MINDEF VOLUNTEERS HONOURED FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO S’PORE’S DEFENCE
//STORY BY LEE KAH KIT /PHOTOS BY AMOS CHEW HAN & courtesy of Assoc Prof Mark Leong
These volunteers play a key role in promoting public awareness on defence matters and inspiring support for National Service.
You might know him from TV shows like Police & Thief and The Noose, but in actor Suhaimi Yusof’s latest role, he will be focusing on defence instead of comedy.
Mr Suhaimi, 56, recently became a member of the Ministry of Defence’s (MINDEF’s) Strategic Communications Expert Panel (SCEP), where he works with MINDEF to ensure that defence issues are more effectively communicated to the public.
Speaking about the importance of effective communication, he said: “We need to defend our narratives. All it takes is one tiny, little misunderstanding and it might grow into something that we might not be able to handle in time to come.”
He believes his wealth of knowledge and experience from 38 years in the media industry gives him a fresh perspective on how MINDEF and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) can better engage the public on defence matters.
“I feel that it’s important for people like me, who have the experience, to come forward and join in contributing to the good work that the volunteers are already doing. It would be a waste if I were to just keep quiet and not do anything.”
More opportunities to contribute
Mr Suhaimi is among the 405 volunteers who were honoured at the annual MINDEF Volunteers’ Dinner for serving the nation outside of their capacities as industry professionals.
Serving on 38 MINDEF boards and committees, they are experts from both the private and public sectors, contributing in diverse sectors like training, safety, medical advice, legal counsel, strategic communications, technology, sustainability and public outreach.
Speaking at the dinner, Mr Chan highlighted the value of the volunteers’ contributions: “The power of the SAF is not just about the men and women in uniform. It is about how able we are to mobilise the whole of society to look at every aspect of our defence.”
He also noted the need to expand the spectrum of volunteering opportunities to meet modern challenges, and announced a new volunteer engagement unit to better coordinate and support this expansion of volunteering opportunities.
“I hope that with this unit and the support of all of you, we will continuously enlarge the pool of volunteers we have in the SAF...across new capabilities and more diverse skill sets.”
Strengthening our Medical Corps
Also present at the dinner was Associate Professor Mark Leong, chairman of the SAF Emergency Medicine Specialist Advisory Board (SAF EMSAB).
An emergency medicine specialist by profession, Assoc Prof Leong, 64, has been serving on the EMSAB for 14 years. The board helps to review new proposals and initiatives that the SAF Medical Corps is developing.
He believes that the Civilian-Military partnership works as the SAF has been open to innovation and evidence-based recommendations, and has shaped medical protocols based on insights from civilian emergency medicine.
He cited the establishment of the SAF Emergency Ambulance Service in 2015 to explain how this partnership has resulted in “real solid changes.”
Said Assoc Prof Leong: “These are not just drawer plans (but) real, solid developments.”
“We looked through how they were going to implement it – (for example,) how the paramedics were going to be trained. We then helped to review (the plans), and they carried out the (necessary) revisions... (eventually) making it a full-fledged emergency ambulance service.”
On why he has continued to serve, he said: “The work is never ending as there are always new things we can improve on...It brings about meaning and excitement (because we) can make the SAF safer and perform in optimal conditions.”
