Response to The Straits Times Forum Letter on ''Shooting incident: Mindef should have told public''

We refer to the letter by reader Matthias Chew titled "Shooting incident: Mindef should have told public" dated 27 May 2010.

The Singapore Armed Forces' immediate priority following any incident is to attend to the needs of the affected servicemen and to keep their families informed. In the case of the training incident in Thailand, the servicemen were given immediate medical attention and arrangements were made for their safe return to Singapore on the same day for further medical treatment. The families of the servicemen were immediately notified and provided regular updates. Whatever information that is available is thus provided to the servicemen and their families as soon as possible.

MINDEF informs the public whenever there is a serious incident, or where the incident is likely to be of public interest. Given the nature of this incident, MINDEF should have issued a media statement when it occurred.

Colonel Darius Lim
Director, Public Affairs
Ministry of Defence

MINDEF's reply was published as "Shooting incident: Mindef admits it should have issued statement", The Straits Times, 28 May 10