Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen visits SAF Guards formation
PUBLISHED ONSeptember 19, 2014 12:17 PMByDanson Cheong
SINGAPORE - Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen fired weapons like the Electric Stun Gun - the "less lethal weapons" used by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to support overseas peace operations, during a visit on Friday to the Lim Chu Kang live-firing area.
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Here is the statement from the Ministry of Defence:
Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen visited the Guards Formation at Lim Chu Kang Live-Firing Area this morning. During this visit, Dr Ng was updated on the SAF's latest capability developments in the area of Peace Support Operations.
The Guards formation has played a pivotal role in strengthening the SAF's peacetime capabilities, building on valuable experience from actual Peace Support Operations and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Operations.
"Our people have done well and learnt a great deal from these operations. This has allowed us to strengthen the SAF's capabilities in Peace Support Operations, which has enabled Singapore to contribute as a responsible member of the international community," said Chief Guards Officer, Brigadier-General Melvyn Ong.
Over the years, SAF personnel including servicemen from the Guards formation have taken part in over twenty peacetime missions.
These include the United Nations Peace Keeping Operations in Timor Leste from 1999 to 2003, the Boxing Day tsunami relief operation in Indonesia in 2004, the Christchurch earthquake relief operation in New Zealand in 2011 as well as reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan from 2007 to 2013.
Dr Ng was given a hands-on experience with the SAF's Less-Lethal Weapons, firing foam projectile rounds from the Multiple Grenade Launcher and the Electric Stun Gun. He then witnessed a demonstration of the SAF's drill to counter a vehicular ambush.
He also viewed a static display of equipment used in Peace Support Operations such as the Mobile Field Kitchen and Water Purification Unit and interacted with Guardsmen who participated in past SAF overseas deployments.