Criminal charges ‘almost certain’ to be brought against those involved in NSF fireman’s death: Shanmugam
In his latest comments on the recent death of full-time national serviceman Kok Yuen Chin, Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam said that criminal charges will “almost certainly” be brought against those involved.
SINGAPORE — In his latest comments on the recent death of full-time national serviceman Kok Yuen Chin, Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam said on Thursday (May 17) that criminal charges will “almost certainly” be brought against those involved.
This was based on what the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) had told him after it reviewed the facts of the case at this stage, Mr Shanmugam told Parliament.
The 22-year-old serviceman from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was found at the bottom of a pump well at Tuas View Fire Station on Sunday.
Mr Shanmugam, who was responding to a question from Member of Parliament Christopher de Souza from the Holland-Bukit Timah Group Representation Constituency, said he thought criminal charges should be pressed as well, based on the facts he has seen.
“I’m usually very careful about saying these things, but I think so too. There should be criminal charges,” said the minister, who spoke after Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen delivered a ministerial statement on separate training-related deaths in the Singapore Armed Forces.
When contacted by TODAY, the AGC said it was unable to comment, as the matter was still under investigation.
In a ragging incident gone awry, Corporal Kok, who did not know how to swim, was found unconscious at the bottom of the fire station’s 12m pump well that contained 11m of water. He had been celebrating the impending end of his full-time NS stint with his squad mates. The funeral of the Malaysian citizen and Singapore permanent resident was scheduled to take place on Thursday in his hometown of Malacca.
Two SCDF regulars — a Warrant Officer 1 and a Staff Sergeant — have been arrested and suspended from service, and will receive half their salaries pending the outcome of police investigations. Four other SCDF officers will have their promotions, which were due to set in on June 1, withheld pending the conclusion of investigations.
Stressing the need to maintain the trust of parents who send their sons to do National Service (NS), Mr Shanmugam also said he has directed the SCDF and other Home Team agencies to relook the rules against unauthorised conduct and how they are enforced.
The agencies are to devise a further set of measures by next week, said Mr Shanmugam, adding that he will reveal these once they are finalised.
“It’s imperative we see what went wrong and learn the lessons,” Mr Shanmugam said. “What more can we do to stop this sort of behaviour? We have clear rules. Commanders emphasise that to the officers and all new enlistees are told what the rules are. Punishments have been meted out and detentions have been given when infractions have been found.”
Meanwhile, the minister reiterated that he has made clear that unit commanders will be held responsible for future incidents or conduct that contravenes the rules.
Mr Shanmugam had strong words for those involved in Corporal Kok’s case, saying their conduct was “unacceptable” and a “clear and serious violation of the rules”.
“There can be no excuse for the conduct. Now, people play games, they horse around, they make people like Corporal Kok do dangerous things, and even force them into dangerous situations. And people who do this, they don’t think how it can go wrong. And when it does go wrong, a life is lost, needlessly lost,” Mr Shanmugam said.
A Board of Inquiry that will review the incident which led to Corporal Kok's death and make recommendations will be chaired by a senior director from the Trade and Industry Ministry, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had said. It will include members who are not from the MHA or the SCDF, and will submit its report to Mr Shanmugam. Besides the board's inquiry, the state coroner may separately call for an inquiry into Corporal Kok's death.
“The facts will also come out in public through court proceedings. Everything that’s relevant will be out,” said Mr Shanmugam. He declined to go into the details of the case, though he said there was “a fair bit of evidence” over what had happened.
Noting that Corporal Kok’s family was at the “front and centre of our thoughts and prayers”, Mr Shanmugam said the authorities must “do right by them and the late Corporal Kok”. The agencies will do their best to prevent a repeat, he stressed.
