President Halimah emphasises importance of 'care for soldiers' during visit to SAF training in Brunei

SINGAPORE — President Halimah Yacob, who is on her first State Visit to Brunei, on Sunday (May 13) visited officer cadets from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) undergoing training in Temburong.

Madam Halimah, who was accompanied by Senior Minister of State for Defence Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman, Chief of Army Brigadier-General (BG) Goh Si Hou and other senior SAF officers, noted how the SAF's training in Brunei was conducted in a realistic and safe manner.

She emphasised the importance of training leaders who care for their soldiers and lead with purpose, said the Ministry of Defence in a statement.

The recent death of full-time national serviceman Dave Lee Han Xuan, whose funeral was held last Saturday, made headlines.

The 19-year-old Guardsman from the 1st Battalion Singapore Guards had shown signs of heat injury after an 8km fast march in Bedok Camp on April 18 and died on April 30 after 12 days at Changi General Hospital.

The police are conducting investigations and a Committee of Inquiry has been separately convened to investigate the death. An unidentified fellow soldier had claimed Corporal First Class Lee's commanders had forced him to complete the fast march "even though he was showing signs of extreme physical exhaustion", and had not allowed the soldiers adequate rest the night before the march. In her eulogy at the funeral, CFC Lee's mother Jasmine Yeo, called for an immediate halt to "tekan", or punishment, sessions in the military.

On Sunday, Mdm Halimah said overseas training, such as in Brunei, builds the confidence and competence of Singapore's soldiers by exposing them to different stressors than that experienced in Singapore.

"I hope that these officer cadets will become leaders and role models whom the soldiers can look up to," she said.

Singapore and Brunei share a long-standing defence relationship. In addition to SAF troops training in Brunei, both militaries interact through bilateral exercises, professional exchanges, visits and cross-attendance of courses.

On her visit which began on Friday, Mdm Halimah held a bilateral meeting with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and was hosted to a State Banquet by the Sultan and Her Majesty Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha, among other events. She returns to Singapore on Monday.