Aloysius Pang's family: Set up preventive measures for future sons

The family of Aloysius Pang has urged that "preventive measures" be put in place to prevent another tragedy.

In an Instagram post on the late actor's management agency NoonTalk Media on Tuesday, Mr Jefferson Pang, his older brother, said the family believes one loss is enough.

He said: "Other parents' sons have a life ahead of them. It is not about blame and pointing fingers now but how it should be prevented in the future.

"Complacency shouldn't be human error alone and preventive measures should be in place for future sons."

Corporal First Class (NS) Aloysius Pang, 28, an armament technician from the 268th Battalion Singapore Artillery, died on Jan 23, four days after he was seriously injured while in a Singapore Self-Propelled Howitzer (SSPH) during a military exercise in New Zealand.

A Committee of Inquiry that was convened after the incident found all three soldiers, including CFC Pang, who were in the SSPH to conduct repair works had committed safety lapses that eventually led to the death of the actor.

Following CFC Pang's death, additional measures such as bold markings to indicate the safe and potentially hazardous areas were put up in the SSPH.

All SSPH crew now also have to practise emergency stop button drills before operating the platform.

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In addition, army technicians now have to go through a nine-step drill before their maintenance training and tasks so that any potential risks are reviewed, dry runs are conducted, and roles and responsibilities are clarified.

Military Expert 2 Ivan Teo Gee Siang, 35, and Third Sergeant (NS) Hubert Wah Yun Teng, 31, were fined $7,000 and $8,000 respectively by a military court on Tuesday. Wah was also demoted to the rank of corporal.

The court also heard that CFC Pang's family had reached out to the Singapore Armed Forces for leniency to be exercised in the sentencing of the two men.

This article was first published in The New Paper. Permission required for reproduction.