Singapore's second Chief of Defence Force Ng Jui Ping dies at 71

SINGAPORE - Singapore's second Chief of Defence Force (CDF), retired Lieutenant-General Ng Jui Ping, died at the age of 71 on Wednesday (Jan 1).

Former Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) officers who have worked with Mr Ng took to Facebook to pay their tributes to him.

In his post on Wednesday, Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean said that Mr Ng was CDF and Chief of Army during a period of transformational change in the SAF. "His views were always sharp and incisive. Above all he was a leader who was mission focused and got things done," Mr Teo said.

Mr Teo said he visited Mr Ng three weeks ago. "We reminisced over the times we served together in the SAF. As always, he displayed great strength and courage," he wrote, adding: "My deepest condolences to the family of an old comrade."

Another retired general, Mr Bernard Tan, recalled how he spent 10 days with Mr Ng as his staff officer on an official visit to France and the US.

"No officer I have worked with has been so demanding or skilled at keeping people on their toes," said Mr Tan.

Mr Tan said Mr Ng had been suffering from pancreatic cancer and added that he respected the former CDF's decision to stay quiet about his illness.

"Lt-Gen Ng was a unique leader, someone who will always be remembered by those in uniform," he wrote.

Mr Ng was CDF from 1992 to 1995. He was the first batch of officers who answered an advertisement in 1966 to become one of Singapore's pioneer career soldiers. He became an entrepreneur after retiring from the SAF in 1995.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.