I've been writing to PAP ministers (Mr. Teo Chee Hean, Ex Minister for
Defence and Dr.Ng eng Hen, Minister for Defence) for more than 2 years
now about my case. Every time I write to them, it is always forwarded to
the Permanent secretary and then it takes 3 months to get any reply.
More often than not, the reply would not even address all my questions
(being calm and mature i think)
To tell my story in short :
I had a service injury when I was in
SAF school campus way back in 1977. I was asked to climb a durian tree
by my officer and I fell from the tree and hurt my spinal cord. We had
to bear all my medical expenses and I was also medical board out of SAF
school at the age of 15 because I was disabled. I've been suffering
from Syringomyelia ( spinal injury) so I have lived my life doing odd
jobs and getting support from my family. In 2009, I decided to request
for my medical benefits because I had to undergo another surgery due to
the service injury. MINDEF kept rejecting my claim repeatedly saying it
was not a service injury and that I had fell from a tree in my house.
However, I gathered enough evidence to prove my case after which, MINDEF
couldn't reject my claim.
I've suffered for over 34 years because of my injury and now It has
taken 2 years of writing to the Ministers to finally have MINDEF accept
that it was a service injury and the doctors have also declared that I'm
99% permanently disabled. But still, there is no light on when I would
get my compensation and medical benefits. I've not even been able to
work for the past 2 years and I'm living solely with the support of my
family. How can anyone deal with this calmly? This had to be dealt with
maturely by the government. If they had done so, I would have received
my compensation and medical benefits by now.
I joined SAF school aspiring to be a soldier. But because of the
injury, I haven't been able to marry or get life insurance or even get
DPS coverage. I've been incapable of getting many such things that a
normal person can get. How can I stay calm bearing all this and also the
insensitivity of MINDEF and the ministers to my case?
Did you write to the right people. They emphasize Singaporeans first, so is this really Singaporeans first?
Welcome to the real world.
You can try writing to the media to publise your case to seek justice.
If not maybe you can try to tell your story to the opposition party members and see if they can use your story to attack the PAP
If you want somebody to seek justics for you, write an email to Singapore Democratic Party at [email protected]
If you want public to know your story better, write a letter to share them your story
National Solidarity Party
397 Jalan Besar #02-01A
Singapore 209007
Best regards,
PAP won't care one... They only care about makIng money. Your case no make money? They won't help. Sad story, bro. Seriously.
just forget it bro, u r used as a sporean, as u served and now, you are not reservist fit, so therefore no ippt and rt... thats abt all
I feel sad for your story.But you should have realised you have sold your own life for the nation once you sign on. The compensation is the minimum for regulars. In fact there is no compensation back in 1977.
Even now, the regulars are expected to buy their own insurance to cover themselves for service injury in SAF (whether it is operational or personal).
NSF, we are expected to buy our own pioneer insurance policy for service injury.
For more severe cases, such as death, the SAF insurance might pay a litttle, but it is like a few hundreds to a few thousands only.
For reservist, it is different, SAF actually brought insurance for us, for the two to three week training.
Remember you volunteer to serve the nation with your own life, when you sign on the contract!!
When an NSman sustains an injury due to an authorised activity sanctioned by the Unit Commanding Officer during his In-Camp Training (ICT), he is required to report the incident immediately to his Unit S1/Manpower Officer and Unit Medical Officer (MO), so that his unit can assist him in the filing of his injury report and to provide him with the required treatment for his injury.
NSman is to provide the following, should he wish to submit his bills incurred for the treatment of his service injury:
Upon the approval of his injury as attributable to service, the NSman may be issued with an SI card, if it is certified by his attending doctor that he would require long-term medical treatment for his service injury. This SI card will provide him with fully subsidised medical benefits at government/restructured hospitals and polyclinics at his eligible ward for as long as he requires it.
If NSman has incurred medical fees at government/restructured hospitals and polyclinics for the treatment of his service injury prior to the approval, he is to retain all original receipts, certification from the doctor that the treatment is for his service injury and other supporting documents to his payment of medical fees. He may submit these documents to MINDEF/SAF Human Resource Shared Services Centre (HRSSC) upon the approval of his service injury for medical reimbursement. Do note that only medical fees incurred at government/restructured hospitals and polyclinics are reimbursable by MINDEF and he is to seek referral from doctors at polyclinic, hospital's A&E or his Unit MO for treatments at government/restructured hospitals.
If the NSman remains on continuous medical leave upon his ICT due to his service injury, he may be eligible for ex-gratia payment if it is certified by his employer that he is not receiving any salary for the period of his medical leave for his service injury. He is to provide a letter from his employer to inform MINDEF of this and the amount that is to be reimbursed, together with supporting documents.
This ex-gratia payment, which is meant to compensate NSman's loss of income during the period of medical leave, will be paid in a stepdown approach based on his civilian pay or an equivalent pay of a regular serviceman, whichever higher. The ex-gratia payment will cease upon the termination of his medical leave or the award of his disability compensation, whichever earlier.
If it is certified by his attending Specialist that his service injury has stabilised, the NSman is to inform his unit to request for him to be reviewed by his Unit MO. He will be required to complete an authorisation form to allow MINDEF to obtain a Disability Assessment Report (DAR) from his attending Specialist on his service injury. The hospital will take about 3 to 4 months to revert with the DAR. Upon the receipt of the DAR with no further query, he will be scheduled to attend a PD Board by Military Medicine Institute (MMI) for the endorsement of the PD that has been assessed by his attending Specialist for him to have suffered as a result of his service injury. Upon the endorsement and approval of his PD Board Outcome, MINDEF/SAF HRSC will then be able to process his disability compensation. He will be informed of the award of his lump sum disability compensation subsequently.
i saw your story was being taken some actions on REACH, the official government feedback website:
http://www.reach.gov.sg/YourSay/DiscussionForum/tabid/101/mode/3/Default.aspx?ssFormAction=[[ssBlogThread_VIEW]]&tid=[[4907]]#top
@LOKEY:
National Service is the duty that every male citizen must undertake upon attaining the age of 18. It is for the serviceman to swear allegiance to Singapore. As much as the serviceman swears his commitment to be loyal to the country, the country should also vow some commitment towards the serviceman.
Here is an excerpt from an article published on 4th August 2010 in 'The Straits Time' :
"The Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence has done much to recognise the important role of Singapore's citizen soldiers, particularly in the form of monetary rewards and welfare provisions."
Infact, Mr. Kumar should have been less than 18 when he had the injury since he was in the SAF boys school. The SAF boys school would have been instituted to instill more discipline in the servicemen. How can they not support when a kid has been injured aspiring to serve the country? This is discouraging to the next generation who are willing to serve the country.
You might want to ask M Ravi to help you seek compensation, he might be willing to help you for free.