ST forum: SAF items in online auctions
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SAF items in online auction raise eyebrows
By Ben Nadarajan
MILITARY items from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), including an officer's sword and a bullet, are being put under the hammer at Yahoo's online auction site.
The sword, which every SAF officer is given when he is commissioned, was offered for sale on Monday by 'diediedive'.
His asking price is $400; so far, no one has made an official bid for it.
'Tianeng2002' is asking $58 for the bullet which does not contain gunpowder and cannot be fired.
He described the item, which is used in weapons training, as 'very rare' and promised 'it will not rust and will last a lifetime'.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said the drill round, as soldiers call it, is a 'controlled item which should not have been taken out of camp'.
Another seller is offering a Good Service Medal - given to full-time NSmen who have put in five years of good service - for $180.
Eyebrows were raised at the SAF and Defence Ministry when told of the items on sale.
The Mindef spokesman said: 'The commissioning sword and the medal are items which are presented to individual SAF officers in recognition of their efforts and contributions.
'So, it's inappropriate for them to be sold for a profit.'
Mindef said that it will be looking into the matter.
The Straits Times tried to contact the three people who want to sell the items, but the seller of the bullet did not respond to e-mail messages.
Ms Bonnie Yong, who is selling the medal, said it belongs to a friend who had migrated recently and had asked her to sell some of his personal items.
Both have not received any bids for their items.
The man selling the sword, who calls himself Eric, said he was an officer during national service (NS).
He said he works part-time in Tuas and that the sword is his brother's, formerly also an NS officer.
In his advertisement, he said that he needed money.
'This sword is an extra one because my brother migrated and left his sword lying around in the house,' he added.
When told that he was speaking to a reporter, he claimed other officers are also selling their swords to collectors.
'Officers can always buy a new sword from the quarter-master for about $300, so those like me who need the cash will just sell their swords, then buy a new one when they have money,' he justified.
But barely hours after that, the item was taken off the auction website.
Retired major Raymond Chin is particularly upset about the sword offer.
Putting the SAF sword up for auction 'cheapened' it, he said, as 'the sword signifies a certain code and loyalty that the officers have for the nation'.
'It's irreplaceable and should not be treated so flippantly.'
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its disturbing people are doing such things... it's good though that so far no one has bought the items. -
blame it on the economy....soon Armt vests and shorts on sale also liao. haha...my CPL rank worth how much ah?
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I see new balance shoes going at $15 at Yahoo. -
see....expected liao. SAF folders and pens who want? haha
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?! you mean the saf model is uniquely designed for saf and cannot be found in the market?Originally posted by Parka: I see new balance shoes going at $15 at Yahoo. -
Originally posted by wuming78:?! you mean the saf model is uniquely designed for saf and cannot be found in the market? There's a SAF logo sewn onto the show, if you look at it properly.
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yes, but that doesn't mean that model has been designed and made specially for saf, only that those are the ones that have been procured by saf probably at a lower price for saf use only (another example is tiger beer). unless it is indeed true that new balance designed and made those shoes specially for saf, else i really don't see any value in them and why anyone would want to get them from online auctions - unless they are desperate.Originally posted by Parka: There's a SAF logo sewn onto the show, if you look at it properly. -
Originally posted by wuming78:yes, but that doesn't mean that model has been designed and made specially for saf, only that those are the ones that have been procured by saf probably at a lower price for saf use only (another example is tiger beer). unless it is indeed true that new balance designed and made those shoes specially for saf, else i really don't see any value in them and why anyone would want to get them from online auctions - unless they are desperate. As long as the logo is up there, it's a SAF item. DOn't know whether it's illegal to sell SAF items or not though.
Desperate? I don't think so. Consider the true value. A new and good pair of running shoes at $15 only.
Besides, value is relative. -
oh yes i forgot ... surely there must be people who will get these items using their emart credits and then sell them off for cash. but yes, it's not legal to sell saf items.Originally posted by Parka: As long as the logo is up there, it's a SAF item. DOn't know whether it's illegal to sell SAF items or not though.
Desperate? I don't think so. Consider the true value. A new and good pair of running shoes at $15 only.
Besides, value is relative.