MOE issues response over man’s claims about son’s death

SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Education (MOE) has issued a statement after a video emerged online on Wednesday (Sept 2) showing a man calling for help over the death of his son after a Workers’ Party rally.

In the video, the man identified his son as Lee Yu Heng, a Sembawang Primary School student, and claimed there had been no follow up to his son’s death after two and a half years.

In a statement yesterday, the MOE clarified the circumstances relating to the passing of Lee Yu Heng, son of Mr Lee Nam Cheong. Yu Heng had died after he was hit by a car outside his school on Jan 13, 2012.

The MOE said: “Mr Lee has raised the matter of Yu Heng’s death, and appears to allege that there was a cover-up by the Government. We would like to point out that there was a proper police investigation, and a Coroner’s Inquiry was held to determine the circumstances that led to this unfortunate incident.”

The ministry said the Primary 4 student was found to have left the school after the dismissal bell was rung, and had run across the road when the pedestrian light was still red. “He sustained fatal injuries from the collision with the car and these injuries led to his demise,” said the ministry.

The MOE added that its senior officers met Mr Lee on several occasions to offer assistance and to attend to his concerns.

“We have continued to work with the schools of his six children to ensure they are well supported in their education,” said the MOE. “We understand Mr Lee’s deep grief over the passing of his son. We hope that Mr Lee’s pain will ease with time so that he, and his family, will be able to move on with their lives.”