RIP: REC Liam Kai Zheng - Tekong 22 May 2009
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AN ARMY recruit leaving Pulau Tekong on a ferry on Thursday night after booking out of camp became delirious during the journey to the mainland. After Mr Liam Kai Zheng, 19, got off the boat at the Singapore Armed Forces' ferry terminal in Changi, he was taken in an ambulance to the Changi General Hospital, where he died nine hours later on Friday morning. Paramedics had found him unconscious at the foyer of the terminal with an abnormally high pulse rate and temperature. The cause of death is still being determined. Mr Liam had recently completed a four-day field camp before checking out of the Basic Military Training Centre in Pulau Tekong on Thursday night. The junior college graduate, whom friends said enlisted last month, was said to be 'soft-spoken but very cheerful'. Said one of them: 'He...had a smile on, no matter what he was doing.'
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Rest in peace Rec Liam.
Is he in PES C bmt or has the normal field camp length been reduced down to 4 days only?My time was 7 days but I have not been keeping up with change in the training programme eversince.Last I heard was that it was reduced to 6 days with 1 day FIBUA training.
The spade of deaths of regulars recently and now an NSF is starting to become worrying.
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RIP , REC Liam , you will always be remembered as a singapore armed forces soldier.
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CNA forums got pple say is pontianak
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Originally posted by baikachuchu:
Rest in peace Rec Liam.
Is he in PES C bmt or has the normal field camp length been reduced down to 4 days only?My time was 7 days but I have not been keeping up with change in the training programme eversince.Last I heard was that it was reduced to 6 days with 1 day FIBUA training.
The spade of deaths of regulars recently and now an NSF is starting to become worrying.
pes c -
RIP dude.
the death cause seems interesting thou, sounds to me like a acute infection. some pathogen he is particularly weak in got him during outfield? -
Scarely is soil infection, then i will wonder what will happen to trainings in Tekong next time ....
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Rest In Peace.
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Rest in peace
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poor guy..
rest in peace.
shit the SAF _!_
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Originally posted by gd4u:
Scarely is soil infection, then i will wonder what will happen to trainings in Tekong next time ....
Odds are they will move it to some other part of tekong, as they try to 'clean' up the parts which are infected.
Personally, I don't think it is soil infection, if it is, why is he the only one infected?
Maybe Rec Liam has Lung problems or something like that and breathe in something wrong, and that is why he ended up R.I.P.
On the otherhand, I don't mean to sound mean, but I got this feeling that he already had the fever before he leave tekong, but he didn't want to end up staying in the medical center for a day more, so he kept quiet and book out with the rest.
Also, his buddies probably didn't keep a good lookout for him, othewise they should have notice that something is wrong him.
Anyway, rest in peace, Rec Liam.
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Rest in peace, Rec. Liam. My condolences. The case surrounding it is abit of a mystery, especially after field camp. And the talk of being delirious and an abnormally high pulse rate and temperature. Looks to me like infection or severe heat exhaustion, but do not know if he have excessive perspiration. His parents must be very sad as Rec.Liam was a JC student, he has a bright future ahead of him and a seat in univ. His parents must have been very proud of him. R.I.P.
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It's always sad to see someone go, especially one still with so much ahead.
RIP..
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RIP, cannot seem to find this piece of news at mindef or CNA website..
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Originally posted by Xelement:
RIP, cannot seem to find this piece of news at mindef or CNA website..
why would mindef announce it? straits times website. -
Originally posted by unclebutcher:
why would mindef announce it? straits times website.hmm dat time a regular died they announced
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This morning, Sunday Times say he died of internal bleeding. He had several nose bleeds b4 bookout. But just given Att B ...
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Originally posted by gd4u:
This morning, Sunday Times say he died of internal bleeding. He had several nose bleeds b4 bookout. But just given Att B ...
The MO is in VERY deep shit this time round.
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nose bleeds???att b???att b can still run nowadays or not??hey!!!he even visit the mo??which camp??is it the older camp ?>?
i think one of them scared my socks off at night when i was asleep.
rip.
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Hi guys i am the victim cousin and i am here to clear all the doubts, and the facts. The very first post is extracted from Straits Time, and is very ambiguous. Sunday Times, said that his given adminstrative works, make it seems like very light duty or doing office work, but the fact is, his doing fatigue work. Wan Bao and Xin Min said as if he was given medical off, but the fact is their platoon was given a half day off, the day off is not because of any medical reason. The media are just trying to make it seems like is an accident, but actually is not. If their thing is a fact how come every piece of news not tally?
Due to their negligence they cause my cousin death. My cousin had shown the symptoms of heat stroke before his death, but they just take it very lightly. Before heat stroke happen, there is lots of sign of heat exhaustion. It don't comes suddenly. How can you expect a newly enlisted recruit, to voice out, if that incharge presented himself so tyrantly. The fear has subconsiously instilled into them. And where is the special attention that he needed because his Pes C and obese?
So what are the preventive measures that they have done? Every Tekong recruits life are now at stake, if they are under this few saddist specs and officer.
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Originally posted by Shayn:
Hi guys i am the victim cousin and i am here to clear all the doubts, and the facts. The very first post is extracted from Straits Time, and is very ambiguous. Sunday Times, said that his given adminstrative works, make it seems like very light duty or doing office work, but the fact is, his doing fatigue work. Wan Bao and Xin Min said as if he was given medical off, but the fact is their platoon was given a half day off, the day off is not because of any medical reason. The media are just trying to make it seems like is an accident, but actually is not. If their thing is a fact how come every piece of news not tally?
Due to their negligence they cause my cousin death. My cousin had shown the symptoms of heat stroke before his death, but they just take it very lightly. Before heat stroke happen, there is lots of sign of heat exhaustion. It don't comes suddenly. How can you expect a newly enlisted recruit, to voice out, if that incharge presented himself so tyrantly. The fear has subconsiously instilled into them. And where is the special attention that he needed because his Pes C and obese?
So what are the preventive measures that they have done? Every Tekong recruits life are now at stake, if they are under this few saddist specs and officer.
hmm. and i bet the newspaper won't take ur side of the story right?
lol i've never believed singapore's newspapers.
i'm sorry for your loss.
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Originally posted by Shayn:
Hi guys i am the victim cousin and i am here to clear all the doubts, and the facts. The very first post is extracted from Straits Time, and is very ambiguous. Sunday Times, said that his given adminstrative works, make it seems like very light duty or doing office work, but the fact is, his doing fatigue work. Wan Bao and Xin Min said as if he was given medical off, but the fact is their platoon was given a half day off, the day off is not because of any medical reason. The media are just trying to make it seems like is an accident, but actually is not. If their thing is a fact how come every piece of news not tally?
Due to their negligence they cause my cousin death. My cousin had shown the symptoms of heat stroke before his death, but they just take it very lightly. Before heat stroke happen, there is lots of sign of heat exhaustion. It don't comes suddenly. How can you expect a newly enlisted recruit, to voice out, if that incharge presented himself so tyrantly. The fear has subconsiously instilled into them. And where is the special attention that he needed because his Pes C and obese?
So what are the preventive measures that they have done? Every Tekong recruits life are now at stake, if they are under this few saddist specs and officer.
then u r urged to ask his parents to no show govt face, persist and pursue the matter strongly, sternly and seriously.
if it had too, sue the saf, sue the govt.
just a few months ago, a civil legal suit was taken up in court against saf and the parents of the paralysed son won the case.
so please tell the parents be tough... -
Thanks dumbdumb and everyone condolences. And Rendnano this is something new, i never expected there is a chance of winning a law suit against SAF. I will highlight to them, and i believe this will trigger some topics around all my family members. It is encouraging to know someone win this case.
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Originally posted by baikachuchu:
Rest in peace Rec Liam.
Is he in PES C bmt or has the normal field camp length been reduced down to 4 days only?My time was 7 days but I have not been keeping up with change in the training programme eversince.Last I heard was that it was reduced to 6 days with 1 day FIBUA training.
The spade of deaths of regulars recently and now an NSF is starting to become worrying.
I also attended the PES C BMT n the filed camp during my time is only less than four days. I got fever on the second day n got asked to go back to the company line by my platoon sergeant. So far for PES C BMT, never attended any FIBUA trainng n last but not least my condolences to the late recruit Liam.
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from: http://www.sgforums.com/forums/10/topics/344043
Parents: It was our last resort
By Crystal ChanTHEIR household income is just $2,000. So how, their friends asked them, can they take on the Government?
You will lose, their friends said. And you will be worse off because of the costs.
But Mr Tan Kian Lee, 50, and his wife, Madam Hor Hong Kiow, 47, refused to buckle under the enormity of the challenge.
'It was a nerve-racking experience,' said Mr Tan, of taking on the Ministry of Defence.
Their son, Chia Wee, had become an invalid after he was found unconscious while he was in National Service
He was their hope. He was to have gone to university and supported them when he graduated.
Mr Tan said in Mandarin: 'My son began NS as a healthy soldier but he came out a vegetable. He used to jog and do standing broad jumps every day. Now, he's like a baby.'
When four years of talks with Mindef and the Attorney-General's Chambers came to naught, the couple sued Mindef for compensation - and took it all the way to High Court.
On 16 Jan, the Tans' dogged determination paid off when the High Court ruled that Chia Wee, now 26, was entitled to compensation.
'Many people have told us that we're very brave to sue the Government,' Madam Hor, a bank teller, said in Mandarin, 'especially when we're not rich. But I believe anyone in our position would have done the same.
'Some people even told us we may lose the case as we were up against the Government and we'd have to pay costs if we lost.
'We're not greedy. Going to court was really a last resort and we're really grateful to our lawyer. Till today, our lawyer has not charged us for his work.'
Their lawyer, Dr Lau Teik Soon, is a former People's Action Party Member of Parliament for Serangoon Gardens.
Looking at photos of Chia Wee in happier times, Mr Tan, who is unemployed, sighed: 'He had hoped to go to UniSIM to study business and support us after he graduated.
'He was enthusiastic about NS despite being a storeman. He obeyed instructions without complaint and always smiled when he left for the camp.
'Every day, we'd buy him supper so he could have his favourite burgers when he came home.'
Chia Wee, a business diploma holder from Temasek Polytechnic, had told his parents he could do a variety of jobs with a business degree.
Mr Tan said: 'Now, he can only stare at us when we visit him.
'We have accepted that he'll never be able to look after us. At least, we'll get some compensation so we can care for him.'
The couple's ordeal began when the Singapore Armed Forces called with the bad news that Chia Wee was discovered unconscious at the foot of his three-storey barracks at Seletar East Camp.
He was found at 6pm on 3 Aug 2005.
Mr Tan recalled: 'I was so shocked that I could barely stand. My daughter, Chia Min, had to support me.'
The tragedy affected Chia Min so much that she did badly for her O levels that year, scoring 29 points for her best five subjects.
She re-sat for her O levels in 2006 and scored 15 points, qualifying for polytechnic courses.
Mr Tan and Madam Hor sought an explanation from Mindef but details were sketchy as there were no witnesses.
One of Mr Tan's friends, who lives in Pasir Ris, took him to a meet-the-people's session with Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean in November 2005.
Mr Tan said: 'My friend spoke on my behalf and one of Mr Teo's assistants wrote a letter. Within 10 days, Mindef replied, saying it was investigating.'
In April 2006, Mindef officials met Mr Tan, informing him they did not know what led to Chia Wee's tragedy as there were no witnesses. The ministry offered to give Mr Tan $500 a month for five years to help him care for Chia Wee at home.
Mindef also said it would not provide additional compensation, claiming its checks showed Chia Wee was not hurt in the line of duty.
Not knowing what to do, Mr Tan delayed discharging his son, who remains in a step-down facility at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH).
Why didn't he just accept the monthly compensation of $500?
Mr Tan said: 'I wouldn't get anything after five years and my son needs lifelong care. I was also worried that if I accepted this offer, it would mean I couldn't pursue legal action against Mindef.'
In March 2007, Mindef stopped paying for Chia Wee's hospitalisation after having paid more than $30,000 for his medical treatment.
Mr Tan said: 'I took that to mean Mindef was absolving itself of any liability. That's unfair because my son got injured in camp, not while he was off-duty.
'At that point, my wife and I considered legal action as it was the only chance we had of getting compensation.
'It's not that we want to leave Chia Wee in TTSH permanently, but we can't afford to hire a nurse to care for him at home.'
Madam Hor's colleague recommended Dr Lau to the couple and he, together with Ms Rajvant Kaur, represented them for free.
In August 2007, the Tans had a meeting with the Attorney-General's Chambers to resolve the dispute, but to no avail.
Dr Lau told The New Paper: 'We were hoping to settle the issue of liability amicably but it wasn't a meeting of two minds.'
Soon after that, the Tans sued.
Mr Tan said: 'I spent two hours reading my 40-page affidavit every day. My English is limited and I was worried of slipping up while testifying.'
After a four-day hearing last month, Justice Tay Yong Kwang ruled in the Tans' favour.
Mindef has not appealed against the verdict.
Dr Lau told The New Paper that the next step is to assess the degree of Chia Wee's disability and, using Manpower Ministry guidelines, work out how much he should get.
Mr Tan said: 'We would have had to pay the A-G's costs if we had lost. It was a risk we had to take. But if we didn't take this step, we wouldn't get any compensation.
'Of course, we're happy to win. After such a long time, we finally got justice.'
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They need to buy $3,000 bed for son
THE Tans have no proper bed of their own.
Now they will have to buy a motorised special bed costing $3,000 for their son.
The couple, who also have a daughter in polytechnic, live in a spartan three-room flat at Old Airport Road.
It is a flat that indicates their modest income.
The family sleep on mattresses on the floor instead of on beds.
Their living room has a sofa and two armchairs, but no coffee table.
Instead of Chia Wee supporting them in their old age, Mr Tan and Madam Hor will now have to care for him for the rest of his life.
They spend about $2,000 a year on their daughter's school fees.
They intend to use the compensation, which the court will assess at a later date, to hire a nurse to care for Chia Wee at home.
His vegetative state means he has to be fed through a tube and wear diapers all the time.
The Tans have decided against placing Chia Wee in a nursing home as it will cost between $1,200 and $1,800 a month.
Mr Tan said: 'If our son stays in a home, we'd have to spend money on transport to see him every day.
'I'm not working, so I can care for him at home. We hope to use the compensation money to buy diapers, milk and a proper bed for him.'
Bendemeer Medical Marketing & Nursing Services, which provides training for home nursing, is willing to work out an affordable package for the Tans.
Its head nurse, who asked to be known as Ms Angie, said: 'We can train Mr Tan to change the diapers, clean him and top up the feeding tube.'
She added that Chia Wee's parents will need to acquire a nursing bed, the type used in hospitals, to prevent him from developing bedsores.
She explained: 'The nursing beds are motorised and have ripple mattresses which have an alternating pressure pump and a special air-mattress. These will boost blood circulation and prevent bedsores.'
Such beds cost around $3,000 but MsAngie said the company can source for donated beds from previous patients.