SG Road Vigilante FB
Hundreds of Singaporeans have excoriated the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) after it filed a police report against five of its full-time national servicemen (NSFs) for leaking pictures of the fatal Bionix accident that claimed the life of a young NS man.
Corporal First Class (CFC) Liu Kai died on Saturday at a Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Jalan Murai training ground after a Bionix vehicle reversed into and crushed the Land Rover he was in. CFC, who passed away on his sister’s birthday, was given a military send-off earlier this week.
One of the two leaked photos shows the Bionix on top of the crushed Land Rover as SCDF personnel and an ambulance populate the background. The second photo shows the vehicles and SAF officers at the scene.
The SCDF has since revealed that two of its NSFs who responded to the accident captured unauthorised photos at the scene and sent the pictures to a chat group with their fellow NSFs. Another three SCDF NSFs forwarded the pictures to other friends, before the photos landed on social media.
An SCDF spokesman said in a statement: “SCDF takes a serious view of the matter and has filed a police report against the five NSFs for their unauthorised actions.”
As the police confirmed that a complaint has been lodged and that their investigations are ongoing, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) told the press that it, too, has commenced its own investigations into the leaked photos:
“All personnel provided access to SAF training grounds are subject to the restrictions placed on unauthorised photography or videography. Offenders will be prosecuted to ensure that these strict rules to guard our security are not compromised.”
Singaporeans, however, do not seem to be happy.
Hundreds of Singaporeans are up in arms over the authorities’ decision to take action against the 5 NSFs and have saluted the young man, asking why the authorities are trying to “cover” this issue up:
http://theindependent.sg/hundreds-of-singaporeans-lambaste-scdf-for-filing-police-report-against-5-nsfs-who-leaked-photos-of-fatal-bionix-accident/
A life has been lost through someone's negligence or recklessness! There is certainly strong public interest in getting to the bottom of things. These 5 guys should be lauded. National security is a pathetic excuse. More like cover up to save face!
MINDEF trying to downplay issue?
https://www.mindef.gov.sg/web/portal/mindef/news-and-events/latest-releases/article-detail/2018/november/03nov18_nr2
"He lost consciousness and was attended to immediately by the on-site medic"
How can the medic attend to PTE Liu without first towing away the Bionix ?
I smell bullshit.
Lies exposed. Now SCDF super angry and wants to throw those poor NSFs in jail.
Second leaked photo.......
What makes sharing of photographs of the accident on social media so reprehensible that a police report has to be filed?
According to news reports, five national servicemen have had police reports filed against them for allegedly sharing unauthorised photographs of an accident which occurred in a training exercise which resulted in the death of a fellow national serviceman on social media websites. While I understand the sensitivities of publicising photographs involving army apparatus, it is imperative to weigh the harm done in the publication of the photographs versus the issue of accountability.
Most readers would be aware that reports of military based incidents resulting in death have been on the rise this year and this appears to have continued despite the government issuing statements pledging otherwise. Would these incidents have received the same amount of coverage and public awareness if someone had not outed it in the first place?
It is of utmost importance to emphasise that national service in Singapore is not a choice. All able bodied young men who are Singaporean citizens or Permanent Residents are mandated to give two years of their life to the nation. As such, it is the responsibility of the government who make national service compulsory to look after the welfare of the national servicemen.
If there are incidents such as these where precious lives are lost, the government has to be accountable and transparent. No stone should be left unturned and any risk of any possible cover up must be eradicated. In this light, is the sharing of photographs of the accident on social media so reprehensible?
Could it be that the national servicemen involved in the sharing of these photographs felt duty bound to risk their own safety in order to create public awareness of what is happening because there are potential risks of cover ups? Lest we forget, the entire army is funded by public monies - with this fact in mind, it is the public's right to ask questions and to be kept aware.
Further, why is the sharing of these photographs illegal in the first place? The fact that Singapore possesses Bionix vehicles is not a secret. Secondly, the photographs did not depict any scenes that could be construed as disrespectful to the deceased. CFC Liu Kiu was not depicted in any of the pictures. In view of this, what is the damage caused by the sharing of the photographs?
If there is no damage caused by the sharing of the photographs, why then is it a crime?
Using the case of Pte Dominque Lee who died after the conducting officer threw in more smoke grenades than the Training Safety Regulations allowed, as an example. The family never got to see the detailed report of the commission of inquiry despite repeated requests to MINDEF. If not for the leaked photos, the family would not have known any better than the public of how the actual accident looked like.
By filing a police report, the Singapore Civil Defence Force is giving the impression that it has something to hide.
https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2018/11/09/five-national-servicemen-are-being-investigated-for-leaking-photos-of-the-fatal-bionix-accident/