NSmen allowed to bring laptop, PDA and BlackBerry to in camp

As expected, Mindef has accepted all the recommendations by RECORD V. For me, I’m not really interested in the allowance increment. I’m more interested in the part that allows NSmen to bring laptops, PDAs and BlackBerry Smartphones to their in camp. (Note: There is no such thing as BlackBerries.) Three business centres will be fitted with wireless internet access, photocopiers, online telephony service Skype and fascimile facilities. Business centres, for the uninitiated, is a room with lots of computers for NSmen to use during off training hours. My reservist camp have one and that is where I go when I have internet withdrawal syndrome during ICT. (Kidding kidding)

But the news report fails to mention something that I was wondering since the recommendation. What about laptops with webcam? Are NSmen allowed to bring laptops with webcam? Thing is, most laptops nowadays have webcam. We all know that NSmen are not allowed to bring handphones with camera. So does the no camera rule applies to laptop too?

And the strangest thing about the recommendation is the inclusion of BlackBerry smartphone. BlackBerry isn’t a banned item in army camp. The reason why most BlackBerry aren’t allowed in army camp is because they have camera. If you have a BlackBerry without camera (which is quite rare), you can still bring it to reservist without any problems. So what does this recommendation means? Does it means that all BlackBerry Smartphones are allowed in army camp now, regardless with or without camera? Or is it still for BlackBerry Smartphone without camera? If its the latter, then there isn’t any changes at all since we can already bring a BlackBerry without camera for reservist.

Perhaps there is a need to define these fine details clearly. I really hope that the ruling is for all laptops and BlackBerry Smartphone, regardless with or without camera. In fact, I hope Mindef will consider unbanning phones with camera too.

Update: I missed the follow up article on this. Thanks to @peterteo for alerting me.

According to Mindef, NSmen must safe-keep their devices in the lockers provided and use them only within the compounds of the business centres. NSmen are allowed to bring laptops or BlackBerry Smartphones with camera to camp, but they must be kept at the business centre and can only be used inside the business centre.

Not the best solution in the world. But its a good start.