NEW CHIEF OF ARMY ASSUMES COMMAND

At a change of command parade held this evening at Pasir Laba Camp, the Singapore Army welcomed its new Chief as Major-General (MG) Perry Lim Cheng Yeow handed over the symbol of command to Brigadier-General (BG) Melvyn Ong Su Kiat.

During the parade, MG Lim reviewed the Guard of Honour contingents comprising soldiers from the Commando and Guards formations, along with 10 supporting contingents from across the Army's different formations.

In his farewell speech, he highlighted the Army's value in peace, as demonstrated by its involvement in the organisation of various national events. He cited examples such as the Artillery Formation's organisation of the 2015 South East Asian Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies, as well as the Guards Formation's organisation of National Day Parade (NDP) 2015.

MG Lim also touched upon the Army's competence in operations - units were activated to assist in the Kelantan flood relief efforts in 2014, as well as in response to provide aid for the Nepal earthquake victims this year."An Army ready in peace, decisive in war, and respected by all... This vision has guided our leaders to do what is required for our army to fulfil our mission, which is to deter aggression and, should deterrence fail, to secure a swift and decisive victory."

He also thanked all his fellow commanders who had journeyed and worked with him during his tenure as Chief of Army.

"Today, I'll be handing over command of the Army to BG Melvyn Ong," concluded MG Lim. "As we all know, Melvyn is a highly professional and capable commander and leader, driven by his sense of purpose, passion, and duty to his county, organisation, and people.

"I know our Army will be in very good hands."

The new Chief of Army, BG Ong, 40, joined the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in 1994. An SAF Overseas Scholarship recipient, he graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science with a Bachelor of Science (Second Class Honours) in Economics, and a Master of Science.

His previous appointments include Commander 7th Singapore Infantry Brigade and Head Joint Plans and Transformation Department. In 2011, BG Ong led the SAF's earthquake relief efforts in Christchurch, New Zealand as Singapore's Contingent Commander. He took over as Chief Guards Officer last August and also played an instrumental role in the establishment of the Changi Regional Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Coordination Centre.

This year, BG Ong also served as Chairman of the Golden Jubilee NDP 2015 Executive Committee.

This change of command is part of the SAF's continued process of leadership renewal, and the parade was witnessed by Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General (LG) Ng Chee Meng and attended by senior SAF officers and servicemen.