One SBS worker saves a life, another reunites family
By devoting 30 minutes of his time listening to and consoling a crying woman, he helped save her life.
Last October, SBS Transit assistant station manager Abdul Azim Abdul Azizam, 36, saw a commuter sobbing at a station on the North East Line.
He approached her to find out what was wrong, and her statements raised concerns and indicated that she might need to speak to a professional counsellor.
"She told me she wanted to be with her parents. But her parents were deceased. This was when alarm bells started ringing in my head," Mr Azim told The New Paper yesterday.
"I Googled the hotline number for the Samaritans of Singapore and encouraged her to call them should she have any negative thoughts."
He later found out the woman was planning to commit suicide that day, but his comforting words had helped to change her mind.
In a letter she sent to SBS five days later, she wrote: "I thank Azim for being there for me in my time of need, and in doing so, he saved me from throwing my life away."
Mr Azim was among 26 transport workers who received the Transport Gold Outstanding award at the 20th National Kindness Award - Transport Gold ceremony at the Capitol Theatre yesterday.
Another 440 workers who also performed gracious acts on public transport received the Commendation award.
A total of 466 transport personnel were given awards, the highest number in the event's 20 years.
Five commuters received the inaugural Caring Commuter award for similar acts.
Mr Azim said: "I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to save someone's life and to receive this award."
He has been with SBS for three years. Last year, Mr Azim and a colleague helped revive an elderly man who had suffered cardiac arrest.
SBS Transit bus captain Ang Eng Huat also received the Gold award for helping an elderly man with dementia reunite with his worried family.
Noticing something amiss, Mr Ang spoke to the commuter and found out that he could have dementia and was lost.
Mr Ang managed to contact the man's family and arranged to meet them at the Upper East Coast bus terminal.
Senior Minister of State for Transport and Health Lam Pin Min, who was the guest of honour, said: "I am encouraged to see that even 20 years on, the number of awards is increasing.
"(Kind and courteous transport personnel) are what makes our public transport system a more gracious one."
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