http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3099&Itemid=195
S'pore: the Maid, the Pack and the Soldier
Written by Our Correspondent Thursday, 31 March 2011
The country goes a little nutty after a maid is seen carrying a soldier's
backpack
The Singapore Armed Forces announced Thursday that it would conduct military
exercises in several Singapore sectors between April 4 and April 11, blank
rounds and "thunderflashes" are to be used, according to the dispatch from the
front.
And, if a photograph that first appeared on Facebook and then made it to the
Singapore website stomp.com.sg is any indication, Singapore's citizen soldiers
are to be followed by their domestic helpers carrying their knapsacks. The
photo showed a maid shouldering a pack as a khaki-clad soldier walked several
paces ahead of her near Singapore's Tanah Merah light rail station. He seems
busy with his cell phone, perhaps texting someone with tales of his military
exploits.
The photo has given rise to reactions ranging from hysterical laughter to
outrage. The publication of the picture was met with 180 responses on Stomp,
which is an offshoot of the Straits Times. There are thousands of other posts
on seemingly hundreds of web sites, blogs and social media forums. It has also
given rise to at least one photoshopped attempt to cover it up, with the
offending soldier walking along the same path carrying his own knapsack and the
maid nowhere in sight.
On the Yahoo Singapore blog site Fit to Post, 25-year-old Kelvin Wong, who
completed his mandatory army service in 2006, expressed typical outrage: "This
photo is just ridiculous. It's hard to believe that a grown man who is supposed
to be serving the nation is making his female domestic help carry his backpack.
"He's a disgrace to the army and makes Singaporean men look bad," he added.
In addition, a raft of parodies of Singaporean soldiers storming into battle,
followed by their maids, has appeared, including one of SAF troops marching in
their serried ranks, followed by serried ranks of domestic helpers carrying
their bags.
The Ministry of Defense was apparently not amused, telling the Straits Times in
a statement that the armed forces "takes a serious view of the conduct of its
servicemen in public" and that it will investigate and take appropriate action.
Others huffed and puffed about whether today's pampered young Singaporean has
grown too soft to defend that nation. The blog O My put a frame around the
picture with the caption: "My Maid Our Army: Behind every Singaporean son there
is a maid."
The blog went on to use Google maps to trace the location of the photo and to
identify the nearest military base, Bedok Camp. "It's only a matter of time
before he gets caught," the blogger warned.
Certainly the photo and the outrage dents the SAF's view of itself as an elite
fighting unit that, in the words of then-Brig. Gen. Lee Hsien Loong before he
became prime minister, could put up a "poisonous shrimp" defense: "What happens
if you step on a poisonous shrimp? He dies, but he will kill you."
That strategy was later modified, according to Lee, to become a "porcupine
defense:" "We need a policy which says, 'if you come, I'll whack you, and I'll
survive.' This is a workable strategy. I may not completely destroy you, but
you will have to pay a high price for trying to subdue me and you may still not
succeed."
Meanwhile, the public has been warned that the SAF "will also conduct Live
Firing Exercises, using live ammunition and flares." The public, the SAF
warned, "is advised not to be alarmed and to keep clear of these areas."
It did not include a warning to watch for domestic helpers following the troops.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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