Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan underscored Singapore’s absolute need to identify and develop strong leaders with vision and gumption, leaders who can not only adapt to new systems and practices quickly, but also nurture others to do the same.
The minister made this assertion during a speech at the 114/18 Officer Cadet Commissioning Parade at SAFTI Military Institute, 15 September 2019.
As he addressed the cadet officers, the foreign minister said, “As officers, you will have command responsibility. People’s lives will depend on your decisions. And it is your responsibility to train your men and women well, to train them hard, but to also return them to their loved ones at the end of every single day. When others look to you for leadership, guidance and support, let them see a role model who exemplifies the core values of the SAF.”
Before the speech ended, Mr. Balakrishnan quoted Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew in his address to the first batch of officer trainees in 1966, “This small group of men … must be men of great quality. By that, I don’t mean just qualities of the mind because for this job, it is the character, the mettle in a person which determines whether the men you lead have … the confidence, the verve which is only possible, given dedicated and inspired leadership.” -/TISG