I think it is important that Singaporeans show concern for others. Nevertheless, I have to disagree with his suggestion that the Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT) run should be modified.

Mr Lim's claim that 'fitness experts recommend that we engage in a cardiovascular exercise continuously for at least 20 minutes in order to maximise its benefits' is weak.

He is guilty of committing the fallacy of argumentum ad verecundiam, and we do not even know who these fitness experts are. Still, I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Also, I feel that he might be overreacting and it is definitely not 'high time the Ministry of Defence looked into revamping this segment of the IPPT'.

The ministry ensures that our training methods are the best and on par with the best armies in the world, and I believe that our IPPT standards are adequate.

By staking such a bold claim, he is insinuating that we do not take care of our soldiers' welfare.

This is far from the truth, as what he, perhaps, does not know is that there is a whole load of safety measures in place for every activity regardless of whether it is a high-risk activity like rappelling or a relatively low-risk one like an outdoor lecture.

We should not allow our military standards to drop. There is a reason why completing the 2.4km run in 9 minutes 45 seconds qualifies the participant for a Gold Standard in the IPPT.

Sure, soldiers tend to push themselves towards achieving this goal, but is this not what we want?

Furthermore, if you have ever worked hard enough to attain 'gold timing', you would understand the joy and elation that comes with it.

It is like sitting for exams. Why then, do you not complain that the exams should be modified to a lengthier version so that less people would fail?

If it is the deaths you are concerned about, then what about road fatalities? Why not make pedestrian crossings much longer? The motorists would have more time to see them crossing so surely it would reduce fatalities, would it not?

Drawing upon Julius Caesar's quote in William Shakespeare's play of the same name, 'Cowards die many times before their deaths. The valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, it seems strange to me that men should fear, seeing that death, a necessary end, will come when it will come', let me reiterate that we cannot be such hypochondriacs.

The 'running deaths' are unfortunate, but we cannot allow them to jeopardise our country's IPPT standards.

Julian Sng Yeung Liang

New South Wales, Australia