Army Regular Saved 81-Year-Old’s Life
9 July appeared to be an ordinary Monday for Master Sergeant (MSG) Harinderjit Singh–he drove his 6-year-old daughter to school in eastern Singapore, as he usually did every morning.
But the morning turned out to be a particularly memorable one for MSG Singh. During his drive, the 39-year-old noticed an elderly man lying motionless at the junction of Still Road and Changi Road.
Sensing something amiss, MSG Singh rushed out of his car and administered first aid to the injured man, later identified as Mr Md Ali Yakeen Shah.
MSG Singh took charge of the scene, getting 3 onlookers to call for an ambulance and the police. He also managed the flow of traffic at the junction.
The Straits Times later reported that Mr Ali, 81, was a cyclist involved in an accident with a motorcycle. He was taken to Changi General Hospital unconscious, where he is now recovering.
Explaining why he stepped forward to help Mr Ali, MSG Singh said,
My first thought was to immediately render assistance to the individual who was lying motionless on the road.
He also gave a shoutout to the Singapore Army, saying his military training had helped him stay calm as he helped Mr Ali,
Our Army training requires us to deal with various forms of operations. It prepares us to cope well in all kinds of situations.
MSG Singh’s good work didn’t end there. After dropping off his daughter, he went to CGH to check on Mr Ali.
There, he met Mr Ali’s daughter Ms Darasiah Md Ali, who expressed her gratitude to MSG Singh. She said,
A thousand thanks will never be enough to reciprocate the help he extended to my dad.
MSG Singh’s actions bring to mind those of Ms Mabel Ong, a recent ITE graduate who saved the life of a man at Toa Payoh Bus Interchange.
Featured image from MINDEF.
