SCDF ragging death: NSF taken out of pump well 36 minutes after being pushed in, following several failed rescue bids

SINGAPORE — On the night of May 13 when the late full-time Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) National Serviceman Kok Yuen Chin died, he was carried by members of his team to the pump well of Tuas View Fire Station.

The 22-year-old sat on the edge of the 12 metre-deep pump well and was pushed in by one of the officers at 9.07pm.

He was taken out of the well only 36 minutes later after several failed attempts to rescue him, according to the board of inquiry convened by Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam to look into the circumstances of the ragging incident that led to Corporal Kok’s death.

Issuing a summary of the board’s report on Thursday (Sept 13), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a press release that the first serviceman jumped in eight seconds after Corporal Kok was pushed in, in a bid to rescue him.

Other servicemen jumped in but attempts to rescue Corporal Kok were unsuccessful.

The servicemen then used a fire engine suction pump to pump water out of the well, and those jumping in then used breathing apparatus in order to dive deeper into the well.

One of the servicemen then located Corporal Kok and he was taken out from the well at 9.43pm. Paramedics tried in vain to resuscitate Corporal Kok.

He arrived at the Ng Teng Fong General Hospital at 10.13pm, and was pronounced dead at 11.02pm.

The autopsy determined the cause of his death to be drowning.

The incident began as a “celebratory activity that subsequently went tragically wrong”, said the board.

On that day, his team, Rota 3, had begun their 24-hour duty tour at 8am. It was Corporal Kok’s last duty tour before his Operationally Ready Date in three days’ time on May 16.

During the celebration, a plaque and cake, paid for by the Rota 3 personnel, were presented to Corporal Kok.

His death had sparked calls to end ragging activities.

The tragedy happened even with SCDF’s “clear anti-ragging policies and frameworks”, the board of inquiry noted as it issued a slew of recommendations to strengthen the anti-ragging ethos and other measures to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents.

It submitted its report to Mr Shanmugam on Aug 28 and the minister has accepted the recommendations in full.

Mr Shanmugam reiterated in an MHA press statement that the conduct of the officers involved was unacceptable.

“Those who were assessed to be criminally culpable have been charged and will answer for their actions in Court. The others will be investigated for departmental disciplinary actions,” he said.

“Corporal Kok’s death was a most tragic loss, both for his family and SCDF. Our thoughts continue to be with his family, and we will support and assist them in any way we can.”

Five SCDF officers aged 32 to 40 have been charged in relation to Corporal Kok’s death.

Those charged were Muhammad Nur Fatwa Mahmood, Mohamed Farid Mohd Saleh, Chong Chee Boon Kenneth, Nazhan Mohamed Nazi and Adighazali Suhaimi.

Chong, 37, and Nazhan, 40, are the commander and deputy commander, respectively, of Rota 3 at Tuas View Fire Station.

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