Panel to review policies, measures on combat vehicle safety in SAF
External experts to study policies, measures in SAF after death of NSF involving Bionix vehicle earlier this month
A panel of external experts has been tasked to review policies and measures on combat vehicle safety in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), following the death of a full-time national serviceman that has raised a number of questions, said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen.
In a written parliamentary reply yesterday, Dr Ng said the army is also reviewing the experience level and roles of the safety, supervising and conducting officers to further strengthen SAF training and safety outcomes.
These moves are among the measures taken since the death of Corporal First Class (CFC) Liu Kai on Nov 3 from a vehicular incident at Jalan Murai training area.
Dr Ng, in his written reply to MPs such as Mr Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC) and Mr Henry Kwek (Nee Soon GRC), also gave preliminary findings of the incident.
He said a Bionix vehicle, which was responding to a simulated enemy encounter in the field training exercise, had reversed and partially mounted the Land Rover that CFC Liu was in.
The Land Rover was stationary when it was behind the Bionix armoured fighting vehicle, he added.
A trainer who was in the Land Rover with CFC Liu was unhurt.
CFC Liu, 22, who enlisted in April this year, died from his injuries about 25 minutes after the incident and was given a military funeral days later.
Dr Ng said there are "obviously a number of questions that need to be answered in determining the cause of this incident".
"They include: Were safety protocols followed by the crew of the Land Rover and the Bionix vehicle during this phase of the exercise? Were the vehicle commander, driver and crew of the Bionix aware of the Land Rover behind them and did they conduct their reversal safely?" he added.
"What was the physical state of exercise participants and did it have an effect on their attention to safety protocols? Was there any mechanical malfunction of vehicles or platforms? Did safety officers and vehicle commanders perform their responsibilities?"
Dr Ng said these questions and other related queries will be fully examined by a Committee of Inquiry (COI) and the police investigating CFC Liu's death, and that Parliament will get a full account "when all facts have been gathered", as done in previous incidents.
The COI is chaired by a civil servant outside of the Ministry of Defence; a consultant medical specialist; a member from the External Review Panel on SAF Safety (ERPSS); a senior-ranked national serviceman and a member of the Workplace Safety and Health Council.
"The COI has full access to material and witnesses to determine the facts and will make specific recommendations to rectify any systemic or human lapses found," said Dr Ng, adding that its findings will be made public.
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