Mindef has responded to the letter that family of Allan Ooi wrote in to the forum.
And in it, they talked about moral vs legal obligation. In other words. they are using the guilt card. And why? Cos the government spend "substantial funds and time". And that money spent on training them came from tax payers money.
How much "funds"? From what I heard, its about 1-2 million per medical student.
That's why they expect medical graduates to have this "moral obligation" to repay the government by being bonded for a certain number of years.
And for those "black sheep" who break their bonds, well they are labelled ungrateful to the nation. Something of a betrayal and disloyalty to the country. Something similar to treason.
As for the inquiry the family was asking for? Well, Mindef has already "convened a Board of Inquiry" which" concluded that "matters .... had been managed appropriately".
And what does that mean? That SAF has done nothing wrong in its dealing with Allan?
Who are the members? Senior SAF officers? How long did it take for them to come to a conclusion? What is that outcome? How were matters managed appropriately?
And if they had made known this Inquiry to the family, the family would not have to resort to writing in to the papers forum to request for one.
I dun think the general public would ever find out about the detailed findings of this Inquiry.
What the findings suggested is that it cleared Allan's superiors of any wrongdoings in handling the matter.
So would the family probe further? Definitely! But in private, I think. After all, they do not want to drag Allan's reputation through the mud further.
When Allan died, one of his wishes was that through his death, he hoped to expose this issue of unhappy scholars wanting to break free of government scholarship bonds. And by example of his death, maybe he was hoping that the authorities would make significant amendments so that other similar tragedy could be averted by other promising scholars who are unhappy in their bonds.
Frankly speaking, Allan's death could very well be in vain if nothing has changed in the scholarship bond system.
--------------------------
Straits Times
8 Apr 2009
Mindef responds to family of Dr Allan Ooi
Ministry provided some factual clarifications to the issue of his bond to Mindef.
We refer to the letter published in the media between 31 Mar and 2 Apr from the family of the late CPT (Dr) Allan Ooi. MINDEF would have preferred to keep these exchanges private out of respect for the late CPT (Dr) Ooi and his family. Nonetheless, as the letter has raised several issues, it is necessary for MINDEF to provide some factual clarifications.
The six-month Aviation Medicine course that CPT (Dr) Ooi attended in the United Kingdom (UK) from Jan to Jul 2008 had a three-year bond, which was to be served concurrently with his 12-year Local Study Award (Medicine) bond. This was explained to CPT (Dr) Ooi when he and his two sureties signed the deed for the course on 19 Dec 2007 before he left for the UK.
On the same day, MINDEF also sent an email to confirm this with CPT (Dr) Ooi. He acknowledged receiving the email and thanked MINDEF for the clarification. The three-year bond is completely within his 12-year Local Study Award (Medicine) bond. It is thus untrue that his 12-year bond would be "prolonged by another three years for one six-month course".
CPT (Dr) Ooi returned on 7 Jul 2008 from his course in the UK. Sixteen days later, on 23 Jul 2008, while serving at the Aeromedical Centre, he informed his superior that he was unhappy at work and was considering leaving the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). According to MINDEF's records, CPT (Dr) Ooi wrote to Head of Manpower at Headquarters Medical Corps on 12 Aug 2008 (not "Jul 2008" as stated in the family's letter), expressing his wish to resign from the SAF. The Head of Manpower replied on 20 Aug 2008, informing him how he could obtain the application form for early release, and explaining the process involved. But CPT (Dr) Ooi did not apply for early release.
On 3 Oct 2008, CPT (Dr) Ooi's superior interviewed him, and offered him the option of a posting to an appointment which would interest him. He asked CPT (Dr) Ooi to indicate what posting he would like. CPT (Dr) Ooi thanked his superior and promised to respond in two weeks' time. However, instead of doing so, CPT (Dr) Ooi went Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL) on 15 Oct 2008.
All officers who join the SAF and take up sponsorship know that they have a moral obligation to serve out the full period of their bonds, beyond their legal obligation to pay the liquidated damages if they do not fulfil the bond. The SAF invests substantial public funds and time to train these officers. Officers can serve in a wide range of leadership and specialist roles that cater to their different interests and aptitudes while fulfilling the SAF's needs. On their part, officers are expected to do their best to fulfil their obligations to the organisation, unless there are strong extenuating circumstances like medical reasons that prevent them from doing so.
CPT (Dr) Ooi's family asked for an inquiry into MINDEF's policies and processes, on the premise that this would avert a similar tragedy. MINDEF had convened a Board of Inquiry on 11 Mar 2009, which concluded that matters related to the late CPT (Dr) Ooi's service with the SAF had been managed appropriately. While the late CPT (Dr) Ooi had expressed unhappiness with his job in the Aeromedical Centre and stated his wish to resign, he had subsequently gone AWOL despite being informed about other job options.
MINDEF expresses its sympathies to the family of the late CPT (Dr) Ooi, and will continue to be as open and helpful as possible to them. MINDEF will also provide the facts of the case to the public while respecting the privacy of the family.
Colonel Darius Lim
Director Public Affairs
Ministry of Defence
And in it, they talked about moral vs legal obligation. In other words. they are using the guilt card. And why? Cos the government spend "substantial funds and time". And that money spent on training them came from tax payers money.
How much "funds"? From what I heard, its about 1-2 million per medical student.
That's why they expect medical graduates to have this "moral obligation" to repay the government by being bonded for a certain number of years.
And for those "black sheep" who break their bonds, well they are labelled ungrateful to the nation. Something of a betrayal and disloyalty to the country. Something similar to treason.
As for the inquiry the family was asking for? Well, Mindef has already "convened a Board of Inquiry" which" concluded that "matters .... had been managed appropriately".
And what does that mean? That SAF has done nothing wrong in its dealing with Allan?
Who are the members? Senior SAF officers? How long did it take for them to come to a conclusion? What is that outcome? How were matters managed appropriately?
And if they had made known this Inquiry to the family, the family would not have to resort to writing in to the papers forum to request for one.
I dun think the general public would ever find out about the detailed findings of this Inquiry.
What the findings suggested is that it cleared Allan's superiors of any wrongdoings in handling the matter.
So would the family probe further? Definitely! But in private, I think. After all, they do not want to drag Allan's reputation through the mud further.
When Allan died, one of his wishes was that through his death, he hoped to expose this issue of unhappy scholars wanting to break free of government scholarship bonds. And by example of his death, maybe he was hoping that the authorities would make significant amendments so that other similar tragedy could be averted by other promising scholars who are unhappy in their bonds.
Frankly speaking, Allan's death could very well be in vain if nothing has changed in the scholarship bond system.
--------------------------
Straits Times
8 Apr 2009
Mindef responds to family of Dr Allan Ooi
Ministry provided some factual clarifications to the issue of his bond to Mindef.
We refer to the letter published in the media between 31 Mar and 2 Apr from the family of the late CPT (Dr) Allan Ooi. MINDEF would have preferred to keep these exchanges private out of respect for the late CPT (Dr) Ooi and his family. Nonetheless, as the letter has raised several issues, it is necessary for MINDEF to provide some factual clarifications.
The six-month Aviation Medicine course that CPT (Dr) Ooi attended in the United Kingdom (UK) from Jan to Jul 2008 had a three-year bond, which was to be served concurrently with his 12-year Local Study Award (Medicine) bond. This was explained to CPT (Dr) Ooi when he and his two sureties signed the deed for the course on 19 Dec 2007 before he left for the UK.
On the same day, MINDEF also sent an email to confirm this with CPT (Dr) Ooi. He acknowledged receiving the email and thanked MINDEF for the clarification. The three-year bond is completely within his 12-year Local Study Award (Medicine) bond. It is thus untrue that his 12-year bond would be "prolonged by another three years for one six-month course".
CPT (Dr) Ooi returned on 7 Jul 2008 from his course in the UK. Sixteen days later, on 23 Jul 2008, while serving at the Aeromedical Centre, he informed his superior that he was unhappy at work and was considering leaving the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). According to MINDEF's records, CPT (Dr) Ooi wrote to Head of Manpower at Headquarters Medical Corps on 12 Aug 2008 (not "Jul 2008" as stated in the family's letter), expressing his wish to resign from the SAF. The Head of Manpower replied on 20 Aug 2008, informing him how he could obtain the application form for early release, and explaining the process involved. But CPT (Dr) Ooi did not apply for early release.
On 3 Oct 2008, CPT (Dr) Ooi's superior interviewed him, and offered him the option of a posting to an appointment which would interest him. He asked CPT (Dr) Ooi to indicate what posting he would like. CPT (Dr) Ooi thanked his superior and promised to respond in two weeks' time. However, instead of doing so, CPT (Dr) Ooi went Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL) on 15 Oct 2008.
All officers who join the SAF and take up sponsorship know that they have a moral obligation to serve out the full period of their bonds, beyond their legal obligation to pay the liquidated damages if they do not fulfil the bond. The SAF invests substantial public funds and time to train these officers. Officers can serve in a wide range of leadership and specialist roles that cater to their different interests and aptitudes while fulfilling the SAF's needs. On their part, officers are expected to do their best to fulfil their obligations to the organisation, unless there are strong extenuating circumstances like medical reasons that prevent them from doing so.
CPT (Dr) Ooi's family asked for an inquiry into MINDEF's policies and processes, on the premise that this would avert a similar tragedy. MINDEF had convened a Board of Inquiry on 11 Mar 2009, which concluded that matters related to the late CPT (Dr) Ooi's service with the SAF had been managed appropriately. While the late CPT (Dr) Ooi had expressed unhappiness with his job in the Aeromedical Centre and stated his wish to resign, he had subsequently gone AWOL despite being informed about other job options.
MINDEF expresses its sympathies to the family of the late CPT (Dr) Ooi, and will continue to be as open and helpful as possible to them. MINDEF will also provide the facts of the case to the public while respecting the privacy of the family.
Colonel Darius Lim
Director Public Affairs
Ministry of Defence
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