''but SIA has a standard to keep''
You mean the guy from 'North' of Singapore who took off from TPE and ran into a excavator [s]? what 'standard' is that?
That fateful morning everyone else stopped flying except the Tropical livery.
Singaporeans males serve 1 month or more Armed forces reservists training EVERY YEAR for many years.
Other nationalities don't, if you are a 4th floor Bean counter looking at the bottom line, would you pay an employee 1 month salary for doing nothing?