Newsletter Issue 3 • Year 2014

Dining-In of Prime Minister Lee Hsien LoongPrime Minister Lee paid tribute to police officers

Editorial Committee

AdvisorDAC Wilson Lim Chairman Internal Communications & Publicity Sub-Committee

EditorSUPT Raymond LoASP Rosie Ann Mcintyre

Assistant EditorsASP Lam YarnINSP Doris Lin

Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without prior permission from the Editors.

We value your comments and contributions. Please send them to:Lam_Yarn@spf.gov.sgDoris_Lin@spf.gov.sg

Websiteshttp://www.spf.gov.sg/sites/spom/home/home.htmhttp://intranet.spf.gov.sg/institutions/spom/home/home.htm

Mess Manager @ Senior Police Officers’ Mess153 Mount Pleasant RoadSingapore 298341Tel: 6478 3040 Fax: 6254 9924

CONTENTS03 SPOM Novembeer Fest 2014

SPOM 2nd Annual Night Cycling 2014

04 Spooktacular Halloween 2014

SPOM Mid-Autumn Festival 2014

05 SPOM Christmas Celebration 2014

Dining-In of INTERPOL Secretary-General

Mr Ronald Noble

06 Dining-In of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong

08 Connecting all Senior Officers

10 8th SPOM Golf Medal 2014

Police Inter-Mess Golf Tournament 2014

11 ComChest Heartstrings Walk 2014@

Marina Bay

Yellow Ribbon Prison Run 2014

12 Event Calendar 2015

And the ANSWER is…

“Mess Call is a signature Bugle Call which informs all Officers to head for the Mess (or the Mess Tent, if the event is out field) during the days when communication was either by Bugle Call or Semaphore Flags. Appropriately, our newsletter by way of its contents is to ‘invite’ all of you to the Mess and aims to invoke a sense of association for the Mess. The Editorial Team seeks to establish MESScall as a bridge that connects all of us together in the SPOM family.”

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SPOM held its 2nd Annual Night Cycling on 31 October 2014, with 50 SPOM members

participating in a gruelling 30km ride. The event was graced by President of the Mess Committee (PMC) Mr. T. Raja Kumar who also gamely participated. The group rode from Changi Beach Park to East Coast Park, enjoying the tranquillity of the night along Changi Coastal Road. At the 15km mark, everyone replenished their energy with fruits and drinks, with many seizing this golden opportunity to take photographs and “selfies”.

These SPOM cycling enthusiasts not only had an excellent opportunity to bond over their common interest but also the honour of riding with PMC who is serving his last term as SPOM PMC. It was a ride to remember.

ASP Ong Yaohui, StanleySports Sub-Committee

SPOM 2nd Annual Night Cycling 2014A ride to remember

On 14 November 2014, SPOM members gathered for the

SPOM Novembeer Fest and were treated to fresh Paulaner

Brauhaus German beer and a sumptuous buffet dinner which

included favourites like satay, roasted sirloin beef and grilled

lamb. The talented SPF Quintet provided fabulous entertainment

and some members even sportingly took to the stage to sing

with the group, lifting the tempo of the night further!

ASP Benson NgSocial Sub-Committee

SPOM NOVEMBEER FEST 2014“Good food, refreshing beer and great company. It was truly an entertaining and fun night!” Ms Rachel Soh, Jurong Police Division

“Good food and great company. It was a fun-filled event!” Ms Madeline Low,Criminal Investigation Department

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On 1 November 2014, SPOM was transformed into a haunted house for SPOM members and their families who had sportingly dressed

up for the event. Children dressed themselves as ghouls and goblins and were first treated to hair-raising tales about SPOM before strolling down a ‘spine-chilling trail’ with their parents which eventually led them to the SPOM chalets. Scared silly, the petrified children were seen holding onto their parents dearly!

Besides delighting themselves in the hilarious Mummy Wrap game and drinking children-made ‘concoctions’, everyone was enthralled by the

SPOM MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL 2014 Enveloped in the love of family togetherness

“The variety of activities kept us entertained throughout the night!”

Ms Carene Tan,Tanglin Police Division

Spooktacular good fun

On 6 September 2014, SPOM Mid-Autumn Festival saw SPOM members and their family members gathering together to

celebrate this traditional festival with an evening of a sumptuous buffet dinner, mooncakes and fun activities such as lantern decoration and photo-taking at an instant photo booth.

The extraordinary performance of a Sichuan opera artiste who changed masks skilfully left everyone mesmerised. Children sat entranced before an interactive magic show which they had participated enthusiastically. The event concluded with an exciting ‘treasure hunt’ where everyone held a candle-lit paper lantern to search for the traditional piglet biscuits which were enclosed in their signature red plastic cages. On that moonlit night, SPOM was beautifully enveloped in the love of family togetherness.

ASP Ryan Koh Ying ZhaoSocial Sub-Committee

magician’s performance in the special Spooktacular magic show. The best dressed participants were presented with prizes before the evening of Spooktacular good fun ended!

ASP Aly MusaSocial Sub-Committee

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On 1 October 2014, INTERPOL Secretary-General Mr Ronald Noble was honoured for his contributions in fostering excellent relations

between INTERPOL and the Singapore Police Force at a Dining-In hosted by Commissioner of Police (CP) Mr Ng Joo Hee. Earlier in the day, Mr Noble was conferred the Distinguished Service Order by President Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam at the Istana.

Distinguished guests included Senior Deputy Secretary (Ministry of Home Affairs) Mr Khoo Boon Hui, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of the United States (Singapore) Mr Blair Hall, Vice-President German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt) Mr Jurgen Stock, INTERPOL Secretary-General Director of Cabinet and Chief of Staff Mrs. Roraima A. Andriani and Executive Director of INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation Mr. Noboru Nakatani. A delightful 4-course dinner and a lively performance put up by the Singapore Police Force Combined Band followed after CP had presented the Temasek sword to Mr Noble.

SUPT Tey Siew ChooHonorary Secretary

DINING-IN OF PRIME MINISTER LEE HSIEN LOONG

On 20 December 2014, SPOM members and their families who celebrated Christmas

at the Ante Room enjoyed a wide array of activities such as the singing of Christmas carols, playing in the artificial snow, games and a magic show. Besides a delectable Christmas spread, a jolly ‘Santa Claus’ upped the festive joy further by making a special entrance in a police car and presented gifts to all the children. In the spirit of giving, SPOM members also donated a total of 43 presents to The Haven which is a subsidiary of The Salvation Army.

ASP Kelvin Chua Cheng SoonSocial Sub-Committee

DINING-IN OF INTERPOL SECRETARY-GENERAL MR RONALD NOBLE

S P O MCHRISTMAS CELEBRATION 2014

“Your kind thoughts and giving makes it possible for us to continue caring for the less privileged children in our care. We are grateful to you for making a difference in the lives of our residents at the Haven.”

Mrs Janis Delariman - Khoo, Programme Coordinator at The Haven

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On 25 November 2014, Commissioner of Police (CP) Ng Joo Hee hosted a Dining-In which was held in honour of Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong. PM Lee was first invited to sign the SPOM Visitors’

Book at the Ante Hall before he mingled with the guests. He was also briefed on the redevelopment plan which aims to preserve SPOM’s heritage.

Among the 105 guests present were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (MHA) Mr Teo Chee Hean, Permanent Secretary (MHA) Mr Tan Tee How, Senior Deputy Secretary (MHA) Mr Khoo Boon Hui, Heads of Departments from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, Singapore Civil Defence Force, Casino Regulatory Authority and retired officers. The Singapore Police Force Combined Band wowed the guests with a fabulous performance after dinner.

In PM Lee’s speech, he paid tribute to the police officers for their hard work. He reminded all to treasure and maintain the trust which the police force has built with the population as it has played an important role in Singapore’s low crime rate. PM Lee also underlined the government’s commitment to invest in technology to increase policing efficiency in this present dynamic environment.

SUPT Tey Siew ChooHonorary Secretary

PRIME MINISTER LEE HSIEN LOONG

DINING-IN OF

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Mr T. Raja Kumar was appointed the President of the Mess Committee (PMC) on 24 January

2003 and he is, by far, the longest serving PMC. Under his able leadership, the membership at the Singapore Police Officers’ Mess (SPOM) grew to a significant 2,757 and the frequency of events held for members at SPOM increased, with an all-time high of 20 events in 2014. In addition, SPOM underwent a massive renovation and has been marked as a heritage spot on the Balestier Heritage Trail on 3 July 2014.

PMC’s passion, commitment and strength of purpose in both his career and personal life is an inspiration to all Police Officers and the SPOM Committee is honoured to have been under his mentorship.

Now Deputy Secretary (International) at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Mr T. Raja Kumar had shared with the Editorial Team (ET) his passion and hopes for SPOM before stepping down as PMC. The following are the abridged versions of the interview. The full version of the interview is available on the Singapore Police Force (SPF) intranet.

“ I will continue to support SPOM

in any way I can as I believe in the

institution and will continue to be

passionate and an advocate of

SPOM. I will attend the major events

of SPOM and help to build a strong

case to retain the real estate that

SPOM currently occupies. We have

strong bonds forged over many years

and this is timeless. I continue to see

myself as a true blue Policeman and

that will not change

with any posting. ”- Deputy Secretary (International) at MHA, Mr T. Raja Kumar (Former PMC)

CONNECTINGALL SENIOR OFFICERSFormer PMC Mr T. Raja Kumar on his passion and hopes for SPOM

ET: You have served as PMC since 24 January 2003. It has been 11 long years. What motivates you to continue in this post for so long?

PMC: My passion about the Mess and the rich values that SPOM brings to the Senior Officers’ corps drives me to continue serving. There is a need to have a platform to bring the currently serving SPF Senior Officers (SOs) community together in social events to build friendships beyond the working relationships. Another aspect which I had focussed on is to build a bridge with the SPF retirees, most of whom have devoted 30 to 35 years of their lives serving the SPF. There is a need to reach out to them so that they know all their work is still appreciated by the currently serving SOs and that they remain part of the SO community.

ET: Under your leadership, SPOM has reached new heights and broken new grounds. In your opinion, what were your greatest achievements as PMC and why?

PMC: My greatest achievement is bringing more SOs into the SPOM Committee to serve and to realise the rich values of SPOM’s heritage. With the largest

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number of SOs we have ever had, it is even more important to gel the SOs into a cohesive group so that they will work towards a common goal. One of my key achievements which I am very happy with is to have enlarged the SPOM Committee by having more sub-committees and thereby involving more SOs. Another key achievement is the better outreach and quality of activities for the SPOM members. By increasing the frequency of SPOM events, more SOs now attend SPOM activities regularly and thus develop a greater sense of belonging to SPOM. This is a validation of our work in the SPOM Committee. Another achievement which I am proud of is our strong outreach to the retirees. The retirees have shared that they now feel more welcomed when visiting the Mess. This is very much due to us making an effort to engage and involve them in activities, as their heart and soul still remains with the SPF. By doing this, we are creating a coherent and powerful community to move the SPF forward.

ET: SPOM has opened its doors to the Senior Police Officers cadre since 1932. How do you see SPOM will move on from here?

PMC: My successor can take SPOM to the next level as I believe that a good leader makes a firm foundation for the next leader to build on. The key area the next PMC will need to focus on is to ensure that we retain as much of SPOM’s current real estate. A strong case must be made to allow SPOM to retain the bulk of the real estate and this will be a major challenge. The second major challenge would be the redevelopment of SPOM after we have secured a long lease of the site. I am hoping for SPOM to develop country club-like facilities for SPOM members to enjoy. This will allow SPOM the capacity to invite Police National Servicemen and Volunteer Special Constables to be members so that it can be more inclusive and vibrant.

ET: We receive more than one hundred new members each year. Do you have any words of advice for these new Senior Officers?

PMC: My advice to those new in service is to patronise and join the SPOM activities and if

possible, be a SPOM Committee member. This will allow officers to network with officers from other divisions and units and improve their personal and professional effectiveness and relationships. Officers should be part of this vibrant community and take part in areas that appeal to them.

ET: I understand your father was also a SPF Senior Officer previously and he used to bring you to SPOM. What were your earliest memories of SPOM?

PMC: Firstly, I am proud to be a 2nd Generation Senior Officer. My father joined the SPF in the 1950s and I have vivid memories of him serving his different postings. He was passionate about his job and strongly encouraged me to join the SPF. As a young child, I used to follow him to the SPF sporting events regularly and he also made it a point to bring me to SPOM. Even as a 7-year-old, you get the sense of the rich history of the institution and you get to see all the different personalities who used to frequent SPOM then, especially the SPOM bar which used to be a major watering hole for many SOs. The older generation of officers from my father’s time still meet regularly. These are strong bonds that have withstood the test of time, even across the ranks. This is a hallmark of a great institution and one that all of us should be proud of.

SUPT Raymond LoASP Rosie Ann Mcintyre Internal Communications and Publicity Sub-Committee

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On 3 October 2014, the Senior Police Officers’ Mess (SPOM) hosted the Junior Officers’

Mess (JOM) in the annual Police Inter-Mess Golf Tournament, or more commonly known as the SPOM-JOM game, at the Tanah Merah Country Club. This event, which was first held in 1994, aims to promote interaction and strengthen the camaraderie amongst members from both messes through a social sports platform.

Blessed with good weather, 48 players from both messes bonded over a fine game. Congratulations to JOM who eventually triumphed over SPOM by a mere 6 points.

To mark the 20th anniversary of the Police Inter-Mess Golf Tournament this year, this special occasion was celebrated by all in a cake-cutting

Chairman PGS presenting the Challenge Trophy to

President JOM

The 8th SPOM Golf Medal, which was co-organised by SPOM Sports Sub-Committee and the Police Golfing

Society, saw a total of 35 SPOM members competing at the 18-hole course at Jurong Country Club on 7 November 2014.

Using the “Double Peoria” calculation method, Mr Lance Ong from SECCOM (38 points), Mr Sam Tee from Traffic Police (38 points) and Mr Robin Goh from Manpower

ceremony led by Chairman of the Police Golfing Society AC Sam Tee, Chairman of SPOM Social Sub-Committee DAC Jarrod Pereira and President of JOM Mr Samad Jalil.

DSP Sukhdev SinghPolice Golfing Society

POLICE INTER-MESS GOLF TOURNAMENT 2014

8 TH SPOM GOLF MEDAL 2014

“A good game! It’s great to catch up with friends.”

Mr Jerome Toh Kah Long

“A well-organised event. Kudos to SPOM and PGS!”

Mr Nasri Haron

Department (35 points) were the top three scorers. The Nearest-to-Pin winners were Mr Ross Forman from the Gurkha Contingent, Mr William Goh from Jurong Police Division and Mr Tommy Teo from Police Licensing & Regulatory Department. Congratulations to all! ASP Chen TongyuSports Sub-Committee

Results

Winner of Challenge Trophy 2014:Junior Officers’ Mess

Best SPOM (Individual):Mr Lance Ong

Best JOM (Individual):Mr Soh Eu Kang

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On 14 September 2014, 102

SPOM members participated

in the Yellow Ribbon Prison Run 2014,

led by the President of the Mess

Committee Deputy Commissioner

of Police (Policy) Mr T. Raja Kumar.

SPOM has been supporting this

annual meaningful cause as a

corporate entity since 2010. SPOM

will continue to do our part to

promote a more accepting society.

ASP Chung Ban GuanSports Sub-Committee

INSP Stanley Ong Yao Hui & ASP Liow Yong HweeSports Sub-Committee

On the morning of 3 August 2014, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam graced the ComChest Heartstrings Walk at Marina Bay Sands Event Plaza. This annual event celebrates Singapore as a giving and caring community that makes a difference in the lives of over 300 000 people under the care of Community Chest. After taking a leisure 4km fun walk around the scenic Marina Bay waterfront, 20 SPOM members and their families visited a fun-filled carnival of fringe activities and a bazaar.

The SPOM team which comprised of ASP Eugene Liow, INSP Ernest Quah, INSP Morgan Lim, ASP Richard Chung and ASP Royston Png made it to the Marina Bay Sands SkyPark in 7 minutes 28 seconds. Though it was not a podium finish, the team’s spirit was nowhere dampened. “We will do better next year!” the team chorused with steely determination. This was SPOM’s 4th participation in the Race To The Sky Vertical Marathon.

RACE TO THE SKY VERTICAL MARATHON 2014

YELLOW RIBBON PRISON RUN 2 14

COMCHEST HEARTSTRINGSWALK 2014 @ MARINA BAY

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January

SPOM Annual Dinner

Dining-In in Honour of the Commissioner of Police, The Royal Brunei Police Force

FebruaryMHA Informal Leadership Gathering

Police Gongxi Cup 2015

March Coffee Appreciation

April

SPOM SG50 Happy Hour

9th SPOM Golf Medal

5th Home Team Inter-Mess Soccer Tournament (Semifinals)

May

Nature Walk

5th Home Team Inter-Mess Soccer Tournament (Finals)

3rd SPOM Night Cycling

June SPOM Movie Time

July

Durian Night

Annual SPF vs SAF Soccer Match

SPOM-SSPOA AGM

August

BBQ Night

ComChest Heartstrings Walk

Commencement of 6th Home Team Inter-Mess Soccer Tournament

SeptemberMid-Autumn Festival

Yellow Ribbon Run 2015

OctoberHalloween Night

10th SPOM Golf Medal

November Novembeer Fest

DecemberSPOM Christmas Celebration

Standard Chartered Marathon 2015

Event Calendar 2015

Terms & Conditions apply: Each SPOM member is only allowed to submit 1 entry. Members must use the original cut out from MESScall. Duplicates or photocopies of the cut out will be rejected. Winners will be contacted by the SPOM Manager and must collect their prizes within 1 month. Entries received after the closing date will not be accepted. The SPOM Committee shall conduct a draw of the winners if more than 10 correct entries have been received by the closing date.

Question 1:Who was honoured in the Dining-In held on 25

November 2014?

Question 2: How many SPOM members participated in the Race

To The Sky Vertical Marathon 2014?

Question 3: In what year was the Police Inter-Mess Golf

Tournament first held?

Rank/Name:

Department/Division:

Contact No.:

Email Address:

Be one of MESScall’s 10 lucky winners!

Each winner can either choose to receive

a $30 voucher for use at SPOM or enjoy a

2D/1N stay at a SPOM chalet.

Simply answer the questions on the

original cut out correctly and together

with your personal details, mail it to the

following address:

Contest ends:30/04/2015

MESScall ContestSenior Police Officers’ Mess153, Mount Pleasant Road

Singapore 298341