KUCHING: Duty and country come first for Second Lieutenant Soong Wen Hui who spent Chinese New Year braving the rough seas away from her family.

The 24-year-old Royal Malaysian Navy officer was offered the chance to fly home to Batu Gajah, Perak, for the festival but opted to continue her six-month stint on board the Gagah Samudera, currently on its maiden voyage to Sabah and Sarawak.

She is among 17 officers, including eight other women, on a familiarisation trip to ports in the two states as part of their training programme.

Soong said spending Chinese New Year at sea did not bother her because it was part of the job.

She did not even apply for leave as another officer would have to take over her duties, she added.

“This is my first Chinese New Year on board a ship at sea, (though) I spent the second day sightseeing in Kundasang (Sabah) before we embarked on a three-day trip to Kuching.

“It was rough seas and bad weather all the way but I’m glad I made it through.

“Our commander asked me twice if I wanted to take leave for the new year but the cost of flying me home is too much.

“Furthermore, I didn’t want to leave my post and burden another officer with carrying out my duty,” she said on board the ship at Pending Port here yesterday.

Soong, a Maritime Science graduate from the National Defence University of Malaysia, has been with the navy since 2012.

“I developed a fondness for the armed forces during my National Service training stint.

“Living in the jungle might prove too much for me, and the idea of flying a plane is a bit terrifying.

“So, the army and air force were a no-go,” she said when asked why she had picked the navy.

Soong, the eldest of four siblings, added that joining the navy enabled her to see the world.

She has also been to Vietnam, Thailand and Brunei.

Soong encouraged people of all races to give the armed forces, especially the navy, a try.

Contrary to what some people believe, she said she had not experienced any discrimination in the navy.



Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018...9GjpoR8mglRh.99


This post has been edited by Lumiaaa: Feb 22 2018, 03:01 AM


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Lespect!

Why should anyone be.

I'm proud of her. I bet LTZ too if not more.

Not you?

Kenapa her arm cross maciam lain maciam?

takkan u expect navy to be putih2 machem korean plastik.

if putih like korean plastik, i will start to doubt our military credibility

Lol...ramai je female officer in rmn..just not put in highlight aje...they have more important things to do...met minachi officer, amoi officer, sinkh officer, sabahan/sarawak officer...ramai la...just their ratio are lessser la compare to male..hmm...some of them veri hnggghhhh liao..

Kalau aku gaduh dengan dia confirm aku nangis.

i somehow dont believe they onboard

wif ppl lost at sea,cant imagine wimin onboard

Amoi 404

Pls show evidence

lol

Just rajin2 u go navy base la..they all in there..some just back from sea

girls at sea
if in container vessel they become for captain n officers
met one girl before.she used to be very pretty when 1st time i see her onboard.after few month walawei become like somebody's mother already..

Ayam have made an acquaintance before with female naval officer specialize in law at Mindef Jalan Padang Tembak

group event?

wah operate kapal baru

i dun even surprised an officer in navy is a cinis. just watch Battleship. Our navy admiral is one!

what is LTZ?

My didi is standing at attention

Lieu-Tenant Zulu?

Yet some will say kaw kaw non-bumi will have no future la, discriminated la, gets passed over la.

Kalau malas/takut nak join military cakap je la.....

dont bother to join/enlisted in military profession. Got whole other jobs in this world that can make more mani

we are not SG maa
limit certain races as officer in navy

kthxbye

Got Malay becum Fighter Pilot in SG Air Force? How many Malay fella that won the prestigious SAF scholarship

This post has been edited by JohnKekHow: Feb 22 2018, 01:19 PM

if only money is on ur mind, up to u.

Some pipul have more nobler aims in life than u, I guess. Dun disparage or discourage these kind of pipul enuff alredi.

Now got, but still small numbers
but no Malay as navy officer and other "sensitive" unit

whoah abam, u really stops him on his track :haha:

u weakling.
In old days, f r not allowed onboard.

I believe there's plenty of chinese in air force or navy

it's the army that's the problem

This post has been edited by ZeneticX: Feb 22 2018, 03:04 PM

Apa barang jadi infantryman bro. Mana ada standard? biar melayu je la jadi infantryman.

Ini LTZ

Actually that's true. Air Force and Navy more multi-racial.

Hidop Askar Melayu!!!! Pongos

This post has been edited by JohnKekHow: Feb 22 2018, 04:05 PM

lol
usik2 aje

officers got esp the ones with scholarship
but not the lower ranks (private to warrant officers)
same goes to air force and navy too