Thanks for the continuing updates.
SCDF has five operational, and two training Divisions, all under the command of
Eric Yap Wee Teck who sits in his plush office in the fancy glass tower at Paya Lebar. Tuas View Fire Station (TVFS), where Kok was killed, is one of five "units" that come under the SCDF's 4th Division which is commanded by
Col Michael Chua Szu Chiap. The "unit", TVFS, comes under the command of
Maj Huang Weikang.
In trying to shamelessly cover his arse, Eric Yap wants to avoid command responsibility by redefining "command responsibility" to be that held only by "unit commanders" who hold the relatively lowly ranks of Captains and Majors. In his self-serving world view, only Maj Weikang, as the "unit" commander of TVFS, bears sole "command responsibility" for the death of Kok.
Eric Yap is being disingenuous and dishonest.
Since it was established by the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907, "command responsibility" has never started and ended merely with low-level commanders. It's the reason why General Yamashita was charged for
"unlawfully disregarding and failing to discharge his duty as a commander to control the acts of members of his command by permitting them to commit war crimes." Yamashita was executed in 1946, not for the atrocities he personally committed, but for the atrocities committed by the men under his command.
In his letter, this fool who is severely deficient in self-awareness, wrote:
"Let me be clear about this - those of us who are aware of, or have seen such acts being carried out but yet do not stop or report these acts, also bear responsibility. We cannot condone or allow any wrongdoing."
So the inevitable question that arises is : Was Eric Yap Wee Teck, Commissioner of SCDF,
'"aware of [...] such acts?
If he is, this fool should, by his own declared standards that he trumpets out in a letter,
"also bear responsibility" for not
"stop[ping]" such
"acts". If he claims otherwise, that he is not
"aware" of such nonsense occurring under his command, he should be stripped of his Public Administration Medal (Silver). Such medals are awarded for
"outstanding efficiency, competency and industry" and Eric Yap has shown himself to be incompetent and undeserving of the medal.
Next, he along with Col Michael Chua Commander, 4th Division and Maj Huang Weikang, Commander TVFS, must be charged under the Penal Code as abettors to the killing of Cpl Kok Yuen Chin. Chapter V (Abetment) of the Penal Code makes clear that these three can be held liable as abettors.
Unless they are held responsible, charged and sacked, such needless deaths of young men in the prime of their lives will continue. Parents who entrust their sons to the care of the state for National Service will have no assurance that their sons will come out the way they handed them over to the state, alive and with their limbs intact.