THE mother of a dead Singaporean national serviceman uploaded an anguished post on Facebook after her family lost a lawsuit against the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).
In her post, which was uploaded yesterday, Felicia Seah suggested it was unjust to be ordered to bear the legal costs of those she believes were responsible for her son’s death. She bitterly criticized government officials, sarcastically remarking that they are “the experts in their fields. They must know best. They do no wrong.”
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My dearest Dom, my heart continues to bleed for you. It has been 3years and 10months since you were taken from me and…
Posted by In memory of Dominique Sarron Lee on Thursday, March 3, 2016
The Singapore High Court earlier dismissed a lawsuit initiated by Seah and her family against the Singaporean military. The lawsuit alleged that Seah’s son, Dominique Sarron Lee, died in 2012 due to an allergic reaction to smoke grenades used during a military exercise. Lee’s family have accused the SAF, Lee’s platoon commander, and the exercise’s chief safety officer of negligence.
But according to Today, the court agreed with the defendants, who argued that a legal provision – Section 14 of the Government Proceedings Act – protects them from negligence lawsuits if the deaths and injuries take place during service.
SEE ALSO: Dead men can’t fight: Family sues Singapore Armed Forces for death of son
The Straits Times reported the court ordered Lee’s family to pay S$22,000 (or nearly US$16,000) to the three defendants.
In 2012, 21-year-old Lee suffered breathing difficulties and passed out during a military exercise which saw the use of smoke grenades. He was brought to a hospital, but was ultimately pronounced dead. A coroner’s inquiry the following year determined that Lee had suffered an acute allergic reaction to zinc chloride – a key component in SAF smoke grenades.
Addressing the Facebook post to Lee, his mother ruefully wrote: “I have been worn-down, beaten and defeated by the very government I taught you to trust; worn-down, beaten and defeated by the very system I counseled you to have faith in; worn-down, beaten and defeated by the very people I advised you to respect and honor.”
The post had more than 6,100 reactions and 3,209 shares at the time of writing.
The post Mother of dead Singaporean national serviceman hits out at government in viral Facebook post appeared first on Asian Correspondent.
