For 2009, the Total Defence Day theme is " What will you defend?' Most students in my school would normally care about the theme and blog about it. But for me, I would also talk about Total Defence Day. Have you ever wondered why we celebrate this occasion? Most people would just celebrate Total Defence Day without knowing the true reason. Well, according to Wikipedia, we celebrate Total Defence Day to commemorate the anniversary of the surrender of the British to the Japanese on February 15, 1942 ,precursoring 3 years and 8 months of Japanese Occupation. Total Defence has five aspects - Military Defence, Civil Defence, Economic Defence, Social Defence and Psychological Defence. These five aspects represent the key sectors of society and they are detailed like this:
Military Defence- Singaporeans keep Singapore secure. Whenever I hear of military defence, I would think of the SAF. The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is a strong defence force that is able to deter anyone from thinking of attacking the country. The SAF draws its strength from the support of every Singaporean – national servicemen, families, friends, colleagues and employers. Talking about national service, National Service is the only workable option to ensure our security. When National Servicemen (NSmen) and full-time NSmen (NSFs) take their training seriously, they help keep the SAF strong and operationally ready. Our operational readiness is also maintained by ensuring that all equipment is in good working order all the time, and keeping up with the latest advancements in technology to meet new challenges in the battlefield. Going back to the SAF, The SAF has widened its capabilities to deal with non-conventional threats such as terrorist bombings, hijackings, and chemical, biological and radiological attacks. The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the SAF will continue to work with other security agencies to deal with such threats.
Civil Defence- Taking care of your family, friends and people around you in times of crisis. Having the same thought, whenever I hear of civil defence, I would think of the SCDF. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) recruits and trains civil defence volunteers in first aid, rescue and evacuation procedures, and shelter management. The SCDF also conducts talks and exercises to familiarise the public with basic first aid, the nearest bomb shelters and emergency arrangements like relief supply of critical items such as blood, water and food. Participating in such exercises helps us to be prepared. When we know what to do, we can help to save lives and property, and ensure that life goes on as normally as possible in times of crisis. Also, The threat of global terrorism will be around for some time. Much has already been done to ensure that Singapore is well protected against terrorist attacks, but security personnel cannot be everywhere. Singaporeans can help by looking out for, and reporting, anything suspicious.
Economic Defence- Working and saving to achieve a better life for everyone. When we upgrade our skills and knowledge, it helps us to stay relevant and employable in this rapidly changing world. Our ability to embrace lifelong learning and re-training is vital to keeping our economy competitive. Economic defence is also when the foundation of our economy is strong, our economy will not break down so easily in times of war or crisis. Sound policies and practices help us withstand external shocks. Putting in place measures to keep businesses running and maintaining stockpiles of essential items also help to keep our economy going. It is also about protecting our enviroment. By saving electricity and water, and by adopting environment-friendly practices as a way of daily life, we are helping to conserve energy and to protect our environment. As a result, Singapore will continue to be livable for future generations.
Social Defence- Living in harmony, looking out for one another. Social defence is about maintaining racial and religious harmony to ensure peace and stability in Singapore. When Singaporeans understand and are sensitive to the cultures and traditions of one another, and build strong bonds across different ethnic groups, we help strengthen social cohesion.As one people, we have a duty to contribute to the community by helping the less fortunate and underprivileged among us, regardless of their race, language, religion, age or nationality. By doing so, we can further strengthen social cohesion, and build a gracious, compassionate society.
Psychological Defence- Singaporean and proud of it. As the final aspect of Total Defence, it is when Singaporeans are united in pride and passion for the country, Singaporeans will stand up to defend what is theirs and protect the independence of the nation. And whatever the crisis or challenge, the ability to overcome challenges depends on how mentally strong Singaporeans are. It is this will and the commitment of the people that will decide how strong Singapore is as a nation.
Now what are some of the old themes of Total Defence. In 2006, the theme of the campaign was "Stay vigilant, be resilient". The theme for the 2008 campaign was "Total Defence. It's Personal. Play Your Part." The goal is to have all Singaporeans understand and appreciate that the defence of Singapore is the personal responsibility of every Singaporean. Whatever happens to Singapore affects our lives, and a strong Total Defence will benefit everyone. Singaporeans thus have to play their part to keep Singapore safe and secure. The adopted theme for the 2009 campaign is "What will you defend?". Even as Singaporeans commemorate 25 years of Total Defence in Singapore, it is hope that the adopted theme will cause Singaporeans to dig deep within themselves, and reflect on what it is in Singapore that they hold most dear in life, what it is that they will strive to protect and defend in times of threat or crisis.
So overall, I would want to defend is everything I have and everyone I know, because all of them have a purpose in my life. For example, my parents are important to me as they brought me up from young and raised my to become a conscientious and responsible person; my house is also important to me as it is where most of my childhood memories are stored. It is also the place of where I found new neighbours and have the most joyous time of my life, therefore i would want to defend it. Another thing that we must defend/protect is our health, as there are many diseases around us. That is all for my blog and hope everyone else too has something or someone special hat they would want to defend.
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