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SCDF ragging death: Former fire station commander says he would have stopped 'dangerous act'

The 12m-deep well that Corporal Kok Yuen Chin Kok was being pushed into during the ragging incident, which led to his death. (PHOTO: SCDF)
The 12m-deep well that Corporal Kok Yuen Chin Kok was being pushed into during the ragging incident, which led to his death. (PHOTO: SCDF)

SINGAPORE — The former commander of a Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) fire station where a full-time national serviceman (NSF) died during a ragging incident said he had heard of the practice involving putting officers in the station’s pump well.

While Major Huang Weikang had not witnessed such an act in person, he claimed he would have intervened if he had seen his men carrying Corporal Kok Yuen Chin to the well. Huang was commander of the Tuas View Fire Station at the time of Kok’s death on 13 May last year.

“I would have stopped it because this is, in my opinion, an act of ragging and is a dangerous act,” he said in court on Thursday (13 June).

Huang’s testimony came on the fourth day of the trial against Lieutenant Kenneth Chong Chee Boon, 38, and First Senior Warrant Officer Nazhan Mohamed Nazi, 41.

The pair had been in charge of the officers on duty during the incident, which took place on 13 May last year. Each now faces one charge of causing grievous hurt to Kok by failing to prevent the group of men from making Kok enter the well.

Kok, who was 22 at the time, drowned after being pushed into the 12m-deep well during a celebration at the Tuas View Fire Station to mark his impending Operationally Ready Date (ORD).

Puzzling phone call

Huang, who was made the fire station’s commander in 2016, recalled in court how he had not been aware of the incident until he received a call from Chong on the night of 13 May.

Chong told Huang, who was at home, that Kok was in the well and that his body was missing. At the time, rescue efforts were already underway to locate Kok, who had failed to resurface after being pushed into the well.

“Initially I was of course puzzled (as to) why Kok was in the pump well and what do they mean that they cannot find his body,” said Huang, who in now a senior fire investigator.

After a brief exchange, Huang told Chong to continue with the rescue efforts and then proceeded to call his superior. Huang then left for the fire station, arriving about 30 minutes after receiving the call from Chong.

By then an ambulance was already at the scene and paramedics were trying to resuscitate Kok.

‘Dangerous act’

Speaking about the “kolam” practice, Huang said he had heard about it but had never experienced it nor seen it take place in person.

Asked by the prosecution what he would have done if he had heard the word “kolam” mentioned in the context of Kok’s ORD celebration, Huang said, “If guys in front of you say it in a celebratory moment, there might be a possibility that they might do it to Kok. They might put him into the kolam.”

He added that he would also have been more alert but would have ascertained if the act was actually carried out before taking his own actions.

Huang was then asked how he would have reacted if he had seen Kok being dragged to the well, to which he replied, “My reaction would be it’s a dangerous act cause day to day training we also generally do not carry casualties in this manner, there is a risk of him falling or getting injured.”

The night’s celebration began in the station’s control room, after which Kok was carried to the well by a group of officers and placed at its ledge. While he was initially egged on to enter the well voluntarily, another officer eventually pushed him in.

Earlier witnesses testified that Chong had stayed in the control room during the incident and had allegedly told the other men from afar not to take videos of their actions. Witnesses also said that Nazhan had accompanied the group to the well but left for his office thereafter.

Responding to the prosecution, Huang said that if he had been in Chong’s shoes, he would have accompanied his men to the well to see what they were actually doing. He added that he would also not have let Kok sit on the ledge of the well.

“The gate to pump well is open… and from what I’m looking Kok seems to be getting ready to enter pump well. It just doesn’t add up. He’s taking out all his valuables. If (he wasn’t) to get wet he wouldn’t take out wallet and handphone,” said Huang.

“If it’s just harmless teasing, you don’t need to open the gate to pump well, don’t need to ask someone to take out valuables to just tease,” he said.

Officer in charge a responsible, diligent worker

Asked about his relationship with both Nazhan and Chong, Huang said he had no issues with either man.

Huang described Chong as a “responsible commander” who is diligent and hardworking.

“Whenever I set him a task he will do his utmost best to complete the task. Many times he goes out of the way, beyond working hours to complete the task,” said Huang of Chong.

He added that Nazhan was “very involved” with the men under him and would help officers during their physical training.

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