Security supervisor lauded for saving woman at carpark
He is among the award recipients commended yesterday for assisting police
On March 16, Mr Foo Kong Soon Sam, a security supervisor at the International Merchandising Mart (IMM) saw a pair of legs dangling from the mall's sixth-storey carpark.
There was a woman in her 20s seated on the ledge of the carpark, crying hysterically.
After calling the police, Mr Foo and another security officer tried to calm the woman.
Eventually, Mr Foo was able to pull the woman to safety.
Mr Foo represented IMM in receiving the Community Partnership Award yesterday morning at the Clementi Police Division for rendering assistance to the Singapore Police Force (SPF).
During the post-ceremony interview, he said: "The woman was close to my daughter's age and, as a parent, I knew how upset I would be if my daughter were to do something like this (attempt suicide).
"I told the woman her parents would be upset if she jumped. No matter what happened and no matter what their children's mistakes were, parents will always love their children."
Police investigations are ongoing.
Public Spiritedness Awards were also awarded to two members of the public for assisting the SPF in two separate cases.
BLEEDING
Ms Sitti Nahida, 49, is a senior care associate at Jamiyah Nursing Home tasked with transporting clients from their homes to the centre.
On Feb 8, as she was assisting clients to a shuttle van at a carpark in Commonwealth Drive, she spotted a barefoot man in his mid-20s bleeding from his left leg, with an electronic tag on his left ankle, looking into a car .
She said the man was holding a shiny object as he hopped from car to car, scratching the side of the vehicles and trying to unlock their doors.
Ms Sitti called the police, leading to the man's arrest and he was given a stern warning.
She said: "I worked as a secretary at Island Law for 23 years before switching careers to help other groups of people. When something bad is happening, I do not want to ignore it."
The other award recipient was Madam Chan Mee Lian who stopped a woman from transferring $32,500 and becoming a victim of a love scam.
Madam Chan, 49, a service officer at OCBC Bank at Jem shopping mall was working on Feb 12 when a woman in her 60s requested to transfer $32,500 for a "security deposit" to process a parcel she was anticipating.
Madam Chan spoke to her in private and found out that the woman had already paid $20,000 for a "customs fee" and "customs certificate" to a man she had befriended on Facebook who instructed her to make the transfers.
Madam Chan advised the woman to return home and discuss the matter with her family. She later returned with a police report confirming that it was a scam, voiding her transfer.
Police investigations are ongoing.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Jarrod Pereira, commander of Clementi Police Division said: "These exemplary civilians did not turn a blind eye to wrongdoings occurring right before them, but instead, stepped up to make a difference.
"They have demonstrated commendable acts of kindness, valour and public-spiritedness, and we want to recognise these outstanding individuals."
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