Dad carries backpack for NS recruit

Dad carries backpack for NS recruit

The carrying of backpacks for national servicemen in Singapore continues to make the news.

The latest comes on Thursday when a reader of the popular Singapore citizen journalism website Stomp sent a picture of a serviceman in army uniform, making an older man - believed to be his father - carry his backpack.The reader - Danny - told Stomp: "At about 3pm yesterday (Wednesday), as my friends and I were going to Northpoint in Yishun for lunch, I saw yet another army boy making his father carrying his bag for him."This is definitely unacceptable!"In March, a reader had sent to Stomp, a picture of a national serviceman making his maid carry his army backpack.It sparked a national uproar (that spilled over to Malaysia) and the Ministry of Defence counselled him after he had identified himself to his commander.

The photograph made its rounds on the Internet and generated much debate about whether Generation Y soldiers in Singapore are too 'soft' and 'spoilt'.In this latest case, should the parent or older person share the blame too?Source: The Straits Times/ANN
Published June 30 2011