground, for the full-time National Servicemen, regulars and the Operationally-Ready National Servicemen," added OCT Kalimuddin, who will be reading Economics and Political Science at Brown University in the United States over the next four years.

OCT Kalimuddin said that before applying for the SAFOS, he had considered many factors.

Ultimately, he was attracted by the opportunity to interact with people from various backgrounds in the SAF and Ministry of Defence (MINDEF).

"MINDEF is a big organisation, so I'll get the chance to try out diverse appointments. When I think of the opportunities this scholarship will bring, it's truly amazing!" he said.

Still, there is much to learn despite the many opportunities that lie ahead admitted OCT Kalimuddin. But he is in no great hurry to leave his teenage days behind.

"I don't think I'm very different from other teens. I like to play soccer and I watch a lot of television! I also like to spend time with my friends, just to have fun."

"You just have to keep your priorities right - life's not all about studies or beefing up your CV. It's good to be a teenager, to learn new things outside of the classroom. You're a teen only once, and I like to believe that I'm making pretty good use of my time as one now!" he said with a smile.

Minister for Defence, Mr Teo Chee Hean, presented OCT Kalimuddin and six other officer cadets with the prestigious SAFOS certificates of award and their ceremonial swords at the Temasek Club on 13 Aug.

After their studies, all seven will take on a variety of challenging appointments within the SAF, and be groomed for the highest level of command and leadership appointments.