Awarded the Pingat Keberanian (Medal of Valour), 2004
During the cave-in of the Nicoll Highway worksite in 2004, Maj Kadir led
his Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART) rescuers to search for
workers who were missing. His team worked continuously for four days in
unstable and dangerous conditions, racing against time to recover the
bodies.
At the end of the operation, three bodies were recovered. Maj Kadir was
awarded this medal for his outstanding command and leadership, as well
as his efforts in extricating the bodies of the victims.
DSP1 Tan Wee Wah
Officer-in-charge, PH50, Hammerhead Shark
Awarded the Pingat Polis Keberanian (Police Medal of Valour), 2003 The
Hammerhead Shark played a critical role in the rescue of the RSS
Courageous. DSP Tan Wee Wah, as the Officer-in-charge, held the lives of
his crew in his hands as he made critical decisions in the rescue
efforts.
DSP Tan showed great courage, strong leadership and a high degree of
professionalism. In the face of very difficult sea conditions and high
risks, he motivated and inspired his crew to effectively manage the
delicate and dangerous rescue operations. Among the difficult
split-second decisions he had to make was whether to proceed alongside
the RSS Courageous which by then, was slightly tilting towards its port,
had a collapsed mast and a shared stern with protruding edges. DSP Tan
rose to the challenge of his responsibilities, including in situations
where he had to choose between placing his men and ship at risk, and
reducing the assistance to the crew of RSS Courageous. He also focused
his crews rescue efforts in three main and urgent areas keeping the RSS
Courageous afloat to avoid more casualties, evacuating the casualties as
soon as possible, and keeping a lookout for any who might have been
thrown overboard with the impact of the collision. Through his strong
leadership, he galvanised his crew to carry out the rescue mission
successfully.
With his inspiring leadership, great courage and care for the lives of
all involved, DSP Tan steered the Hammerhead Shark crew to help save
precious lives under extremely trying sea conditions.
SSS Mohd Ramli Bin Mohd Shariff (now SSI 2)
Awarded the Pingat Polis Keberanian (Police Medal of Valour), 2003 SSS
Mohd Ramli, the Coxswain of Hammerhead Shark, played a pivotal role in
helping to manage the morale of the crew on board the RSS Courageous.
Assessing early on in the operation that the presence of Police Coast
Guard (PCG) officers on board the RSS Courageous to assist in damage
control would have a stabilising impact on the morale of RSN crew, SSS
Ramli led two other officers to board the vessel with him. While there
supervising and helping in the damage control efforts, he took action to
have a PCG officer relieve an injured RSN crew from bailing water from
the flooding compartments. He too helped in the water-bailing efforts.
Throughout the time he was on board, he also observed the morale of the
RSN crew and the buoyancy of the vessel, and fed back the valuable
observations to the Officer-in-charge of Hammerhead Shark as input to
the latter's critical operational decisions. The courageous and
considerate actions of SSS Ramli and his observations about the buoyancy
of the RSS Courageous and the crew morale helped in critical
decision-making during the rescue operation.
Sgt Darren Lee Swee Keng
Awarded the Pingat Polis Keberanian (Police Medal of Valour), 2003 Sgt
Darren Lee was instrumental in the rescue efforts of the RSS Courageous.
He displayed through his ingenuity and persistence in getting equipment
working to mitigate the flooding of compartments in the RSS Courageous.
Despite the report from the Police Coast Guard Command (POLCOM) that the
RSS Courageous was in danger of sinking in 90 minutes, the visual
assessment of the Hammerhead Shark crew was that it was not immediate.
At risk to his personal safety, Sgt Lee went beyond the call of duty to
go on board the RSS Courageous to help the navy officers operate the
Robin Pump to pump water out of the flooding compartments. Sgt Lee did
not stop there, but quickly went on to think of other ways of removing
seawater from the vessel.
Throughout the operation, he persisted and never gave up in trying to
mitigate the problem of flooding compartments in the RSS Courageous. Sgt
Lee’s tenacity and creativity, even under such trying and
life-threatening conditions, helped keep the operation buoyant.
Sgt Mohammad Faizal Bin Ali (Now SSI)
Awarded the Pingat Polis Keberanian (Police Medal of Valour), 2003 Sgt
Mohd Faizal, the Gunnery Yeoman of Hammerhead Shark, helped to keep the
RSS Courageous buoyant by continuously bailing out water from the
flooding compartments.
Volunteering to go on board the RSS Courageous to help keep up the
morale of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) crew, Sgt Faizal
immediately started bailing water from the flooding electrical room,
without thought for his personal safety. The water level was then
somewhere between his waist and chest level. He continued the physically
strenuous operation till he was exhausted. Through his actions, Sgt
Faizal helped to keep up morale and played a part in mitigating the
damage to the vessel.
CPL (NS) Don Teo Seng Guan
Awarded the Pingat Polis Keberanian (Police Medal of Valour), 2003 Cpl
(NS) Don Teo, a combat medic transferred to serve his national service
in the PCG in 1995, gave medical aid to injured RSN crew and helped to
evacuate a casualty back to Hammerhead Shark. During the rescue efforts,
Cpl (NS) Teo volunteered to board the RSS Courageous to attend to the
casualties, without thinking twice of the possible danger to himself
should the RSN vessel sink. He examined and reassured an injured crew
with suspected head and spinal injuries. After applying first aid,
Cpl(NS) Teo, with other officers, evacuated the casualty from the lower
deck of the RSS Courageous to the Hammerhead Shark. There, he continued
to monitor the condition of the RSN casualties until they were
transferred to another vessel for conveyance to mainland.
Cpl(NS) Teo’s quick medical attention and assistance in the evacuation
of the RSN casualties under trying sea conditions and while the RSS
Courageous was in danger of sinking, helped to save precious lives.
CPL (NS) Sukiman Bin Isnin
Awarded the Pingat Polis Keberanian (Police Medal of Valour), 2003 Cpl
(NS) Sukiman helped render medical aid to injured RSN crew and to
evacuate a casualty back to Hammerhead Shark. During the rescue efforts,
Cpl (NS) Sukiman volunteered to board the RSS Courageous to attend to
the casualties, without thinking twice of the possible danger to himself
should the RSN vessel sink. He assisted Cpl (NS) Teo to examine and
reassure an injured crew with suspected head and spinal injuries. After
applying first aid, Cpl (NS) Sukiman, with other officers, evacuated the
casualty from the lower deck of the RSS Courageous to the Hammerhead
Shark. There, he continued to monitor the condition of the RSN
casualties until they were transferred to another vessel for conveyance
to mainland.
Cpl (NS) Sukiman’s assistance in giving quick medical attention and in
the evacuation of the RSN casualties under trying sea conditions and
while the RSS Courageous was in danger of sinking, helped to save
precious lives.