SINGAPORE — Opposition party, Red Dot United, has urged the Ministry of Home Affairs to conduct an independent probe into the death of Sergeant Uvaraja Gopal and is also calling for an impartial investigation into the culture and conduct within the Singapore Police Force (SPF).
In a letter addressed to Minister K. Shanmugam, the party expressed their concerns which outlined the alleged serious allegations posted on social media by the late Sgt Uvaraja before taking his own life.
RDU believes there is an urgent need for an investigation and urges the minister to take these allegations seriously, considering the possible systemic issues within the SPF. The party feels that conducting an impartial investigation is crucial to uphold the high standards of integrity and conduct expected from the SPF.
The party emphasizes five key points in their letter to the Minister for Home Affairs, which are crucial for facilitating a fair and transparent investigation conducted by an independent committee when examining any allegations against the police force. These points include addressing biases, ensuring fairness and impartiality, holding active-duty officers accountable, demanding accountability, and advocating for transparent reporting.
Despite acknowledging the need for thorough investigations to obtain conclusive answers, RDU finds it challenging to dismiss these allegations entirely due to their timing, which occurred and was shared online just moments before Sgt Uvaraja’s tragic demise.
“In essence, at the core of RDU’s concerns and humble suggestions for the Home Affairs Minister’s consideration lies a critical question: Are there systemic issues within the SPF that urgently need fixing? We believe that an independent committee, free from internal bias, is the key to addressing these concerns and shedding light on any cultural and disciplinary deficiencies within the organisation,” explained the party’s secretary-general Ravi Philemon.
Sgt Uvaraja, 36, was found motionless at Block 393 Yishun Avenue 6 last Friday, Jul 21. Before his passing, he had posted on Facebook alleging that his superiors had bullied him at work and was racially abused by his colleagues.
In a media statement on Jul 24, the SPF said they take a firm stance against any allegations of racial discrimination. There are avenues for SPF officers to raise complaints on any discriminatory workplace practices – to their unit Commanders, Police Headquarters or the Ministry HQ, and such complaints are looked into seriously.
“Specific to the allegations of racial discrimination, SPF takes a firm stance against such. The Police are aware of the allegations of racial discrimination made by the late SGT Uvaraja in 2015. We had looked into these and interviewed the officers involved. The allegations were found to be unsubstantiated,” said the SPF.
The police added that they will review and investigate these allegations again and refer the findings to the Attorney-General’s Chambers. The findings will also be submitted to the Minister for Home Affairs to decide whether the findings should be further reviewed.
Police statement on allegations made by late police officer Sgt Uvaraja Gopal