SINGAPORE — Hours after the preliminary findings by a Committee of Inquiry (COI) looking into her son’s death were shared in Parliament, the mother of the late Corporal First Class (CFC) Dave Lee said the disciplinary action taken against those responsible for the lapses must be “significant enough” to deter future unauthorised punishment sessions in the military.  

The family has not decided on what it will do after police investigations wrap up, Mrs Jasmine Lee, 47, told TODAY on Monday night (Aug 6).

“No matter what we do, Dave is gone,” said the real estate agent.

The COI’s preliminary assessment identified a significant delay between the onset of the late soldier’s symptoms after a fast march and his evacuation to his camp’s medical centre. Together with inadequate on-site measures administered, they were likely reasons why he succumbed to heat stroke, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said in Parliament.

Those responsible for the lapses will be punished after police investigations conclude, Dr Ng said. If no criminal charges are filed, the Defence Ministry will prosecute persons responsible for lapses in the military court, he said.

CFC Lee, a Guardsman from the 1st Battalion Singapore Guards, died on April 30 after more than a week in intensive care at the Changi General Hospital. He had first shown signs of heat injury after an 8km fast march in Bedok Camp on the morning of April 18.

Mrs Lee called the delay in evacuating him to receive medical treatment “insane”.

“I seriously don’t understand why it could even (have) happened,” she said.

The COI found lapses the day before the fast march: The conduct of an afternoon training session deviated from the lesson plan, resulting in CFC Lee running faster and having less rest between laps than stipulated.

His platoon was also turned out at night for not observing "lights out", and received unauthorised punishment of physical exercises.

Mrs Lee said her son’s last words to her, uttered that night, were: "‘We just tio tekan!’… I was aware of the tekan session all this while and I was the one who reported it to army,” she added. Tekan is the Malay word for pressing down but also refers to punishment.

Asked what help the Defence Ministry (Mindef) had extended to her family in the last few months, Mrs Lee said the family did not request any help, save for a counselling session, and for the findings of the investigations to be transparent.

She declined comment when asked if the ministry had offered compensation.

The months since CFC Lee’s death have been “hell”, she said. CFC Lee was very close to the family and Mrs Lee previously said she and her son would hold hands when they went shopping.

“I see army boys and boys of Dave’s age every day… Maybe tears collected can form a reservoir by now,” she said. “I just want to let all officers involved know that my son meant the world to me; my family portraits will never be complete.”

Delivering a eulogy at her son's funeral three months ago, Mrs Lee called for an immediate halt to punishment sessions in the military – where commanders may intentionally give full-time national servicemen a rough time by making them train harder or take on more duties. She hoped her son's death would send a message and bring about changes.

Writing on Facebook on Monday night, CFC Lee’s aunt, Ms Cecilia Yeo, said the officers who carried out the unauthorised punishment on April 17 should be “duly dealt with”.

“Leaders must be punished hard when they knowingly break a rule and (bully) the newbies, especially when these young lives trusted and believed these leaders are role models of discipline and integrity,” said Ms Yeo.

She also expressed anger with the personnel who delayed CFC Lee’s access to medical treatment and spoke of her sister’s pain despite her calm appearance.

Dr Ng expressed deep condolences to the family on Monday and said the Singapore Armed Forces has updated them on the COI’s findings and actions being taken to prevent a recurrence of the lapses found.

Sign up for TODAY's WhatsApp service. Click here:
 

Sign Up