150 Home Team pioneers honoured for services during major security incidents
Mr Poh Geok Ek, 71, Director of Central Narcotics Bureau from 1981 to 1991, left, and Mdm Evelyn Wong Ah Chai, 70, who spent 31 years in service with the Singapore Police Force, right. Photo: Robin Choo
SINGAPORE — When Mr Poh Geok Ek was working for the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) in the 1970s, opium usage, while a huge problem in Singapore, was on the decline thanks to the enactment of the Misuse of Drugs Act in 1973.
However, people were experimenting with medical drugs such as methaqualone, a type of sedative. In some cases, even schoolchildren were involved, said Mr Poh, who later served as director of the CNB from 1981 to 1991.
“Back then, you had to catch them in the act of smoking and injecting the drugs, which was not easy. Each generation has people who want to experiment with drugs,” said Mr Poh, who also became the director of the Singapore Prison Service before he retired in 1998.
The 71-year-old shared these recollections today (May 28) at a tribute event for the Home Team, where 150 of its pioneers in departments such as the Singapore Police Force and the Singapore Civil Defence Force were honoured for playing critical roles in major safety and security incidents as well as for helping build the Home Team into what it is today.
They received commemorative medallions from Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Teo Chee Hean, who also presented a commemorative plaque to seven Home Team departments.
“The successful fight against secret societies and rampant crime, including kidnapping and armed robberies, allowed us to establish safety, security and order. As we celebrate SG50, this is an opportune time for the Home Team to rededicate ourselves to making Singapore safer and more secure,” said Mr Teo, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security.
Also part of the event held at the Home Team Academy was an exhibition on the milestones in the Home Team’s history as well as personal recollections from pioneers. It includes a “Wall of Honour” dedicated to Home Team officers who died on duty as well as an outdoor section showcasing current and past vehicles.
“As an enforcement officer, it can be stressful and you work long hours,” said Mr Poh of his 31 years in the Home Team, which included a stint at the Internal Security Department. “But at the end of the day, it is rewarding knowing that you are contributing to the safety of the society, and that is compelling enough to work harder.”
Madam Evelyn Wong Ah Chai, 70, a retired senior staff sergeant from the Singapore Police Force, recalled the tension during the 1991 hijacking of Singapore Airlines flight SQ117. Mdm Wong, who then worked in the operations room, was responsible for the exchange of messages between parties involved.
“It was very scary and exciting. Every minute is time and you are frightened that they will blow up the aircraft and kill the passengers. You just have to keep working,” she said.
One of the few women in the force during her time, Mdm Wong, who served 31 years in the police, said: “My mother was very supportive and said that I always cried, so I should train in the police.”
