Senior Minister of State Maliki Osman is 1st MINDEF office-holder to speak about Aloysius Pang

MPs extended their condolences.

Sulaiman Daud | January 24, 2019, 02:03 PM

Senior Minister of State Maliki Osman is the first political office-holder from the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) to speak out about the death of Singaporean actor Aloysius Pang, who succumbed to severe injuries during a reservist training exercise in New Zealand.

In a Facebook post on Thursday afternoon, he said he was "deeply saddened" by Pang's passing, and extended his regrets and condolences to his family.

In case you can't see it:

"Our NSman, CFC Aloysius Pang was injured in an overseas exercise and passed away yesterday. I am deeply saddened by his passing, and extend my deepest regrets and condolences to his family. May they find strength and support in this difficult time."

Other Singaporean politicians have also shared their own condolence messages online, from both sides of the House.

People's Action Party (PAP)

Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu said Singaporeans will remember Pang, a home-grown actor, for his dedication to and love for his craft:

Meanwhile, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministries of Home Affairs and National Development Sun Xueling said she observed a minute's silence with a group of Singapore Police full-time National Servicemen:

"I have not served NS. But I am a Mother. There is an unbearable grief when 白发人送黑发人 (when a person with white hair sends off a person with black hair; in other words, when an older person has to bid farewell to a younger person in death)。Every parent wants answers. Their sons are entrusted to the state during the sacred NS years."

PAP MP Alex Yam also shared his thoughts about Pang's death on Facebook.

Yam commented that Pang's life was cut short "too suddenly, too tragically and too needlessly":

Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat also wrote a Facebook post on Pang.

Workers' Party (WP)

Party chief Pritam Singh was among the first MPs to put up a Facebook post about the incident.

Pritam, who happened to also be in the midst of In-Camp Training, said the news of the loss of "a fellow NSman" was more "acute", particularly because he was in uniform over the past week.

Despite the changes and improvements in how things are done in the army over the years, Pritam said the camaraderie NSmen share has always remained:

"In spite of the changes, one thing remains constant. That sense of camaraderie — regardless of rank, race or religion when we swap our civvies for uniform, even if it is only for a few weeks a year.

Rest in peace Aloysius Pang. Like all NSmen and NSF personnel who have passed on while on duty, we pray for strength for their families and loved ones through difficult times. And we stand with them."

Former Non-Constituency MP Gerald Giam and current NCMP Dennis Tan also posted their own tributes on Facebook.

Tan, one of the WP's Non-Constituency MPs (NCMP), said "Every training death is a tragedy, whatever the cause":

Giam, a former NCMP, quoted Singh's words in his own post.

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Top image adapted from Aloysius Pang, Pritam Singh and Maliki Osman's Facebook pages.