Newspaper review:

Sep 5 2007

Failed relationship may have led soldier to go AWOL with rifle

By Jermyn Chow & David Boey

ARMY Corporal Dave Teo Ming, 20, was last seen at the Mandai Hill Camp on Sunday in his camouflage army fatigues.

Twenty hours later, he was arrested in a third-floor toilet in the Orchard Cineleisure mall, dressed in a black suit and tie.

With him were the missing assault rifle and live ammunition taken from the camp where he had been on guard duty.

The lean-built full-time national serviceman, one month from completing his NS stint, triggered an islandwide manhunt after he went absent without official leave (AWOL) with the loaded SAR-21 rifle.

No further information was released yesterday by the police or Defence Ministry, but details of his life have emerged that suggest his actions could be linked to a failed relationship.

His former girlfriend, Miss Crystal Liew, 18, got a phone call from the police at about 7am on Monday, while she was at a Pasir Ris chalet with her friends. They wanted to know whether she knew where he was.

'I was clueless as I had not seen nor spoken to him for about two weeks,' said Miss Liew, who had broken off with him five months ago.

She was told to stay put and a car was sent over to get her.

According to Miss Liew, she was introduced to Cpl Teo by friends in 2003, some time after he had dropped out of Secondary 3.

They dated for more than three years, spending time in his home, playing computer games, eating meals cooked by his grandmother and shopping.

Miss Liew said: 'He was very sweet and generous as he would buy me clothes, souvenirs and a watch even when he wasn't earning much with his army pay.'

But he was also very possessive, she said. After he enlisted in 2005, she alleged that he would call her up to five times and send about 10 messages every day, so he could keep tabs on her whereabouts.

And he disapproved of her going out with her own friends.

She said: 'I was like a prisoner when he stopped me from meeting other people and scolded me for smiling at people I speak to, accusing me of flirting.'

Miss Liew broke up with Cpl Teo in March and has been seeing someone else since.

Tempers boiled over and he kicked up a ruckus at her house on five occasions, and stalked her for at least a week when she went out, she claimed.

She added that things got worse and he had threatened to kill her and her family.

Her father told The Straits Times he had called the police for help, but did not lodge a police report.

Cpl Teo kept away after that and last month, Miss Liew saw him for the last time, at his birthday party.

Among the last few people to talk to Cpl Teo was his friend of 16 years, administrative executive Bocky Tan, who described him as being 'emotional yet happy-go-lucky'.

Cpl Teo called him at about 10pm, just before he went AWOL, and asked if he could stay over that night as he had quarrelled with his family.

Mr Tan turned him down. 'Normally, he would talk to me first and get my advice, but this time he never said a word.'

The next he heard of him was his arrest.

It is believed that Cpl Teo lives with his grandparents, a cousin and an uncle.

His relatives declined to be interviewed yesterday when approached at the family's three-room flat in New Upper Changi Road, except to say they last saw him on Friday.

http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_154880.html

My Reflections:

This incident is undoubtedly one of the more weird happenings that I have heard recently. The act of leaving camp with loaded ammunition may not seem that much of a strange action, but the reason for Dave Teo Ming, the full time national serviceman, to commit such an act indeed raises eyebrows.

The reason that caused Teo to leave camp on impulse is said to be because of a breakup with his girlfriend of more than three years. However, they have broken up for more than 5 months already, and according to Miss Crystal Liew, his ex-girlfriend, Teo was a possessive person and after the breakup, he harassed and stalked her to the extent that Miss Liew’s father had to call the police for help.

This offence of being AWOL (absent without official leave), was worsened by the fact that Teo had taken ammunition with him. His action resulted in an islandwide search that involved more than 200 police officers.

In my opinion, I think that Teo has committed a very foolish offence, and the price he will have to pay will be dear. Teo did not think of the consequences of his action carefully, and acted on impulse, resulting in the worry of many people, as well as causing inconvenience to the general public and police officers. Being a grown man, he should have been more rational and levelheaded, and should not have even thought of performing such a childish act. His inconsiderate actions have led to an outcome that I am sure he will regret, as he is currently facing a court case for committing offences under the Arms Offences Act. Besides, a breakup is not a sufficiently backed up reason for such a disappearing act. In any case, leaving camp with loaded ammunition is unjustified, as it will cause the public to be in danger, and pose a threat to them. What makes it even more ambiguous is the fact that the breakup happened more than 5 months ago.

On the other hand, Teo’s actions can be said to be something that he did in a state of rashness, with no evil intentions. His lack of control over his own emotions led him to perform such an act, and the breakup probably resulted in him being vulnerable to rash decisions. This should be taken into consideration, at the very least, to provide a small justification for the rash action.

This incident, on a deeper level, reflects the vulnerability of the young people in this century. We cannot afford to have our army men going AWOL and causing panic within the city. They have a responsibility to the country and themselves, and they must learn how to handle this responsibility properly. I think that others should learn from this incident and not commit similar mistakes. Though no harm was done this time, we cannot afford to risk a second time.