SINGAPORE, June 26 — To hear Colonel Ishak Ismail, 46, tell it, his decision to become a regular officer in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) was greeted with some incredulity.
He recalled yesterday that someone asked him pointedly: “This is your name — you sure you want to sign on?”
He has replied in the affirmative many times in the last 28 years.
Yesterday, his time in the military was capped in historic fashion — he has become the first Malay general in the SAF.
His promotion marks a milestone in Malays’ efforts to be fully accepted in the military, a controversial issue ever since it was disclosed in 1987 that the SAF adopted a cautious approach in placing them in key positions.
Ishak was one of five who headed the SAF’s annual promotion list and attained the rank of Brigadier-General or Rear-Admiral (One Star).
The other four were: Colonel (Dr) Benjamin Seet and Colonel Lee Shiang Long from the Army; the Republic of Singapore Navy’s Colonel Tan Wee Beng; and Colonel Kwek Kok Kwong of the Republic of Singapore Air Force.
The five were among 464 from all three arms — both regulars and operationally-ready National Servicemen — presented with their certificates of promotion at a ceremony at Bukit Gombak Camp yesterday.
The promotions will take effect from July 1, which is SAF Day.
For Ishak, moving to the rank of Brigadier-General is reward for what he calls a consuming passion: Developing people to their potential.
Calling himself a “servant leader”, he said: “What gets me up in the morning and gives me the passion every day is the same reason I became a regular officer: Being able to influence people to something that they may not see themselves accomplishing.”
He has served in numerous appointments and is now the Commander of the 6th Singapore Division.
Last year, he received the Public Administration Medal (Silver) (Military) Medal.
He paid tribute to his wife, who put her career aspirations on hold to become a homemaker and mother to their two daughters, aged 15 and 17.
His “mission”, he said, is to spend quality time with his family: “I have never made the SAF an excuse for my family to be sidelined.
“They don’t have enough of me, so I think I should give as much as I can.”
The other officers promoted yesterday to one-star rank also spoke of the sense of purpose they get from defending the country.
Said the RSAF’s Kwek, who has served for more than 20 years: ‘Defending the country is a very honourable task, and is what keeps me going.’
Tan said that his most rewarding moments come from “working side by
side with people towards a common goal”.
Commenting on Col Ishak’s promotion yesterday, the Minister for the Environment & Water Resources and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim said it was a proud moment for the Malay-Muslim community and for all Singaporeans.
He said it showed that hard work and playing by the rules would bring its rewards in a meritocratic society.
Asked if he hoped more Malays would follow in Ishak’s footsteps, he said it was hoped this would happen, although it would depend on their ability and their interest.
“No Malays should now feel like they can’t do it. If Col Ishak can do it, we can all do it,” he said. — The Straits Times
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