Married ICA Officers Didn’t Know They Were Neighbours
Valentine’s Day which was yesterday (14 Feb) saw many couples sharing their love stories with the world. But the most interesting one perhaps was the story of 2 Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers who fell in love at work.
From not fancying each other at all to eventually getting hitched, the pair didn’t experience the most typical romance.
What took the cake perhaps was the surprise discovery that they had been right under each other’s noses the whole time, even before their work encounter.
Now happily married with a young daughter, SGT3 Nurril Shafirrin and SGT2 Muhammad Ridzuan share how they balance their duties with their growing family.
ICA couple had a rocky start
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ms Nurril and Mr Ridzuan first met in 2015 at the cargo clearance counter at Woodlands Checkpoint.
Back then, Mr Ridzuan had already been working in the ICA for 3 years, while Ms Nurril was a new joiner. As a mentee, she initially disliked him as she felt he was “quite arrogant”.
On the other hand, Mr Ridzuan’s first impression of Ms Nurril was more pleasant, as he felt that she was bubbly and could interact with everyone.
As fate would have it, they were eventually deployed to the same appointment at work.
Had no idea they were neighbours
That was when Mr Ridzuan decided to initiate a conversation with Ms Nurril by asking her where she stayed.
To their surprise, they learnt that they were actually neighbours who lived only 1 unit apart on the same floor of an HDB block. Despite the proximity, they had never noticed each other.
Their time at work, however, brought them closer. Over time, the 2 grew fond of each other.
Ms Nurril said that she admired Mr Ridzuan’s sense of dedication, as he puts a lot of effort into anything he works on. Mr Ridzuan meanwhile echoed his previous sentiments about Ms Nurril’s bubbly personality and willingness to learn.
4 years after they met, the couple eventually got married.
Faced challenges together as a team
As with many Singaporeans, Covid-19 presented many challenges to them.
When Ms Nurril was heavily pregnant, Mr Ridzuan was reportedly quarantined in a hotel for 10 days as he was a close contact of a positive case.
During the isolation period, both of them called each other every day. Although Ms Nurril said she was sure her husband was going through a hard time, he still gave her moral support and asked her to stay strong.
In 2021, Ms Nurril accepted an offer from the Home Team to sponsor her studies in communications at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS). Just as she began her studies, the couple had their first daughter, Medina Scha Daalia.
Thanks to the support of Mr Ridzuan and her family, Ms Nurril was able to balance her family life, work, and studies. Along with their parents, they took turns taking care of their baby.
This year, Mr Ridzuan was also awarded a degree sponsorship. The couple remains confident that they will be able to prioritise baby Daalia without compromising their work.
Couples should trust & respect each other
Balancing work, school, and a new member of a family is no doubt a challenging experience. Thankfully, Ms Nurril and Mr Ridzuan were able to overcome any difficulties that came their way.
Speaking to MHA, Mr Ridzuan gave a powerful piece of advice:
Always trust your partner. Respect her and always be open in your communication.
His wife added that “If things don’t go your way, just accept them and learn from your mistakes”.
Love will find a way
While most couples like to share their happy moments, challenges and tribulations that they struggle with are part and parcel of every relationship.
Ms Nurril and Mr Ridzuan’s story reminds us that these difficult circumstances can be turned into meaningful opportunities to strengthen the bond that they have.
We hope all couples can take a leaf from their book to nurture loving relationships too.
For those who are single, perhaps you can hope to meet your other halves under unique circumstances, just like these 2 ICA officers.
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Featured image adapted from Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
