SCDF NSF death: CPL Kok Yuen Chin’s body cremated in hometown of Melaka

KRUBONG, Melaka: The body of the late Singapore Civil Defence Force full-time national serviceman who died on his last day of service was cremated on Thursday (May 17).

More than 50 people turned up to pay their respects to Corporal (CPL) Kok Yuen Chin, who was found unconscious at the bottom of his fire station pump well on Sunday.

At his home in Krubong, friends and children knelt on straw mats and held joss sticks as funerary workers prepared to load CPL Kok’s casket into a minivan.

Once the casket was inside, CPL Kok’s mother clasped her palms to offer a silent prayer before breaking down, with family members rushing in to support her.

The casket was transported to Melaka Memorial Park via a convoy of at least 15 cars sporting red ribbons tied around their windscreen wipers.

At the crematorium, mourners prayed again as a monk chanted and waved a funerary ornament. They then circled the coffin before it was wheeled into the chamber room.

For some in the room, it was too much to bear. 

Children and adults wept loudly as the casket disappeared into the chamber and CPL Kok was finally laid to rest.

“I MISS HIM ALREADY”

At least five of CPL Kok’s batch mates from his days as a trainee turned up at the funeral, having drove up from Singapore on Wednesday.

One of them, who did not want to be named, told Channel NewsAsia they just wanted to bid him farewell.

“If we were facing difficulties, he would help us,” the 21-year-old said. “He was a very good person.”

CPL Kok would also offer words of encouragement when training got really tough, he added.

The group of them are in a WeChat group with CPL Kok, and together they share the same operationally ready date (ORD).

“I miss him already,” the batch mate said. “As friends, we just wanted to come here and pay our respects.”