Another SAF-related picture receives flak
A photograph of what seemed to be an operationally-ready national serviceman pointing a SAR 21 rifle to his head is drawing criticism online.
The picture was first posted on citizen-journalism website Stomp, and has garnered over 27,000 views as of Thursday since it was posted on Tuesday.
Engineer Jason Lee, 29, told Yahoo! Singapore, "This is a very stupid thing to do. Why point a dangerous weapon at your own head? You never know when things might go wrong. And a second question is: why was a camera phone allowed in camp?"
Most netizens who have commented on the photo have condemned the soldier's act.
Getrealz, a user on Stomp, said, "The image of SAF is finished yet again... so embarrassing especially when our neighbouring countries see this."
mlyleo_69 added, "This is an unbecoming behaviour of an army personnel irregardless of what position he is. This is unacceptable and amounts to disrespect of discipline."
Sin Boon Ann, a member of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Defence and Foreign Affairs, took the matter seriously.
"If it's meant to be a tongue-in-cheek thing, it's not funny," he told The New Paper.
"When you are a soldier in uniform and bearing arms you should behave in a certain demeanour," he said. "The rifle is meant for you to save lives, protect your fellow soldiers."
It is unclear whether the soldier in the picture is currently serving his national service, but the old-style camouflage pants suggests that he may be a reservist personnel.
The background of the image appears to show the soldiers' bunk in an unknown army camp.
Such images online about the Singapore Armed Forces serve to undermine the strict image of the organisation.
"First it was the maid carrying the soldier's bag pack, and now this. The public must be wondering what is wrong with our soldiers these days," said 32 year-old civil servant Daryl Lim.
Recently, a photograph of a domestic worker carrying the fieldpack of a full-time national serviceman surfaced, causing many Singaporeans to react angrily.
The soldier, who was undergoing the Physical Training Preparatory phase prior to starting his Basic Military Training, has since stepped forward and admitted to his superiors that he was the one in the picture.
A spokesman from the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said, "He has been counselled and continues his training. The SAF has reminded all servicemen to be mindful of their conduct in public."
MINDEF has made it clear that it does not condone acts wherein soldiers behave inappropriately online or describe military activities on blogs or social networking sites.
Camera phones were banned in army camps in 2007 after photos of training activities appeared online.
A former army officer, who only wanted to be known as Rahman, told TNP, Today's generation of 'fast-food' soldiers is different from soldiers in the 80s and 90s.
"Now, it seems our soldiers, even if they know that some things are wrong, would do it any way to show that they dare. They simply do not respect the ranks and what the uniform stands for in the army."
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