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Straits Times
5 days ago
- General
- Straits Times
Commandos are Best Combat Unit for the 39th time
(From left) LTA Seah Zhang Qi; 2SG T Naveen, commando leader; LTC Kok Yi Long, commanding officer; and CFC Akmal Danial Rashiddin Abdul Latif, a commando fighter, from the 1st Commando Battalion, pictured on June 24. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG Commandos are Best Combat Unit for the 39th time SINGAPORE – The 1st Commando Battalion is the Best Combat Unit in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) again, and it has no intention of slowing down. In a statement from the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) on June 28 announcing the win, the unit's commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Kok Yi Long, said: 'The standard is high, and that is exactly where we intend to keep it.' Winning 22 times in a row did not happen by chance, he said. He said: 'It happened because every commando believed in the mission, pushed beyond limits in a calculated manner, and refused to settle for less. 'It is about a culture built over time, sustained by teamwork, discipline, and an unyielding commitment to excellence.' The unit does not strive for awards but to be better and ready to defend Singapore, he added. The special forces unit, which wears the distinctive red berets, is trained for various missions including airborne operations, reconnaissance and raids. In all, this is their 39th win since the competition was introduced in 1969. On July 1, the SAF will honour its best units with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Defence Minister Mr Chan Chun Sing presenting the awards to the winners at the SAF Day Parade at the SAFTI Military Institute. A total of 18 active units and 12 National Service (NS) units across the SAF are being recognised for their achievements. Awards include Best Combat Support Unit – won by the 17th Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence Battalion, and the Best Air Engineering Unit, won by 811 Squadron . Some NS units that will be honoured include the 114th Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence Battalion which is the Best NS C4I Unit and 489th Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment, the Best NS Armour Unit. This year's Best Fighter Squadron is 142 Squadron, for the second consecutive time. It is the unit's fourth win since it was founded in 1974. The squadron conducts a wide spectrum of missions and notably, was the one that responded to a bomb threat on Air India Express flight AXB684 in October 2024, said Mindef. Then, two F-15SG fighter jets intercepted and escorted the flight to a safe landing at Changi Airport . No bomb was found on board. The squadron's commanding officer, Major Muhammad Iskandar, said the win was a testament to the hard work, dedication, and team spirit of each of its members. He said: 'Celebrating our win on SG60, a significant milestone in our journey as a nation, makes the award even more meaningful for us. '142 Squadron stands ready to face an increasingly unpredictable world, staying committed to excellence, anchored in purpose, and taking full ownership of our mission to defend Singapore.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Online Citizen
04-06-2025
- General
- Online Citizen
Man to be charged over bomb hoax made aboard flight at Changi Airport
A 22-year-old man will be charged on 5 June in Singapore for allegedly making a bomb threat while onboard a flight preparing to depart from Changi Airport. The man had allegedly posted the threat on social media shortly before takeoff. According to the Singapore Police Force (SPF), officers were alerted on 14 February at approximately 7.20pm to a social media post that contained a threat to blow up an aircraft. The post, reportedly made after the man had boarded the aircraft, read: 'no one here knows I'm going to blow the plane up.' Investigations by the Airport Police Division led to the identification of the suspect within an hour of the report. The aircraft, which was taxiing on the runway for departure to Abu Dhabi, was recalled to Changi Airport Terminal 2. The man was arrested onboard the flight. Police confirmed that no threat items were found in his possession and there was no actual means to carry out the threat. The man will be charged under Section 268A of the Penal Code for communicating false information about a harmful thing. If found guilty, he could face up to seven years' imprisonment, a fine of up to S$50,000, or both. When contacted by state media CNA, the police declined to disclose the man's nationality. Police stress zero tolerance for false threats The SPF emphasised the seriousness with which all security threats are treated. Assistant Commissioner of Police M Malathi, Commander of the Airport Police Division, said the safety and security of passengers and staff remain the top priority. 'Beyond fear and inconvenience caused, the making of false threats, especially relating to airport and airline operations, involves significant public resources that have to be deployed to deal with the incident,' she stated. 'All security threats will be thoroughly investigated and those responsible will be tracked down and prosecuted.' Previous bomb threat in October 2024 In a similar incident in October 2024, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) deployed two F-15SG fighter jets in response to a bomb threat on an incoming Air India Express flight. The flight, which was bound for Singapore, was safely escorted to Changi Airport where no threats were found upon inspection. That incident was one of several bomb threats made against flights departing from India on 14 and 15 October 2024.
