Mindef/SAF = heartless?

Who is Lawrence Leow?
Quote from tomorrow.sg

Lawrence had suffered heat stroke during his National Service. What happened next was a shock to many of his friends and family. Due to the heat stroke suffered during National Service training, Lawrence was paralyzed in most of his body. He also suffered inflammation and infection in his wind pipe. That resulted in having an operation to have a opening at his throat.

Lawrence could not eat on his own and had limited mobility. He could only type using a small digital pad or sms to communicate his thoughts. He was in no position to take care of himself. As he can't speak, he could only capture your attention by breathing deeply. Yes, it does sound like Darth Vader breathing with intensity.

I was concerned over his situation so I asked him whether Mindef offered any kind of assistance or compensation to him. I was told they are only paying him $500 a month plus a CSC card. In Lawrence's own words via sms to me, "The $500 is not even enough for me to hire a maid!".

I'll go thru my concerns and what I've found out.
Please don't complain got too much singlish, cause I'm not newspaper or some English pro lah. I only 1 unemployed little girl at home nothing better to do hor..


Army no insurance one meh?
All servicemen within 2 weeks of their enlistment to whatever services of the SAF is offered an insurance policy from company like AVIVA which they pay a premium up to 40 bucks a month and they get covered up to $400,000 for accidents that is a result of SAF training and maneuver resulting in PD and death?

So actually got leh. So how come he don't have?
People didn't want the policy because they felt that its a pay-and-get-nothing-out-of-it kind of thing whey compare it with XXX insurance company's life policy and look at returns.
When they get XXX's insurance policy, then they realise that XXX insurance policy don't pay them when they get injured in a military related accident!


Then they give him only $500 a month, how to pay his expensive Medical bill?
I fount out that they paid his medical bill already! so the $500 a month is like an allowance. He doesn't need to do anything and gets $500 a month for the rest of his life? If he lives another 40 years (500 X 12 X 40) = $240000!


What the heck is a CSC card?
CSC card means Civil service card.

What can the card do? Go clubbing no need to pay entry fee? :P
The owner of the card do not need to foot medical bills when he visits government clinics and hospitals with ailments caused by his heat injury and other minor ailments(flu/fever/cough).
FREE MEDICAL for the rest of his life! I so need that card lah. I always get flu and fever leh.


By the way, how did he got paralysed again?
I found out that Lawrence had suffered heat stroke. I know that heat stroke is a common heat-related diseases that can be life-threatening if left untreated, however, I also know that heat stroke can be prevented! eg. by drinking water!


So kids, please drink enough water! Coffee, coke all that not counted arh.. must drink plain water! & don't worry, your boobs wouldn't grow that big one lah. :P


Was he not allowed to drink water? Were there others who suffered heat stroke with him?
-I didn't have any answers for these questions thou..


Who is responsible for his heat stroke? SAF or himself?
-I have no answer for this too.




It's easy to say stuffs like.. The medics are super lousy. SAF never ensure safety.
But are you not responsible for your own health?

When mummy ask you to drink more water, you find her naggy, cause you don't like to drink plain water. When you fall sick, cause you don't drink enough water, she look after you without grumbles. so now what?
I can tell you, this kind of case will happen again and again if you don't listen to your officer oops I mean mummy.


Happy Belated to all the Mums in the world. =)