Actor Aloysius Pang is ‘stable and breathing on his own’ after suffering SAF training injury

SINGAPORE — Singaporean actor Aloysius Pang, 28, who suffered a serious injury during training with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in New Zealand, underwent a second surgical operation there on Monday (Jan 21). Dr Teo Li Tserng, chief of trauma and acute care surgery at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, said that he is “currently stable and he is breathing on his own”. 

Dr Teo, who has been asked by the SAF to help with the management and progress of Corporal First Class (National Service) Pang, said that he spoke with his doctors earlier on Monday. Dr Grant Christey is CFC Pang’s primary surgeon at the Waikato Hospital in Hamilton, New Zealand.

Sign up for TODAY’s newsletter service on any of these platforms. Tap here:

“Aloysius is doing well…(he) is in a stable condition, his vitals are stable and he is awake, alert and he is breathing on his own, not requiring any mechanical ventilation,” said Dr Teo.

“Since his injury, the SAF, the hospital in Waikato and myself have been kept abreast of his events and his recovery. We look forward to a good recovery with him.”

TODAY understands that he had part of his intestines removed.

The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said in a press release that CFC (NS) Pang sustained injuries to his chest and abdominal areas while carrying out repair works inside the Singapore Self-Propelled Howitzer at the Waiouru Training Area in New Zealand on Saturday at about 2pm.

Read also

• Agency predicts six-month layoff for Aloysius Pang; lead role in Ch8 drama to be recast
• Actor Aloysius Pang suffers serious injury during SAF training in New Zealand

CFC (NS) Pang, an operationally ready national serviceman, underwent abdominal surgery on that same evening, with a second “relook surgery” completed at 11am on Monday. A medical team from Singapore is working with the one in New Zealand to “provide the best possible care for CFC (NS) Pang, added the ministry.

Dr Teo said that they are planning to stabilise CFC (NS) Pang before planning for “a safe and stable repatriation” for him, though they have not set a timeline for that.

“What is most important is that he must be stable enough for us to make the trip back and his condition must be well enough for us to try to bring him back,” he said.

Mindef and SAF are assisting CFC (NS) Pang’s family during this period, and arrangements have been made for his next-of-kin to be flown to New Zealand. His mother has visited and spoken to him in hospital, and his father and brother will arrive in the evening.

An investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the incident, said Mindef.

SOMETHING FELL ON HIM, SAYS ARTIST MANAGER

Shortly after Mindef sent out the update, CFC (NS) Pang’s manager, Mr Dasmond Koh — television host and head of NoonTalk Media, the agency Pang signed to — revealed at a press conference at Mandarin Orchard that “something fell on” Pang. He did not elaborate more, citing the ongoing investigation.

Addressing reporters in Mandarin, he said: “His abdomen and chest were impacted. People might interpret this differently and have many wild imaginations about what happened, but I urge (everyone) to understand that it is more important that we wait for the investigation report to be out.”