Stand by Li Hongyi ‘cos what he did was right. All together now – blow your whistles! And blow it loud loud.
Do show your support for Hongyi by posting the above image on your blog if you appreciate what he did. 🙂
(Note: Picture of Hongyi taken from ssatosaigon2)
Technorati Tags: Singapore, psc scholar, alvinology, li hongyi photo, ho ching, li hongyi, saf officer, lee hsien loong son, whistle blowing, blow whistle, support hongyi
Thanks for the sharing. I have post it on my blog already. 🙂
We need more supporters! hahaha
If I am not wrong, AWOL is a straight DB with handcuffs. I have seen enough people go in for that. Some book in 2 hours late also got AWOL charge and go DB.
I have also seen people go in DB for insubordination, those small type like arguing back.
Those times, Singaporeans behave like prisoners in camps with no knowledge of their rights.
SAF got full of unclear rules that can be interpreted as the CO like. If there is consistent justice, LTA X should be on the way to DB and so too the OC and those involved for helping a AWOLer.
It seems the media never learn their lesson and is at overdrive again making Lee Hongyi look like a hero. The criticisms printed are so mild. Plenty of damage control. It seems they rather sacrifice SAF’s reputation than Lee Hongyi’s reputation.
My analysis is he is no hero or zero. All he did was a rash act that opened a 40 years old can of worms in SAF. Anyone could have done what he did, only that what will be the consequences.
Anybody else might be considered as mad and go to IMH for mass emailing so many people over some personal differences and displeasure with a bunch of colleagues and superiors.
The incident had highlight some points.
White Horse mentality and practice is still very much prevalent in SAF despite what MP Cedric Foo clarified in Parliament years ago.
Rules alone is not enough to change this fact. Age old traditions and culture must take a beating to change this fact.
When applying discipline and rules, prejudice and biaseness is still very much prevalent in SAF which led to many batches of NS men being more cynical than ever after leaving NS as compare before joining NS.
Rules and discipline when applied unfairly and inconsistently can only cause SAF to self destruct in any situation.
Hopefully during war time, the enemies can differentiate between who is white horse and who is not so that white horse can continue to enjoy different
treatment.
Anyway, welcome to the real world Lee Hongyi, I guess he must be sheltered too long thus was unprepared and shock for what he experienced in this incident which many Singaporeans had gone through without much difference
You seem to agree it is fine for 2LT Lee to get away lightly with what he did just because of his status. So you agree it is fine to have double standards when implementing discipline and rules in SAF.
Then what is the difference between LTA X and 2LT Lee ??
Not just officers suffer injustice and complain privately in SAF, all NSFs of all ranks suffer injustice and complain privately in SAF.
All these could just be a show to introduce the future PM.
I think we can simplify the whole issue.
This is just conflicts among colleagues and maybe his superiors felt it was a normal case and use the “traditional” SAF method to deal with it.
2LT Lee was not happy with the result and felt not enough blood was drawn and thus did what he did base on his own abnormal status as PM’s son.
I am not sure, but LTA X and 2LT Lee are similiar in some sense that both had light punishment for their offences.
2LT Lee did not mean to whistleblow as he sent an internal email.
The person who whistleblowed was the first person who copied and posted the email on the Net knowing the outcome could go both ways at his own risk.
This person is the real hero.
wow! thanks for the long comment.
To clarify, I am not making Hongyi a hero, but rather, his action.
I think precisely because of Li Hongyi’s high profile status and family background – if he get away lightly, it sets a new threshold of tolerence from SAF towards whistle-blowing.
In future, other NSFs who follow his fine example and do the same thing with SAF should only expect to face the same level of punishment.
Taking it to the broader picture, this should be applicable to other govt organisations as well.
View in this way, shouldn’t we champion this cause?
Idealism also must see who is your master and your backing. That is Uniquely Singapore Idealism for you.
Looks like Singapore government is indeed behaving like Ancient Chinese dynasties.
Peasants cannot be idealistic, only elites can.
Whatever man. I am still idealistic but I didn’t go to an elite school.
Can a whistle blowing polcy really work in any organisation? Tell me about your experience on this matter!