Three Singapore Armed Forces officers will move up to the rank of major-general in this year's promotions exercise.
Adding a second general's star to their epaulettes are the Chief of Army, Brigadier-General Lim Chuan Poh; the Chief of Air Force, BG Raymond Ng; and the Chief of Joint Staff, BG Ng Yat Chung, who is also the director of the joint operations and planning directorate.
They are among 477 officers promoted this year.
Those promoted to lieutenant-colonel or a higher rank received their certificates of promotion from the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, Dr Tony Tan, yesterday.
Among them are two women officers who are being made lieutenant-colonel, the highest rank so far for women in the SAF.
But heading this year's list is the Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant-General Bey Soo Khiang, who retains the same rank but moves up in grade from superscale B to B1.
Four officers holding the rank of brigadier-general and one officer who is a rear-admiral, the naval equivalent of that rank, are also being promoted in grade.
Getting their first general's star to break into the top hierarchy as brigadier-general are six officers who are now colonels.
In addition, five officers holding the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and who are all SAF Overseas Scholars, are being promoted in grade to superscale G. All are 32.
In its statement, the Defence Ministry said that it recognises that it must continue to get able people to maintain the SAF as a potent and highly professional force, to ensure that the defence of Singapore is not compromised.
One of the new BGs is Colonel Desmond Kuek Bak Chye. The 36-year-old SAF scholar, who has been in the army for half his life, is in the armour formation.
He said that he has had a very rewarding, fulfilling and satisfying career so far.
"You get to work with people and that is always a challenge."
Yesterday's ceremony was held at the Defence Ministry in Gombak Drive. Two weeks earlier at the same place, 549 warrant officers and specialists in the SAF received their promotions.
Over the years, the job responsibilities of the warrant officers and specialists have expanded beyond the traditional duties of regimentation and discipline, said Mindef.
They are now involved in areas such as manpower, logistics, intelligence, training and operations.
About 13.5 per cent of warrant officers hold appointments held previously by commissioned officers.
On June 18, Master Warrant Officers Kurusamy Sanderam, Teo Gee Seng, Chan Gim Seng and Ng Beng Teck were promoted to the rank of Senior Warrant Officer.
Their promotions, bring the number of SWOs in the SAF to 42.
(taken from The Straits Times, 30/6/99)