Speech by Mr Masagos Zulkifli Bin Masagos Mohamad, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education at the 4th NCC Dining-In, SAFTI Military Institute

SPEECH BY MR MASAGOS ZULKIFLI BIN MASAGOS MOHAMAD, SENIOR PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AT THE 4TH NCC DINING-IN, SAFTI MILITARY INSTITUTE - WARRIORS’ HALL, 1930HR
30 NOVEMBER 2007

1. A very good evening to all of you. I am extremely pleased to join you here at this evening’s NCC Dining-In.

2. In the history of armies around the world, Dining-In sessions like this one have been a central and integral part of military life. Dining-ins celebrate the achievements of military units and reinforce the rich traditions held. The Units also use these opportunities to establish friendship and build camaraderie among members.

3. As we look forward, we are constantly guided by our past achievements and endeavours. The NCC Dining-In, which emphasizes traditions and history, has an important role in building a sense of collective pride in the NCC, which is important to internalizing the core values that we cherish.

4. As Singapore’s oldest uniformed group, the NCC has more than a century of traditions behind its 106 years. By looking to events such as the Dining-In, I hope that you will gain a better understanding of where you have come from, and the context behind the NCC’s present activities, practices and traditions.

5. I am especially pleased that Cadet Lieutenants were also involved in the planning, organizing and conduct of this Dining-In. Through providing such opportunities, the NCC seeks to infuse the spirit of community, innovation and enterprise into its young leaders. A noteworthy effort by Cadet Lieutenants each year is the service-learning programmes. Since December 2003, several teams of Cadet Lieutenants have initiated and carried out Overseas Service Learning Project in Chiang Mai, Thailand and in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India. I am happy to note that yesterday, a group of your fellow Cadet Lieutenants have embarked on another Overseas Service Learning(OSL) Project to Yunnan, China. They will be co-building a learning centre for a village in the rural areas with members from other Uniformed Groups(UG) as part of a combined UG OSL expedition. I wish them a safe and enriching trip.

6. As Cadet Lieutenants, the pinnacle of student leadership in the NCC, you are privileged to be a part of this journey and I am certain you will be able to contribute to the organization in this respect.

7. There are valuable lessons in your journey through NCC and excellent opportunities for you to develop your life skills. NCC seeks to expand your capacity to excel and lead; and mould you as future leaders of Singapore and puts in your hand the future of our young, whether they ultimately pursue a career in the SAF or not.

8. Indeed, in the SAF today, approximately 25% of the regular officers in the Army, Navy and Air Force are former NCC cadets. Furthermore, 35% of the SAF’s senior commanders – those of rank Lieutenant Colonel and above, including our Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant-General (LG) Desmond Kuek, are former cadets.
Although NCC cadets represent only about 13% of the secondary school population, the statistics shows that the leadership experience in NCC is significant in developing future leaders of our country.

9. Before I conclude, let me congratulate all who have been involved in the planning and conduct of this NCC Dining-In. It is a job well done and you should be proud of the enterprise, initiative and leadership skills you have shown. It now remains for me to declare the Dining-In officially open, and to wish you all a pleasant evening.