Give guard of honour more help

I have noticed, from looking at photos, that on a few occasions, the guard of honour being inspected by a visiting dignitary at the Istana did not form a perfectly straight line (Singapore, Jordan look forward to deeper cooperation, June 21).

This may seem trivial to some, but to others, this may project a less than positive image of our armed forces, especially if the crooked line is captured by the media. It could also be interpreted as a lack of respect shown to the dignitary.

Having taken part in parades before, I know it is not easy to form a perfectly straight line. I have no doubt that the men and women who form the guard of honour at the Istana drill hard and put in their best effort.

I also believe that they may have been asked to use a line of the tiled floor as a guide.

However, I think they can do with more help. Perhaps a red carpet could be rolled out for the visiting dignitary, and the guard of honour can then use the edge of the carpet to form their line.

Edwin Pang