3/09/2016

Dominique Sarron Lee – Was it negligence?

Many things have been written and reported about Dominique’s death. The officers had been charged in a military court, found guilty and punished. But not criminal charges were filed against them as the cause of Dominique’s death was due to allergy to fumes from the smoke grenades.

To cut the story short, the Today paper reported, ‘A Committee of Inquiry convened after the incident found that the number of smoke grenades discharged (six), and the distance between the smoke grenades were in breach of training safety regulations.’ What does this mean?

In the mypaper, BG Chan Wing Kai, commander of the army’s Training and Doctrine Command was quoted to have said, ‘Based on the size of the training area, no more than two smoke grenades should have been used.  But Najib threw six, flouting the SAF’s training safety regulations. BG Chan said they were convicted in a summary trial “for negligent performance of lawful order or duty” and punished according to military law.’

They were charged and found guilty of negligent. Was the act negligent, rash or something else? What does the word negligent imply?  Let me use a simply analogy. If a soldier is only allowed to dunk a recruit in water for 5 seconds but instead dunked the recruit for 20 seconds. Is it an act of negligence or a rash act, or more serious?

Let me use another example, a medic is to inject some vaccine into a soldier. He is supposed to inject 10 ml but chose to inject 100ml and killed the patient. Is this an act of negligence or a rash act or something else?

If only two grenades would be allowed but six were thrown in, why, what was the intent? Unintentional, negligent?

What do you think?

How much is the life a Singapore son worth? Felicia handed her son to the SAF. The SAF returned her son in a coffin plus $50,000 or a bit more. Would $100k be enough, or $500k or how much you want? Obviously some people did not know the meaning of what a son meant to a mother and the family. It is priceless!

PS.  ‘Contrary to misrepresentations, SAF personnel can be charged and punished in the criminal courts if they commit rash and negligent acts during the course of their military duties  that lead to injuries or deaths…said the Army.’ Valerie Koh Today paper.

38 comments:

Anonymous said...


Your comment that "Felicia handed her son to the SAF. The SAF
returned her son in a coffin", is indeed very very very touching!

Sad!


Anonymous said...

Better don't be a hero in an environment of u die your own business.

Anonymous said...

My gut feeling tells me that nobody actually "checked" or really bothered about following training regulation to a tee because we all know, "theory and practice" can be very different. But when a life was lost because of such negligences, somebody asshole must answer to it and should be the big overseeing asshole, tio bo?
To cursory punish the immediate officers is no more than a slap on the hand makes a mockery of fair justice.

Anonymous said...

Should we vote Opposition?
Should we abolish National Service?
Should we save a Singaporean son?

Vote wisely.
Do you think your son could be next?

Anonymous said...

You bring drugs into the land..they are license to send you to the gallow ...and that is only on assumption of the harms in drugs.

In this case, they increased the lethal dosage of fart fume and killed a national and somebody's son, heads spared of the gallow?

Anonymous said...

The officers are professionals and know the risk involved. They are trained people. How could they do what they did and called negligence?

Anonymous said...


anonymous 9.42am you are good.............

but........

in 2015, 70% said YES/OK........

won't be surprised that next time maybe 79.99%........

this is Singapore....................

Anonymous said...

Some say is not negligence...some say... manslaughter

Anonymous said...

They kill you for bringing or doing drugs that can kill somebody...and this is a deliberate act of doing something that endanger lives...like drugs...and killed somebody

Anonymous said...

The Trainer(s( should be put behind bars and it's not too late ti put them on trial.
Causing injury and death due to failure to comply with training protocol or going against the Procedure is not pardonable as it was NOT OVERSIGHT OR NEGLIGENCE, BUT ACTING CONSCIOUSLY AGAINST IT(THE PROTOCOL/PROCEDURE/MANUAL).

Most ludicrous was that one of the Trainer holding the Rank of Captain at the Time of Accident, was promoted to a higher rank of Major about a year after the Incident, BEFORE THE CASE WAS CLOSED.
WHAT THE HELL WAS THE SAF DOING?

One Agongkia gas been claiming that National Service is a PRIVILEGE ONLY SINKIES ENJOY, I like to hear his Opinion on Dominique Case. And whether he thinks an officer involved in the Case getting promoted before the Case was closed was also a priviledge?

patriot

Anonymous said...

Lawyers kept quiet. Judges make all the call. Where are the clowns?

Anonymous said...


Very scary! Very scary! Very scary!

"Felicia handed her son to the SAF. The SAF returned her son in a coffin"!

"Felicia handed her son to the SAF. The SAF returned her son in a coffin"!

Very scary! Very scary! Very scary!

Anonymous said...

Must salute Gopalan for calling a spade a spade in his extreme frustrations?

No wonder abt 300,000+ top 3 tiers sinkies are overseas .....?

When there is "no proper procedures", it is maciam living in an ancient feudal era such as the "brutal Qin dynasty"?

So better "migrate" as fast as the legs can carry .....?

Leave it to some gongcums to "enjoy the privilege to serve" or so "one super 呆子, 万万亿分ah gongdaikia, gong until 没有人有, "前无古人, 后无来者" 的 kongcumgongdai 阿theer, white痴?," claimed?

Anonymous said...

Two families that lost their sons are now very very angry with the govt. And what is the stand of the govt?
What is the stand of the govt on the death of their sons?

Anonymous said...

Two families that lost their sons are now very very angry with the govt. And what is the stand of the govt?
March 09, 2016 11:53 am

So?
Two families got enough votes to change government or not?

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

I don't think anyone should be charged. That law cited is very BAD law. Here's why:

During training the regulations might only say 2 grenades. However in battle you cannot tell your platoon or the enemy "Hey, I got allergy OK? Dun throw more than 2 grenades...smoke or fragmentation, can or not? C'mon, dun be tan chiak asshole lah, have some consideration ah, OK or not?"

Military training is dangerous. Mainly because it involves the sole objective of KILLING PEOPLE on the "opposite side", and thus you are always exposed to extremely lethally effective hardware. Accidents happen, human error---like day-to-day negligence is amplified and expressed in potentially deadly situations...it's all risky...no matter how much "safety protocols" you have in place.

There is no point to make a big deal out of this. All sons have to do NS, and where you end up depends whether your genes made you potential fighting material (cannon fodder) or more suited to office work and other non-combat roles (tuang kings, everyday go home, wear civilian clothing...).

Mourn the tragedy, learn form the human error...and move the fuck on. I guarantee this won't be the last death in SAF training.

Anonymous said...

“We are our own check. The integrity of our leaders, of our MPs. That’s where the check comes from. . .not this seductive lie of check and balance.”

Anonymous said...

Fucking hell... Base on your twisted argument and logic ... Drop an atomic bomb in your backyard lah... Better still... Bomb parliament to stimulate reality lol

Anonymous said...

"We decide what is right. Never mind what the people think.”

Anonymous said...

“Our funds are accountable to the government. I would not believe that transparency is everything.”

Anonymous said...

"There is an end to everything and I want mine to come as quickly and painlessly as possible, not with me incapacitated, half in coma in bed and with a tube going into my nostrils and down to my stomach."

- Got keep this promise or not ah?

Anonymous said...

Fucking balls... Shoot each other with live rounds and teach your sons how to survive from war injuries better lol

Anonymous said...

Matilah, your reasoning is so insanely clever or cleverly insane.
OK, for some decency and respect to the families, please shut your gap.

Anonymous said...

The law always quote that "you know or ought to know" and ingorance is no defence.
Further, negligence or criminal negligence is up to the prosecution to frame the charges.

Anonymous said...

Matilar just shut your fucking mouth before some one put a dick inside

Anonymous said...

Wow!
My usually sensible idol comparing military training to actual fighting at battlefield.
So off normal today, due to Sun Eclipse?
Why not imagine that Sinkie NS Men are all potential Rambos or are as good.

Liked as said by Other Commenters here, do have some feelings for the Families of ALL THOSE THAT FELL VICTIMS TO NEGLIGENCE AND ILL TREATMENTS, IF ANY FROM THEIR TRAINER AND COMMANDER.

Like to put a personal experience that I had whence I underwent training as a driver in 1970 at the Jalan Bahar SAF Driving School.
We were housed in highrise blocks of HDB LIked Buildings which were also quarters for SAF Junior Officers at that time. They were about 9 Storey High if my memory serves me right and I was housed at the 5th Floor. We were ordered to fall in at the Square one morning but the Staff Sargeant incharge was not happy with the timings. He made us went back to our rooms and ordered us repeatedly to fall in.
It was repeated for 3 or 4 times and most of us trainees were gasping for air and got slower each time the Staff Sgt made us to repeat the Fall ins.
I then told the Ssgt if he wanted us to run down or JUMP down. I told him we could reached the Ground in 5 Seconds if that made him happy.
He sheepishly told us that he nade us did the Fall Ins repeatedly because though he got 3 wives, none slept with him the night before.
Imagine he had the Audacity to say that, but I was satisfied that he gave excuse and stopped his nonsense
Got to say I was prepared to go the Distance with him whatever the Consequences as it was simply too unreasonable. I took it as unacceptable torture and abuse.
I take it as abuse even now. So, in my view abuses exist in military trainings, there is no doubt in my mind.

patriot

Anonymous said...

@146:

You wanna try? I kill your family :-))

Anonymous said...

Anon 2.55 pm, u very funny leh towards a sadist 😀😀😀

b said...

Many actually died in NS training. How come the gov not come clean with this? Why NS for them and no NS for PR? Whose assets are we protecting? Learn from the syrians, become refugees and enjoy free housing and pocket money from eu. Why fight and get killed? The world will be a better place if all do not want to fight. Just let the few leaders fight among themselves in a ring. WHy be so stupid?

Anonymous said...

Hi Sir/Mdm.

I have high regards for Agongkia and his Sifu.
They are Guys capable of thinking beyond their heads. They use their hearts too. They are living well in Sin and Elsewhere. They travel widely and have much insights to impart to Sinkies.
Most of all, the Two are about the Most Patriitic to Sin as proven by their love for Sin.
Sin is most awesome to MS and Natiinal Service is a cherish privilege to Agongkia.

If I remember correctly, Rb is just as patriotic in that he is in favour of Conscription.

I am proud of them.

patriot

Anonymous said...

Sin leaders believe in a life for a life to deter "act blur" when causing death through the protocol of substances.

Anonymous said...

Anyone who has been through NS, and its training - All that shouting to simulate gunfire, make belief, and little kiddies running the show, will know that it is a farce and a joke.

We all have to go through it because its the law, and our forefathers are not poltically savvy enough to understand the concept on check and balance. Of course, the smart ones keng on day 1 to get out. Remember the guy with the mysterious migraine? Or daddy pays for a deferment, come back older, so they cant bully you so much.
The fellas who have something to gain from it, a commission is a great resume builder, are what we call Crusaders, Taliban, or Siao On. Of course they have to pretend that NS is good for you - a good cause. So much pretending that they sometimes forget its a just a show, and push their men too hard to impress their superiors so as to get that extra bar, sword of honor whatever, and safety goes by the wayside. Safety first, or taking care of your men first, will not get you promoted, we all know. But gungho, acting tough, especially when the supervisors are watching surely will. Make sure your men are sleep deprived, that's a sure way to get the attention of your CO, and your men to get run over by a tank. I kid you not.

If you have a son, please advice him well. NS is NOT good for you. Do what the political class do, after all they are our leaders. If you are not politically connected send your kid abroad and get a deferment. Or keng, get a highly respected doctor to certify you an invalid. If you have $$, donate to camp events, so the CO will take care of your kid. If suay, suay you have no $, in other words, a true Singaporean, than I pity you. No $, no connections, you are screwed.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

@ you've nailed it! 424:

>> Anyone who has been through NS, and its training - All that shouting to simulate gunfire, make belief, and little kiddies running the show, will know that it is a farce and a joke. <<

The best "joke" of all is that most of these kiddies playing war, with real combat hardware are perfectly unaware that the situation can turn deadly...and no one will notice it until it's too late...and then tragically, but unsurprisingly some poor unlucky fuck---actually, probably "no-fuck", still a virgin---DIES, horribly, because dummy, that's what happens in combat situations.

When I was part of this National Joke, I will freely admit, I was enjoying myself because I was playing the fool with all this expensive, tax-payer funded, smokin' government hardware.

I had a desire to find out what it would feel like to SHOOT SOMEONE, military style---not in the misanthropic "evil" sense, but just OUT OF CURIOSITY. So I constantly used to volunteer for "pay detail", where we would escort the pay as an ARMED detail. We were each issued 5 rounds. I always hoped some dumb small time criminal motherfucker would try to rob us, then I would be the first to pump all 5 rounds into this fucker.

Alas, never got the chance. 😂

Military training is dangerous. I will bet money that more young sons will die in NS training. The tragedy of this hapless young man is most definitely not the last.

Anonymous said...

People, please lah.

The deceased is from 3 SIR, combat vocation and has asthma record and probably going through the full ops phase for battalion to turn operational. As such his unit need to go through A tec and go overseas unlike so many other NSF that need not go through the same process. It might not be the most toughest but is considered unlucky if you got such unit at the wrong timing.

Speaking from similar experience, sympathy for the family and one advise to all, take care of yourself irregardless of whether you are NSF or NSMEN. Dun trust the system 100%, at the end of the day. You and the family will face the consequences.

Anonymous said...

Aka Red Bean. A NS son is not measured by how much his mother valued him. NS son has his own rights to live in this world. Is this clear to u? If Dom S Lee were to tell u in your post. He wanted to live, to marry to have kids and to marry his kids.
The mother s problem is tearing. Similar to Dom Lee, the mother wanted to see her son to have kids to marry her grand sons and daughters. Its the rights to live that way.

6 smoke war game toys took away all the rights, of both parties.

U asked if negligent of any party. Let me tell u this. There is a reasonable care demand in this world, any where.
If 2 smoke grenades are maxi in the doctrine, they have to be used with reasonable care. eg commander cannot throw onto the Nsman to cause injury. So u want to know if 6 smoke grenades used inside a BUILDING (ground floor where Dom S Lee and another Nsman hide inside), which mind will judge it was done with reasonable care? Disregarding the choke that should have caused to any living beings, even dogs hiding inside the building would be choked. Got negligence? Reasonableness in caring for third party's injury? Judgement comes from common sense. Jury are common men or women in other countries.
So u must ask the common men lah.
What do u think?

Anonymous said...

Singapore must truly be a shit country with generalismos for needing to enlist asthmatics into combat units. Nobody is asking mindef, what the eff is an asthmatic doing in a combat, infantry unit. Perhaps having hyper sensitive lungs, these guys can serve as mine canarys and die before a chemical attack, before smelly orpesai come to do a spot check.

Maybe that's why PRs are trying so hard to siam.

Unknown said...

Lol. Our army officers got how many been in real firefight ? Not one ok. Saf imo is for show only la.

Unknown said...

You are lying. You made the whole thing up.