Written Reply by Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen to Parliamentary Questions on Training Incidents on 19 Nov 2018

Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry:

To ask the Minister for Defence in the wake of the recent SAF training accidents, whether there will be an SAF-wide review on training doctrines that will factor in the learning from the various incidents. 

Mr Desmond Choo:

To ask the Minister for Defence in light of the recent fatal accident involving a national serviceman (a) how many serious vehicular incidents have there been over the past three years; (b) what have been the safety enhancements since the Shoalwater Bay Training Area incident in September 2017; and (c) what are the Ministry's proposed plans since this latest incident. 

Mr Christopher de Souza:

To ask the Minister for Defence regarding the death of a national serviceman during training on 3 November 2018 (a) what was the cause of his death; (b) what is the status of the investigations; and (c) how can processes be improved to reduce the probability of something similar happening in the future. 

Dr Ng Eng Hen: 

The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) offer our deepest condolences to the family of the late Corporal First Class (CFC) Liu Kai. CFC Liu was a dedicated soldier who served with honour and was well-respected by his peers. His passing is a loss to the SAF and our nation.

Parallel and independent processes to investigate the cause of the training death of CFC Liu are on-going. They include Police investigations, wherein the Coroner may decide to hold a public Inquiry. The Armed Forces Council has convened a Committee of Inquiry (COI) whose members all work outside MINDEF/SAF.  They comprise the chairperson, a civil servant from another Ministry; 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 started work. 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. The ERPSS will also provide a written report on the COI findings, which will be made public.

Without prejudicing these official investigations, I will provide some preliminary findings in response to Members' questions.

On the morning of 3 November, CFC Liu was driving the Land Rover carrying a trainer that was involved in an Armour exercise at the Jalan Murai training area. The Land Rover was stationary behind a Bionix Armoured Fighting Vehicle which was part of the exercise. The Bionix responded to a simulated enemy encounter to reverse away from simulated enemy fire. The Bionix reversed into the Land Rover and partially mounted the Land Rover. The trainer was unhurt but CFC Liu sustained injuries. Training was immediately halted and the on-site medic attended to CFC Liu. The SAF Emergency Ambulance Service, unit medical officer, and Singapore Civil Defence Force were activated and arrived soon after to attend to CFC Liu. Unfortunately, CFC Liu succumbed to his injuries and passed away. 

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?  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? The COI and Police investigations will fully examine these and other related questions into the death of CFC Liu. When all the facts have been gathered, I will give Parliament a full account, as we have done previously in this House.

Following CFC Liu's incident, a safety timeout was effected for both local and overseas training by the Army to review our safety systems and ensure that our servicemen can continue to train safely.  This included a review of our training doctrines and safety processes, that Members of Parliament (MPs) asked about. Particular attention was paid to the safety management plans for high-risk activities such as live-firing and training which require the use of vehicles and military platforms. Vehicle operators and crew conducted a series of drills to refresh their training, and ensure that they were well-prepared to carry out their assigned tasks. Unit commanders reinforced the importance of safety in training to their soldiers and emphasised the responsibility of every commander and soldier in ensuring not just their own safety, but also of their buddies and those around them. The safety timeout was lifted on 8 November and training has resumed progressively.

SMS Heng visited Exercise Trident in Shoalwater Bay, Australia. The troops had been conducting safety rehearsals to refresh their drills before the exercise. During the exercise, the sea was choppy, and affected plans for the conduct of ship-to-shore operations, which was a key highlight of this year's bilateral exercise with the Australian Defence Force. The safety of our soldiers is of utmost importance to the SAF. The unit adjusted their plans and transferred the forces from ship to shore by helicopter. We can train effectively and safely.

Member Mr Desmond Choo had asked about the number of serious vehicular incidents in the last three years. Apart from this November's incident, there was one other training-related vehicular incident that resulted in death, in the last three years. That involved the late Third Sergeant (3SG) Gavin Chan in September 2017. Apart from these two cases, there were no other combat vehicular incidents which resulted in serious injury.

MPs Mr Henry Kwek and Mr Christopher de Souza have also asked how MINDEF and the SAF can learn from past incidents to prevent further injuries and deaths. Over the past three years, the Army has been deploying more Regulars to supervise and conduct the training of our full-time National Servicemen. The Army is now reviewing the experience level and roles of supervising, conducting and safety officers to further strengthen training and safety outcomes. MINDEF and the SAF will also undertake further reviews to curtail human lapses and mitigate risks associated with training. The SAF is also convening an External Review Panel on Combat Vehicle Safety. This panel will comprise experts outside of the SAF, to have a thorough review of current policies and measures surrounding combat vehicle training safety.

The SAF will continue to find ways to enhance our safety systems and ensure that the processes in place remain sound and robust. The SAF will continue in its efforts to instil a strong safety culture to achieve zero training fatalities – which can only be achieved if every soldier has an ingrained concern for the well-being of himself and his fellow soldiers. This will be emphasised to every commander and soldier.  

MINDEF and the SAF await the conclusion and recommendations of the investigative processes for the death of CFC Liu and will implement the necessary changes thereafter. We will do all we can to help support the late CFC Liu's family through this difficult period.