[Defending the Lion City] Why must we serve?

Why must Singapore sacrifice the youth and energies of her young citizens towards National Service?

Singaporeans had long been asking ourselves this question since National Service was introduced in 1955.

And it's not just about our lost opportunities and time. Many of us have been sustain injuries, or have been permanently hurt. Some have lost their limbs and one too many of us have even made the ultimate sacrifice not in war but during peacetime training.

In 1997, Singapore lost two sons to a tragedy involving an FH-2000 155mm field howitzer that blew up during the live fire exercise. 11 other soldiers sustained serious injuries.

It is easy to lament and complain about the sacrifice that Singaporeans have to make when times are peaceful. And it is a common grouse that easily riles up the discontented, and even provokes anger when we see the lifestyles and opportunities that our foreign contemporaries enjoy in Singapore.

But what if the peaceful existence we have enjoyed is taken away?

Recent events around the world (ISIS attacks in Paris, Nov 2015) and close to home (Bangkok - Erawan Shrine explosion, Aug 2015) all point out to one sobering fact - that the world is not getting any more peaceful, or is less dangerous compared to the past.

Territorial disputes in the South China Seas threatens Singapore's peace and sea lines of communication

Image: Law Fare Blog

Despite the current period of relatively good relations with our immediate neighbours, it is not a secret that some quarters still harbour jealousy and resentment at our achievements and wealth. They continually seek ways to negate and coerce us;  ever seeking to make Singapore more compliant to their own national agenda and interests.

In 2014, Indonesia named a frigate after the two Indonesian marines who had  bombed MacDonald House on Orchard Road on 10 March 1965, killing three people and injured more than 30 others. 

And of course there are those out there who would seek to cause fear and mayhem in our society and plot out our destruction as a nation for whatever their nefarious agenda. And these extremists will not hesitate to inflict violence and death on the innocent to achieve their goals.

The terror group, Jemaah Islamiah (JI) in Singapore, formed in the early 1990s by radical cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, was detected only in 2001.

And Singapore is not immune to the threat of terrorism. While Singapore has yet to suffer any terror attacks, the seeds of terrorism has already taken root in Singapore. In May 2015, 2 Singaporean youths had to be detained under the Internal Security Act for terrorism-related activities.

The Ministry of Home Affairs revealed that one of the detained, Arifil, had stated that if he was unable to join ISIS in Syria, he would carry out violent attacks on key facilities and assassinate government leaders in Singapore. And if he was unable to execute those plans, Arifil had planned to carry out attacks in public places, with weapons such as knives, in order to strike fear within society.

All these are real threats to Singapore's peace and continued existence.

So in my mind, the real question that needs to be answered is not if our sacrifice for the nation is necessary but do we dare to let our guard down?

Can we assume the peace and prosperity that Singapore currently enjoys is an expected and natural outcome, unaffected by our external environment and uninfluenced by events further ashore?

The NS critics cry out repeatedly - Singapore has no immediate real enemies to speak of. Abolish NS. Cut down defence spending.

Perhaps we don't have any obvious enemies for now.  But we don't know for sure in the future.

If we do abolish NS as the critics clammer for, who would be there to defend Singapore when they come knocking at our doors? Will we watch helplessly as our enemies have their way with us, like lamb to the slaughter?

Are we to stand aside as others steal not just our material belongings, but destroy our peace and our way of life at their whim and fancy and inflict fear and death to our loved ones?

Are we to be so naive as to believe that the UN or other countries would come immediately to our aid to defend what is not theirs?

The harsh reality of the modern 21st century world has not changed since the times of the cavemen.

You only own what you can defend. You can only enjoy the fruits of your labor if you can deter thieves from stealing it from you.

The peace and prosperity we enjoy comes at a heavy price.

And it is a price that we cannot afford not to pay.

Prickly Porcupine

Read more about:

FH-2000 155mm field howitzer Explosion in New Zealand
http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/press_room/official_releases/nr/1997/jun/28jun97_nr.print.img.html

Indonesia names warship after marines
http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/singapore-naming-indonesian-warship-after-marines-would-reopen-old-wounds

Terror's evolving threat to Singapore
http://news.asiaone.com/news/asian-opinions/terrors-evolving-threat-singapore

2 Singaporean youths radicalised by ISIS arrested, one of them detained for planning terror attacks
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/2-singaporean-youths-radicalised-by-isis-arrested-one-of-them-detained-for-planning-terror