X
TAP top app download banner
theAsianparent Singapore Logo
theAsianparent Singapore Logo
Product Guide
Sign in
  • Together Against RSV
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • Events
  • Holiday Hub
  • Aptamil
    • Immunity
    • Intelligence
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • VIP

‘What’s My Excuse?’ Huang Shinan’s Dedication To Defending Singapore Even in His Late 50s Inspired Son Beckham for NS

3 min read
‘What’s My Excuse?’ Huang Shinan’s Dedication To Defending Singapore Even in His Late 50s Inspired Son Beckham for NS

Beckham Wee, the son of Pan Lingling and Huang Shinan, shared how his father's dedication inspired him to passionately pursue NS.

Like some young men, Beckham Wee — the older son of local actors Pan Lingling and Huang Shinan — was not particularly enthusiastic about having to serve his two years in National Service (NS).

However, overhearing a conversation between his parents gave him a new outlook on NS.

In an interview posted on the Ministry of Defence’s YouTube page last month, Beckham, 23, said: “In all honesty, I once thought that those two years could be put to better use, during the start of my junior college days.”

He went on to explain that his perspective “changed entirely” when he heard a conversation between Lingling, 52, and Shinan, 61.

He said: “My mum was asking my dad, ‘Why are you still keeping your field pack and stuff like that?’

“His reply was that, if Singapore were ever to go to war right then, he would drop everything, put on his uniform and fight.”

Beckham was “struck” by this, as his father was already in his late 50s at the time, yet he was so dedicated to defending the country.

“I was still young and able-bodied, what’s my excuse?” he wondered.

Since then, his thoughts on NS changed and he wanted to “give his best” instead.

beckham NS

PHOTO: Screengrab/YouTube/Ministry of Defence Singapore

Lingling, who was interviewed alongside her son, praised Beckham for becoming a “gentleman” after his enlistment. She said NS made him tougher and “more disciplined” and that her son became a changed man, making his bed every morning, which touched her.

She added: “I can really see a gentleman in my house, beside my husband. He’s another one, the upcoming gentleman.”

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  A post shared by Pan LingLing潘玲玲 (@panlinglingg)

Both mother and son also realised how much they missed each other after he had enlisted.

Beckham felt that he had “really neglected” his loved ones before he went for NS and began to miss them.

“During my time in the military, especially as a trainee in basic military training (BMT) or officer cadet school, the one thing I constantly thought about was home — my family, my close friends and my relatives,” he said.

Lingling added: “I remember that, during the BMT tour, they asked us to write a letter (to our son). While writing the letter, I kept crying and crying, saying ‘Oh my god, I miss him so much’.”

This led to her try and make their home as comfortable as possible for him when he returned home each week after five days of staying in camp.

“I’d ask what he missed and what he wanted to eat, and just cook specially for him,” she said.

In January, Lingling and Shinan’s younger son Kynaston, 20, enlisted in the military as well.

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  A post shared by Pan LingLing潘玲玲 (@panlinglingg)

This article was first published on AsiaOne and republished on theAsianparent with permission.

Partner Stories
NTUC First Campus (NFC) Expands Child Support Model to Include Support for Mental Well-being
NTUC First Campus (NFC) Expands Child Support Model to Include Support for Mental Well-being
Singapore's Dengue Cases Surpass The 35,000 Mark, Highest Since 2013
Singapore's Dengue Cases Surpass The 35,000 Mark, Highest Since 2013
Teenage mothers on the rise
Teenage mothers on the rise

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

asiaone

  • Home
  • /
  • Celebrity
  • /
  • ‘What’s My Excuse?’ Huang Shinan’s Dedication To Defending Singapore Even in His Late 50s Inspired Son Beckham for NS
Share:
  • She Calls Her Dad the Real-Life 'Gwan-sik' of Singapore (And We’re Not Crying, You Are)

    She Calls Her Dad the Real-Life 'Gwan-sik' of Singapore (And We’re Not Crying, You Are)

  • Actor Desmond Tan Breaks the Internet with a Blue Bouquet

    Actor Desmond Tan Breaks the Internet with a Blue Bouquet

  • Justice Delayed: Megan Khung's Tragic Death Highlights Systemic Failures

    Justice Delayed: Megan Khung's Tragic Death Highlights Systemic Failures

  • She Calls Her Dad the Real-Life 'Gwan-sik' of Singapore (And We’re Not Crying, You Are)

    She Calls Her Dad the Real-Life 'Gwan-sik' of Singapore (And We’re Not Crying, You Are)

  • Actor Desmond Tan Breaks the Internet with a Blue Bouquet

    Actor Desmond Tan Breaks the Internet with a Blue Bouquet

  • Justice Delayed: Megan Khung's Tragic Death Highlights Systemic Failures

    Justice Delayed: Megan Khung's Tragic Death Highlights Systemic Failures

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
  • Family Occasions
  • Lifestyle
  • Normal Delivery
  • Ages & Stages
  • Trying To Conceive
  • News
  • TAP Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
© Copyright theAsianparent 2025. All rights reserved
About Us|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it