At Changi Beach, a woman in distress was pulled to safety by Insp Rizduan Moktar and SC/Sgt Muhammad Syahid — who didn’t hesitate to enter the open water in a life-saving mission.
Photos in this article are re-enacted.
For Inspector (Insp) Rizduan Moktar, 47, a 24-year veteran of the Singapore Police Force (SPF), no two days are ever the same. Starting his career patrolling Geylang’s bustling streets and later joining the Police Coast Guard, he now serves as a Ground Response Force officer and Deputy Team Leader at Changi Neighbourhood Police Centre (NPC), mentoring younger officers.
One of them is Special Constable Sergeant (SC/Sgt) Muhammad Syahid Bin Faries. The 24-year-old joined the SPF in October 2023 as a Full-time Police National Service (PNSF) officer and has quickly adapted to his frontline duties.
Insp Rizduan (left) and SC/Sgt Muhammad Syahid (right) standing beside their Next-generation Fast Response Car (NGFRC) at Changi Beach, where they responded to the incident.
A DESPERATE CALL AND A FAST RESPONSE
On 2 July 2025, what began as a typical afternoon shift for the duo turned into a race against time — and the sea. At around 2.30pm, a worried man contacted the Police Operations Command Centre (POCC), reporting that his distraught wife had taken a private hire vehicle to Changi Beach. POCC officers traced the drop-off point to Changi Beach Carpark 1 and despatched officers from Changi NPC to locate her.
Insp Rizduan and SC/Sgt Syahid, patrolling in their NGFRC along Loyang Avenue, acknowledged the dispatch and headed for the beach. “I remember checking my watch constantly,” recalls Insp Rizduan. “Every minute felt like an hour.”
Insp Rizduan called out to the distressed woman while SC/Sgt Syahid radioed the POCC to confirm their sighting.
INTO THE WATER WITHOUT HESITATION
As the officers arrived, dark clouds loomed overhead. Scanning the area, they spotted a woman who matched the caller’s description walking alone along the shoreline. “Something in her body language set off alarm bells for me,” says Insp Rizduan. “Twenty-four years in the Force teaches you to read certain signs.”
They called out to the woman, but she didn’t respond — and then turned and walked into the waves. SC/Sgt Syahid’s instincts kicked in. “I began wading through the water to get to her,” he recalls.
By his side was Insp Rizduan. The weight of their uniforms and equipment tugged at them as they charged into the sea. “Equipment can be replaced,” says Insp Rizduan. “Lives cannot.”
The officers sprinted across Changi Beach, kicking up sand in their desperate race against time.
A light rain began to fall, turning the rescue into a battle against the elements. “The current was stronger than it looked from shore,” says SC/Sgt Syahid. “Each wave felt like it was trying to push us back.” But they pressed on, with saltwater stinging their eyes.
Through choppy waters and stinging saltwater, Insp Rizduan maintained his grip on the woman’s wrist while SC/Sgt Syahid provided crucial backup.
When they reached the woman, they worked together to guide her back to shore — finally collapsing with her onto the wet sand. “It was strange but time seemed to slow down,” says SC/Sgt Syahid.
The officers’ combined strength and determination guided the woman to safety through the challenging waters.
COURAGE BEYOND PROTOCOL
For Insp Rizduan, whose policing journey began as a PNSF in 1998, this rescue was unlike any other cases he has attended to. “Water changes everything. You’re not just fighting a situation — you’re fighting the sea itself. In moments like these, you don’t think about being brave or strong. You just focus on the person who needs help,” he says.
SC/Sgt Syahid agrees. “Movies show car chases and gunfights, but real policing? It’s about being there when someone needs you most.”
Watching his young partner recount the rescue, Insp Rizduan beams with pride. “You can teach procedures, but you can’t teach values of courage and spirit. That comes from within.”
Behind every uniform is a promise – Insp Rizduan and SC/Sgt Syahid at Changi NPC, where their quick thinking and courage helped save a life that July afternoon.
Looking back on that day, both officers remain deeply humbled, reflecting on what might have happened had they not responded as they did. “Our equipment dried out eventually,” says SC/Sgt Syahid with a smile. “But what stays with us is knowing we made a difference. Behind this uniform is a promise to the public — we’ll be there when they need us.”
This article was adapted from this Police Life article.
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