S$2.50 To Watch Son's POP

[Windsor]

The following appears on The Straits Times October 1, 2011
Page A47 forum - MY POINT

I was impressed until my son told me he had to pay $2.50 for my attendance, as did his peers for their families at $2.50 per head.

My son passing out ceremony at Paya Lebar Airbase on Monday was well-organised with videos presentations, which gave parents glimpses of their sons' national service experience . I was impressed until my son told me he had to pay $2.50 for my attendance, as did his NS peer for their families at $2.50 per head. Parents sacrificed by offering two years of their sons' lives to serve the nation and yet the Ministry of Defence is unable to allocate s tiny sum for the light refreshments. Is our support for our sons' national service not worth more than $2.50.

 

[Windsor]

Mindef real cheapskate cannot afford the $2.50 for light refreshments for parents to watch their son's Passing Out Parade. Sacrificing 2 years National Service still not good enough. WTF!

 

[Leongsam]

Sacrificing 2 years National Service still not good enough. WTF!

NS isn't a "sacrifice". It's a freakin' holiday camp. No other country in the world gives its male citizens a paid 2 year holiday with all expenses thrown in.

Sinkies should count their blessings the same privilege isn't extended to foreigners.

 

[Varuna]

Mindef real cheapskate cannot afford the $2.50 for light refreshments for parents to watch their son's Passing Out Parade. Sacrificing 2 years National Service still not good enough. WTF!

They are leveling POP down to some kind of RC festivities party where residents pay $2 coupons to get free satay sticks, drinks and lucky draw. They steal ideas here and there thinking that they are creative and moving with times with 4G thinking, but they lose the big picture. You can give them best equipment and unlimited resources, but they lack the intelligence to make good judgment and common sense. Penalising attendees with a petty $2.50 is nothing more like a kuniang mentality. It further reinforces the PAY and PAY slogan that has been etched onto our country's image for decades. All thanks to this bunch of fellas.

 

[zeddy]

Maybe next year they will increase the entrance fee to $5....

 

[hairylee]

Maybe next year they will increase the entrance fee to $5....

They will charge $200 a month for sending your son to NS.
The rest MINDEF subsidise.

 

[csi88]

$2.50 to exchange to train your son be a more responsible guy not worth meh?

 

[drifter]

$2.50 to exchange to train your son be a more responsible guy not worth meh?

If NS can change a man to be responsible .. then there will be no drink and drive driver on the road ...

 

[tanakow]

The problem with Singaporean is that they are forever preoccupied with triviality. She should be asking why no PR there.

 

[csi88]

If NS can change a man to be responsible .. then there will be no drink and drive driver on the road ...

Then everything also be can be blame lo.......

 

[refulgence]

Mindef makes slaves pay for their own refreshments.

 

[Cruxx]

Then everything also be can be blame lo.......

It cuts both ways. You wanna set super high standards for PAP and attribute every single positive thing to them, it's only natural that they should be blamed for everything that goes wrong.

 

[diversifyx2]

White horses are free with special lunch haha

 

[borom]

Another good example of
"The people get the government they deserve".

Hopefully if the father of patrick tan (12 years NS deferrer/research scientist) attend any passing out parade, they will increase the fees -to pay for the appropriate food ect2.
They should also invite potential PR's/citizens from Philippines, India and China to attend free and provide free transport/goodies bag also -so that these precious talents can see the type of people they are creating jobs for.

 

[Alamaking]

$2.50 got include snacks or not? Curry puffs, kueh lapis all these???

 

[scroobal]

I am stunned! I am sure the bosses are not aware that this has been applied.

 

[halsey02]

I am stunned! I am sure the bosses are not aware that this has been applied.

The lords in the Ivory towers, is far from the ground where the serangoon grasses grow, what is shocking!. In my days, most of the parents never bothered with the passing out parade, to them, it either; 'stalag 13' or some "communists re-education camp". You ask them to fork out 50c ( $2.50 equiv), they will spit till the oil drum , runneth over.

 

[wikiphile]

This is quite a big cock up, obviously someone did not allocate any budget for any POP at PLAB and the shortfall has to be made up from the parents' own pocket. For a service that consumes a good chunk of our GDP, they somehow can't cough up any money for the transportation and refreshments. Let's see what new fairy tale Desmond Tan has to spin soon.

 

[Cruxx]

What to do? It's happened :(

 

[drifter]

Then everything also be can be blame lo.......

u idiot ...what i mean is NS does not change anything .