My name is Sang Nila Utama, deer hunter, bored prince, discoverer of Singapura and section IC of Platoon 4, Viper Company, Basic Military Training Center.

I did not discover Pulau Tekong, but I am discovering I do not like it.

My fatigues are soaked with sweat and the rifle sling cuts into my shoulder. I am leading my platoon along a dirt track that follows the coast, surrounded by neat rows of rubber trees. Through gaps of bark, the mainland is visible across the narrow waters.

“ Eh, Sang Nila, want to go lah sup bar this weekend? ” I turned and saw Ah Tan, his face shiny and wet.
“ Again? “
“ Bledy hell, if don’t have to do BMT, can go everyday ! Wah, sing hokkien lup songs with chioh char bor. Can rubba some more! Steady boh ?” Ah Tan was staring into space, the small dark spaces inside Sunshine Karaoke, Cuppage Plaza.

“CONTACTED!”
Blanks exploded all around us, as the platoon dove for cover. I proned behind the roots of a rubber tree by the side of the road. The incoming fire came from our right.

“Platoon!” I shouted. “Enemy fifty metres, three O’ clock!”
I heard Ah Tan’s voice. “ Steady pom pee pee! Qiong Ahhhh!”
We returned fire and advanced, leap frogging from tree to tree.

Fifteen metres from the source of enemy fire, I shouted for grenades to be thrown. Stones arced through the air, as I prepared to charge.

But just as I got up, a shout split the air. “NI NA HIA!!! WHO THREW THIS FARKING BIG STONE AT ME?” All fire stopped, replaced by a string of Hokkien expletives.

Hong Gan. That was the Sergeant Major’s voice.

I called for the platoon to fall in, and we assembled in front of the enemy fire trench. Three of our sergeants were there, laughing at the Sergeant Major who was rubbing his left shoulder.

“ Staff, lu see liao, killed by this tua lam pa grenade,” said Sgt Wong, holding a stone the size of a water canteen.
“ No Sgt Wong, it is this platoon 4 that just got KIA.” Staff Sergeant William Soh, Sergeant Major, Viper company turned and stared at us. “Think this your father’s army? Think military exercise is a game? Throw farking big rock when we ask you to throw small stone. Who threw it? ”
“ Staff, it was me,” Ah Tan said. “There were no small stones where I took cover, only got this big one.” Ah Tan knew it himself, no lah sup bar this weekend.
“ Private Tan, very good. Since you have trouble finding small stones, I give you some practice. I want you to find me fifty small stones, and then throw them at this trench one by one, shouting ‘Grenade!’ each time, “ said Staff Soh.
“ Yes Staff!” And Ah Tan went off looking for his fifty grenades.

“Platoon 4!” said Staff Soh. “Since you all are dead, why are
you all still standing up?”

We looked at each other quizically.

“Ni Na Hia. Dead people can look at each other like sotong
issit?” said Staff Soh evenly.

One by one we lay down on our backs. Sixteen sweating bodies on
the forest floor, staring at the sky criss-crossed by the branches of rubber trees.
“Now, can anyone tell me why you all just died?” came Staff Soh’s voice.

There was a long silence. Before I spoke.

“Staff, I died so my family can live,” I said.
Then one by one, the platoon answered.
“Staff, I died protecting my friends.”
“Staff, I died defending my country.”
“Staff, I died for our way of life.”
“Staff, cannot sia suay and zhao lor.”

Silence. I could see Staff Soh rubbing his chin in my mind’s eye.

“On your feet, up!” said Staff Soh. We assembled in front of him again. He gazed at a rubber tree standing next to him, before turning to face us. “Platoon 4, your answers are good. Good for Pioneer magazine.” He then touched the bark of the tree with his right hand before continuing. “But this is what you really gave your lives for.”

He touched the bark. “This rubber tree.”

I will defend this rubber tree. For the smoothness of its bark, greyness of its skin, the patterns on its leaves, I will give this one life that I have. I will crawl in the mud, I will be cut by stones. For this one tree, I will bleed and draw blood, kill and be killed. For this one tree I will cry for the fallen, and then wipe my eyes dry.

Because if this tree is lost, the grass behind it will be stepped on by an unfamiliar foot. Because if this tree is lost, the narrow waters beyond it will be churned by a stranger’s paddling hand. Because if this tree is lost, the land where the water ends will be lost as well.

So I will give this one life I have, live and if need be, die for a simple rubber tree.