The Govt cannot be sued?

In the latest incidents when two NSmen were killed while on training, someone pointed out that Ng Eng Hen, Defence Minister, said that the SAF/Mindef or the Govt cannot be sued for such accidents. In these two cases, both victims lost their lives because of breaches in safety procedures, which meant the incidents were more than just accidents. There were negligent or misconduct or serious violations of protocols involved. Is it therefore true that the Govt/Mindef/SAF cannot be sued for such incidents when they are more than accidents? I also read that though the officers involved could be court martialed, the police are also investigating and may commence to prosecute the officers involved. Does this mean that only the officers can be sued but not the organisation or Mindef/Govt? Aren’t the officers appointed by Mindef/Govt and the latter should be ultimately responsible for the officers’ conduct or wrongdoings? If Mindef/Govt is not responsible, does it mean that if the officers were found guilty, it is only between the officers and the victims to settle their grievance and compensation? Also, the NSmen are conscripted by law, by Mindef/Govt for national service and their welfare and well being must be the responsibility of Mindef/Govt? I think there must be a miscommunication or misquote of what Eng Hen had said. It is, from a layman’s understanding, that Mindef/Govt must be ultimately responsible for what happened to NSmen under its authority and administration. And that the people could seek redress and justice from the Govt in cases of injury or death and compensation.. It is frightening to know, if it is true, that Mindef/Govt is not responsible for the death of NSmen in active service. Where is the responsibility, who is responsible and where should the buck stop? Anyone can enlighten on the legal responsibility of Mindef/Govt when NSmen are injured or killed in active service? Responsibility and accountability are key to the actions and performance of an organisation. If an organisation is not accountable for any mishap or wrongdoing, you can expect that only lip service would be rendered at best. Only when someone’s head is on the chopping block would real actions be taken to be tip top and zero tolerance for accidents and negligence or failure to perform.

Unnecessary death of NSmen

In Parliament yesterday, Eng Hen spoke about the death of two NSmen while under training. Pte Dominique Lee died from inhaling smokes from smoke grenades. Third Sergeant Tan Mou Sheng was pinned down by a jeep. Both accidents were unnecessary and caused by lapses in safety procedures. “Any commander who ignores safety regulations, whether wilfully or negligently, puts his soldiers at risk and is not fit for command,” said Dr Ng. “These two deaths could have been avoided if safety instructions had been followed”. Is that all Eng Hen could say? How much compensation is enough to the parents of these young NSmen for the loss and grief of their precious sons? No amount is enough for such unnecessary death. Mindef was not born yesterday. The SAF is a highly professional army with more than 50 years of history and training accidents to remind and caution every officer in the field not to make silly mistakes. And silly mistakes are still being made with the lost of lives. Unbelieveable! Unacceptable. What is in it for the NSmen to risk their lives for? Relating the account of Pte Lee's mother, Felicia Seah, when the death was told to her was heart wrenching. The Minister should be on his knees to beg for forgiveness. This is not a case of sorry not enough. Explanation also not enough.

What a joke?

Heard from a couple of young and highly qualified overseas Sinkies about their experience with housing and quality of life. They left because they were not allowed to buy direct from HDB and the alternative was to cough up a million or so to buy private properties. Doing so would mean an empty bank account. They could act stupid and pay double for a resale HDB flat in the open market. Some people think these young professionals got no brain and would allow themselves to be armed twisted to pay double for some lousy HDB flats while others are paying half the price from HDB. Only immobile and daft Sinkies without the choice would just pay up. They did the wisest thing, scoot to Europe and the USA, got themselves better paying jobs and cheaper housing and cost of living. The joke, delegations of officials have been travelling to these cities to invite them to return to Sin. After chasing them away with a system that is designed to rob them, they are going back out there to coax them to return to be conned? What would these discriminated Sinkies say or do? Their answer is simply, go and catch spiders, oops, catch FTs from the third world countries. They can forget about them coming home. For what, to support the private property market with a million or two? And to continue to be activated for in camp training, travel by public transport or pay up for COEs? What kind of quality of life awaiting them when every cent they earned has been carefully programmed to go to housing, cars, medical and bringing up children? No, this is no joke. This is the new reality.

Mean Testing is history? Boh liao!

Can anyone confirm that mean testing for hospital admission has been scrapped? This outrageous policy was so unsound and ethically unacceptable that it was a grievance from the start. It could have continued as a tough policy and nothing can be done about it for as long as someone tried the tough act and refused to budge. Now, has anyone really budged and got it removed? And if so, shouldn’t it be announced so that the people can be at ease during admission and have a freer choice as to how much money they are willing to pay? It is unacceptable that such a high profile policy that was implemented with so much fanfare but evicted without notice. My bet is that it is still in force, at least until an official statement is made on this. The grapevine and gossips that it is no longer in practice are not reliable. And getting this monster out of the way is not enough. With hospital bills that can bankrupt any average Sinkie, more must be done to bring down hospitalization cost, provide more C ward beds, more generic medicine that do not cost a bomb. The rich can continue to opt for their special branded or high end medicine and pay for it. Would someone in the ministry or hospital care to clarify that this mean thing has left us for good?

Wow, my article in TOC

For the first time, my article finally appeared in TOC. I regard this as an honour. Though my articles have been frequently appearing in other sites like TRE and Singapore Daily and some others, never has it appeared in TOC to my recollection. TOC must have a set of very stringent rules for articles to be reposted there next to the main media. I swear none of my articles will find it fit to appear in the main media except for those when I was writing for the New Paper. Instant citizen, instant wealth’ has seen the light in TOC. It must be a damn interesting article, the best of all my articles. One regret, they did not acknowledge me as the author though my name was written clearly below my article reposted in TRE. TOC acknowledged the article was first posted in TRE. (TOC thanks TR Emeritus for allowing to republish the article. It first appeared here.) Anyway, I am high over the moon now that my article finally appeared in TOC. Thank you TOC for the great honour. TOC is welcomed to publish my articles anytime. I am going to frame this article.