MINDEF THANKS VOLUNTEERS FOR THEIR DEDICATION

Singapore is one of the few countries in the world which has strong support for National Service (NS), and credit must be given to the volunteers who have played their part in maintaining and encouraging the public's support.

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen said this at a dinner held at Marina Mandarin Singapore on 19 Aug, expressing his appreciation for more than 380 volunteers serving on 38 Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) boards and committees. He presented 45 certificates of appointment and re-appointment during the ceremony.

Dr Ng noted the important roles that the volunteers play in supporting the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and Home Team. "As volunteers, you act as role models and social glue to hold people together."

The volunteers, who come from private and public sectors, offer a wide range of expertise in fields such as healthcare, finance and law. This allows MINDEF to keep abreast of the latest progress made in various industries.

Serving as links between the public and MINDEF, the volunteers also help to spread defence news and promulgate support for NS.

Among these volunteers is Major (MAJ) (Ret) Abbas Bin Abu Amin, Justice of the Peace in the Prime Minister's Office.

On his role as a member of the Board of Visitors to the SAF Detention Barracks (DB), MAJ (Ret) Abbas explained: "I ensure that the inmates' welfare is taken care of and that they are continuously being trained in DB so that their skills will not deteriorate."

"Over the past few years, we have made improvements to the living conditions of the barracks. For example, we ensure that their cells are clean and that their food is properly prepared. In fact, a dietician is hired to ensure that the inmates get the proper nutrients that they need."

Er. Ho Siong Hin, Commissioner for Workplace Safety and Health in the Ministry of Manpower, added to MAJ (Ret) Abbas' point: "Even though we are non-military personnel, volunteers like us with specific expertise in certain industries can still contribute to the defence of the nation. We are aware of certain efficient practices in the private sector and strive to implement them in the SAF."

He has been a member of the External Review Panel on SAF Safety (ERPSS) since 2013. "An example of this is the implementation of near-miss reporting so that we can analyse what went wrong and glean valuable lessons from it. This also helps to prevent future occurrences and brings greater awareness of the importance of safety to servicemen."

Near-misses are accidents which did not result in any casualties but have the potential to do so.

Established in 2013, the ERPSS was tasked to review the safety of SAF practices over a three-year period. Its members conduct visits to various units across the three Services to assess the SAF's safety procedures and recommend improvements.

For Mr Venka Purushothaman, Vice-President and Provost of LaSalle College of the Arts and a member of SAF Music & Drama Company Artistic Advisory Board since 2012, his spirit of volunteerism comes from within and he feels honoured that he is able to continue to contribute to the nation's defence in his own unique way.

"When people think about the nation's defence, they don't usually think about the arts. However, the arts are all around us. It not only serves as a source of entertainment but also as a source of motivation for the soldiers."

"When you are tired and you listen to an uplifting song, you feel revitalised and it gives you the energy to push forward and accomplish your task."

Mr Venka added: "Songs such as the National Anthem and National Day songs also help to build national identity and unify the people to remind them that they are responsible for the future of this nation."