Seven departments, two statutory
boards and one Home Team. The
various departments and statutory
boards within the Ministry of Home
Affairs (MHA) all have a common goal
– to keep Singapore safe and secure.
Safety, security and stability are the bedrock of a prosperous
nation. For Singapore to thrive, her citizens must have the
freedom to pursue their goals and aspirations in a safe and
secure environment. MHA is the Government ministry responsible
for safeguarding Singapore against homeland security threats
that may arise and respond swiftly to any emergencies or safety
challenges that the public may face.
As the vanguard of Singapore’s homeland security, MHA also
constantly innovates and develops new ways to keep Singapore
safe in the face of unexpected and rapidly evolving challenges.
MHA knows that there is no better way to ensure Singapore’s
security than by building up a Home Team consisting of dedicated,
passionate and capable officers.
Taufiq Abdul Azim Bin Mohamed Azmai and Wilfred Lim, both
Home Affairs Uniformed Services (HUS) Scholarship holders,
are two such individuals who share the opportunities they have
enjoyed with the Home Team and how they hope to do their part
to forge an even more secure future for Singapore.
A career in the uniformed service
Taufiq's interest to join a uniformed service began during
his time as a Probationary Inspector with the Public Transport
Security Command (TransCom). He recalls, “I was exposed to the
challenging work undertaken by the Head Operations and Training
and several other TransCom officers. After spending considerable
time interacting with these officers, my interest was further piqued
and I came to firmly believe in the importance of doing my part to
keep Singapore safe and secure.”
Taufiq subsequently managed to secure a HUS Local Merit
Scholarship and eventually received an offer from the Central
Narcotics Bureau (CNB). He shares, “The decision to accept the
offer was an easy one as CNB serves a vital function in keeping
Singapore drug-free, and I was elated and humbled to have been
given the opportunity to play my part in such a crucial aspect of
Singapore’s security.”
Wilfred Lim
HUS (SCDF) Local Merit
Scholarship Holder
Designation:
Senior Staff Officer,
Terrain & Security,
Plans & Projects Branch,
Operations Department,
Headquarters Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF)
Studied:
Bachelor of Engineering
(Electrical Engineering),
National University of Singapore
"I am happy to be a part of the Life-
Saving Force and I know that any appointment
I hold in the SCDF will play an important role in
accomplishing our mission."
For Wilfred, the National University of Singapore (NUS)
graduate now serves as a Senior Staff Officer at the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). He tells us, “When I
was researching the various scholarship options
available, it soon became apparent that if I were
to put on any uniform, the SCDF would be my
first choice as that would allow me to make an
impact on people’s lives in a very tangible way.
“Furthermore, the Nicoll Highway incident
happened during the period when I was applying
for scholarships. I was deeply moved by the
SCDF’s efforts in the rescue, and I knew then
that I wanted to be a part of the Live-Saving
Force.”
Growing with the home team
Even before he officially joins CNB, Taufiq is
already being groomed for his future role at CNB
while still an economics student at NUS. For
instance, he meets up with scholars from other
Home Team departments during his university
breaks for the Vacation Attachment Programme
(VAP).
He elaborates, “This provides opportunities
for us to get to know one another and be
exposed to the job scopes of various Home
Team agencies through visits and interactions
with experienced officers. This is crucial as it
allows us to better understand the functions
of the different departments and see how they
work together as a single, united Home Team!
“I also interned with CNB even before I
started at NUS, working with officers from the
Policy, Planning & Research Division (PPRD) to
help prepare and organise the annual Workplan
Seminar. These assignments exposed me to
various operational challenges faced by the
CNB. I also had short stints with the various
operational divisions, which added to my
knowledge of the Bureau and will definitely
come in useful when I begin my career in
earnest!”
Taufiq Abdul Azim Bin Mohamed Azmai
HUS (CNB) Local Merit Scholarship Holder
Studying:
Bachelor of Social Sciences
(Honours) in Economics,
National University of Singapore
Wilfred shares Taufiq's sentiments – he’s
already had four years of service with the SCDF
and has a host of insights and experiences to
share. He enthuses, “It is important that the
SCDF plans ahead to meet the future demands
of emergency services. For instance, we are
building more fire stations around Singapore to
bring more essential emergency services to our
citizens' doorsteps. This includes the SCDF’s
Emergency Medical Services, which responds
promptly every time a member of the public
dials 995 for an ambulance.”
When asked about any particularly
memorable experiences he has had, Wilfred
appears hard-pressed to pick one. He says
earnestly, laughing, “There are just too many!
But if I had to pick one, it would be my first
posting as a Rota Commander at Tampines
Fire Station. One of my first emergency calls
involved a road traffic accident. When I arrived
at the scene, there was a teenage girl trapped
in the front passenger seat of a lorry. Her legs
were pinned down by the dashboard from the
collision’s impact and she was in a state of
considerable distress.
“We immediately got down to work to free her,
and to this day I still recall this fi rst experience
vividly. It may not seem like much, but it’s the
small things that constantly remind me why I
chose to serve with the SCDF!”
A safer and more secure future
Looking ahead, Taufiq hopes to contribute
to the CNB’s mission to combat narcotics-related
crimes and keep drugs off the streets of
Singapore. He says, “I conducted a study of the
policies implemented to combat drug abuse in
Singapore during my final year at NUS and I hope
to be able to bring fresh perspectives based on
my study as an economics undergraduate!”
When asked if he has any advice for aspiring
HUS Local Merit scholars who hope to join the
CNB, he nods, saying, “CNB makes the effort
to give every scholar an early exposure to the
Bureau’s operating environment in order to ease
their transition into the job when they graduate.
As a result, I’d advise aspiring CNB scholars to
think about why they desire the scholarship –
ensure that your values are indeed aligned with
the MHA and CNB and you will enjoy a career
and a future in ensuring a safer and more secure
future for Singaporeans.”
On Wilfred’s part, he looks forward to
continuing his career in the business of
protecting and saving lives and property. He
concludes, “I am happy to be a part of the Life-
Saving Force and I know that any appointment
I hold in the SCDF will play an important role in
accomplishing our mission.
“Of course, that mission can only be achieved
if we have a force of dedicated individuals to help
achieve it together. Aspiring HUS Local Merit
scholars should understand the importance of
the future of the nation and how they can play
a role in ensuring Singapore’s continued safety
and security.”