[h=2]White Horse - Sons of influential persons given preferential treatment?[/h]
by Fabrications About The PAP on Friday, October 21, 2011 at 12:40pm
[h=2]Fabrications About The PAP[/h][h=1]White Horse - Sons of influential persons given preferential treatment?[/h]<BIG>NCMP Steve Chia tabled the issue of "White Horse" in Parliament in 2003</BIG>
Source: Reply by Minister for Defence to Supplementary Questions on Dr Patrick Tan's Disruption from Full-time National Service and Deployment to the Defence Medical Research Institute
by Fabrications About The PAP on Friday, October 21, 2011 at 12:40pm
[h=2]Fabrications About The PAP[/h][h=1]White Horse - Sons of influential persons given preferential treatment?[/h]<BIG>NCMP Steve Chia tabled the issue of "White Horse" in Parliament in 2003</BIG>
- <BIG>"I thought they got special treatment that was what I was lead to believe."</BIG>
- <BIG>"I don't have any 'white horse' in my platoon, but from what I heard, these people do have special treatment and they will get less punishment, easy jobs but don't know if it's true."</BIG>
- <BIG>the Singapore Armed Forces had a 'white horse' classification for NSmen prior to year 2000.</BIG>
- <BIG>to identify sons of influential persons to ensure such enlistees were NOT given preferential treatment. </BIG>
- <BIG>Mr Cedric Foo "Prior to year 2000, the term 'white horse' was used to identify sons of influential persons to ensure such enlistees were not given preferential treatment. And their medical classification and vocation assignments are scrupulously fair."</BIG>
- <BIG>Mr Foo said: "Over the years, the public has widely accepted that the NS assignment system is fair and there is no preferential treatment to anyone. Since 2000, the SAF does not have a white horse classification for NSmen."</BIG>
Timestamp: 2003
'White horse' classification for NSmen existed prior to 2000
By Dominique Loh, Channel NewsAsia SINGAPORE : Minister of State for Defence Cedric Foo said the Singapore Armed Forces had a 'white horse' classification for NSmen prior to year 2000. He said the term was used to identify sons of influential persons to ensure such enlistees were not given preferential treatment. Mr Foo was replying to a question in Parliament on Tuesday by Non-Constituency MP Steve Chia. Mr Chia asked if there was such a classification and, if so, who qualifies to be classified as a 'white horse' and what privileges are accorded to them. It is a rite of passage for all 18-year-old Singaporean men. They enlist and serve two or two-and-a-half years of National Service in a variety or vocations ranging from combat to clerical. But for many years, some NSmen have wondered if the battlefield is really level. There were whispers that the sons of influential Singaporeans, dubbed 'white horses', were supposedly getting special treatment during their National Service. "I thought they got special treatment that was what I was lead to believe." "I don't have any 'white horse' in my platoon, but from what I heard, these people do have special treatment and they will get less punishment, easy jobs but don't know if it's true." "It should be taken out, everyone is equal regardless if you are a politician's son, someone powerful, rich. You are Singaporean, we all have to go through NS one point or another, why should you receive special treatment? " Well, for what many Singaporeans say is the first time, the Defence Ministry has publicly admitted to having a 'white horse' classification. But the purpose was the exact opposite. Mr Foo said: "All NSmen are treated equally and are deployed in vocations and units based on SAF operational requirements, their medical classification, and their academic and military performance. No NSmen has been accorded special privileges. "Prior to year 2000, the term 'white horse' was used to identify sons of influential persons to ensure such enlistees were not given preferential treatment. And their medical classification and vocation assignments are scrupulously fair." But there were no follow-up questions from MPs. So then why scrap the scheme? Mr Foo said: "Over the years, the public has widely accepted that the NS assignment system is fair and there is no preferential treatment to anyone. Since 2000, the SAF does not have a white horse classification for NSmen."
- CNA
<BIG>During the October 2011 Parliamentary sitting, the issue of White Horse was again brought up by new Member of Parliament, Mr Yaw Shin Leong & Mr Pritam Singh. The following is Dr Ng's reply to their query. It is unfortunate that Mr Pritam Singh remains ignorant that the White Horse classification was discontinued after 2000.</BIG>'White horse' classification for NSmen existed prior to 2000
By Dominique Loh, Channel NewsAsia SINGAPORE : Minister of State for Defence Cedric Foo said the Singapore Armed Forces had a 'white horse' classification for NSmen prior to year 2000. He said the term was used to identify sons of influential persons to ensure such enlistees were not given preferential treatment. Mr Foo was replying to a question in Parliament on Tuesday by Non-Constituency MP Steve Chia. Mr Chia asked if there was such a classification and, if so, who qualifies to be classified as a 'white horse' and what privileges are accorded to them. It is a rite of passage for all 18-year-old Singaporean men. They enlist and serve two or two-and-a-half years of National Service in a variety or vocations ranging from combat to clerical. But for many years, some NSmen have wondered if the battlefield is really level. There were whispers that the sons of influential Singaporeans, dubbed 'white horses', were supposedly getting special treatment during their National Service. "I thought they got special treatment that was what I was lead to believe." "I don't have any 'white horse' in my platoon, but from what I heard, these people do have special treatment and they will get less punishment, easy jobs but don't know if it's true." "It should be taken out, everyone is equal regardless if you are a politician's son, someone powerful, rich. You are Singaporean, we all have to go through NS one point or another, why should you receive special treatment? " Well, for what many Singaporeans say is the first time, the Defence Ministry has publicly admitted to having a 'white horse' classification. But the purpose was the exact opposite. Mr Foo said: "All NSmen are treated equally and are deployed in vocations and units based on SAF operational requirements, their medical classification, and their academic and military performance. No NSmen has been accorded special privileges. "Prior to year 2000, the term 'white horse' was used to identify sons of influential persons to ensure such enlistees were not given preferential treatment. And their medical classification and vocation assignments are scrupulously fair." But there were no follow-up questions from MPs. So then why scrap the scheme? Mr Foo said: "Over the years, the public has widely accepted that the NS assignment system is fair and there is no preferential treatment to anyone. Since 2000, the SAF does not have a white horse classification for NSmen."
- CNA
Source: Reply by Minister for Defence to Supplementary Questions on Dr Patrick Tan's Disruption from Full-time National Service and Deployment to the Defence Medical Research Institute
Timestamp 20 Oct 2011
Yaw Shin Leong: Minister, how does MINDEF ensure that there is no preferential treatment? Is it through the "White Horse Stamp System" like Minister of State had shared with the House several years ago?
Dr Ng: Sir, just on a point of correction, I have never spoken of any white horses or any other coloured horses in this House.
Yaw Shin Leong: If I recall correctly, it was Mr Cedric Foo, then Minister of State.
Dr Ng: The question was how does MINDEF ensure that there is no preferential treatment. That is a very important question. As I had said in my reply, MINDEF is acutely aware that for NS policies, to be successful and get buy-in from the general public, equity for NS must remain a cardinal principle and we do it through a variety of ways. Some explicit policies, which means that in this case for disruption for medical studies, a different treatment for a select group of medical undergraduates whom SAF needs, to make sure that the criteria is upfront and explicit. To the extent possible, we list them. So for instance, we said they must produce documentary proof on admission to a medical school recognised by the SMC. In case of the US policy, when we allowed overseas medical studies, we said that the pre-medical course does not lead to any other professional degree such as engineering or accountancy. They must furnish documentary proof from the university that the pre-medical course leads to a medical degree. So it is possible that we explicitly state so. Then there are signalling mechanisms, where our commanders understand that if we do not uphold this principle of equity, we are going to undermine your authority because people feel that if I have connections and preferential treatment, it will be very hard to train men in a group or make them feel committed to serve NS. I want to assure members that MINDEF understands this. We do not ignore that there are different strata but we hope that we can gel the men regardless of their background into one unit. And from time to time, and let us be realistic, Singapore is small, we have anecdotes that because so-and-so's son is in this particular unit that the unit will be treated better and when they are punished, the converse is true, that this unit is punished because so-and-so' s son is in this unit and they want to make the unit an example. We understand that but overall we deal with it on a day-to-day basis and we tell our commanders, make sure if you apply a policy, you give good reasons why it is applied, maintain the principle of equity and lead by example. If members of this house know of specific cases where there is preferential treatment, I have open access to you, write to me and we will deal with it.
My last clarification was on what Mr Yaw brought up in terms of the White Horse. I said that Mr Cedric Foo had answered the question previously and to refer to the reply. If you check the record of the reply, he made it clear that the White Horse policy was initiated to ensure that there was no preferential treatment given to anyone in regard to NS.
Pritam Singh: Thank you Mr Speaker. To the Minister for Defence, thank you very much for that clarification and I am sure Singaporeans appreciate the restatement that equity in national service is a cornerstone of the national service policy. The question that was asked by the Member of Hougang Mr Yaw Shin Leong was with regard to the White Horse policy. If I can, may I ask the Minister, whether medical dockets continue to be stamped today with the White Horse stamp, in view of his comments on equity in national service. Thank you Mr Speaker.
Dr Ng: Sir, I think there have been previous questions filed on the White Horse that has been answered. But in direct answer to the Member, the answer is no.
Yaw Shin Leong: Minister, how does MINDEF ensure that there is no preferential treatment? Is it through the "White Horse Stamp System" like Minister of State had shared with the House several years ago?
Dr Ng: Sir, just on a point of correction, I have never spoken of any white horses or any other coloured horses in this House.
Yaw Shin Leong: If I recall correctly, it was Mr Cedric Foo, then Minister of State.
Dr Ng: The question was how does MINDEF ensure that there is no preferential treatment. That is a very important question. As I had said in my reply, MINDEF is acutely aware that for NS policies, to be successful and get buy-in from the general public, equity for NS must remain a cardinal principle and we do it through a variety of ways. Some explicit policies, which means that in this case for disruption for medical studies, a different treatment for a select group of medical undergraduates whom SAF needs, to make sure that the criteria is upfront and explicit. To the extent possible, we list them. So for instance, we said they must produce documentary proof on admission to a medical school recognised by the SMC. In case of the US policy, when we allowed overseas medical studies, we said that the pre-medical course does not lead to any other professional degree such as engineering or accountancy. They must furnish documentary proof from the university that the pre-medical course leads to a medical degree. So it is possible that we explicitly state so. Then there are signalling mechanisms, where our commanders understand that if we do not uphold this principle of equity, we are going to undermine your authority because people feel that if I have connections and preferential treatment, it will be very hard to train men in a group or make them feel committed to serve NS. I want to assure members that MINDEF understands this. We do not ignore that there are different strata but we hope that we can gel the men regardless of their background into one unit. And from time to time, and let us be realistic, Singapore is small, we have anecdotes that because so-and-so's son is in this particular unit that the unit will be treated better and when they are punished, the converse is true, that this unit is punished because so-and-so' s son is in this unit and they want to make the unit an example. We understand that but overall we deal with it on a day-to-day basis and we tell our commanders, make sure if you apply a policy, you give good reasons why it is applied, maintain the principle of equity and lead by example. If members of this house know of specific cases where there is preferential treatment, I have open access to you, write to me and we will deal with it.
My last clarification was on what Mr Yaw brought up in terms of the White Horse. I said that Mr Cedric Foo had answered the question previously and to refer to the reply. If you check the record of the reply, he made it clear that the White Horse policy was initiated to ensure that there was no preferential treatment given to anyone in regard to NS.
Pritam Singh: Thank you Mr Speaker. To the Minister for Defence, thank you very much for that clarification and I am sure Singaporeans appreciate the restatement that equity in national service is a cornerstone of the national service policy. The question that was asked by the Member of Hougang Mr Yaw Shin Leong was with regard to the White Horse policy. If I can, may I ask the Minister, whether medical dockets continue to be stamped today with the White Horse stamp, in view of his comments on equity in national service. Thank you Mr Speaker.
Dr Ng: Sir, I think there have been previous questions filed on the White Horse that has been answered. But in direct answer to the Member, the answer is no.
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