Encountering a woman in distress at Changi Beach, Insp Rizduan Moktar and SC/Sgt Muhammad Syahid didn’t hesitate, plunging into the water to save her.
By: Domnic Dass
In his 24-year career with the Singapore Police Force (SPF), Inspector (Insp) Rizduan Moktar, 47, has witnessed it all (well, almost all).
Having progressed from patrolling the busy streets of Geylang as a Patrol officer in the former Geylang Division to safeguarding Singapore’s waters with the Police Coast Guard, he is now a Ground Response Force (GRF) officer, drawing on his extensive experience to mentor younger officers as a Deputy Team Leader at Changi Neighbourhood Police Centre (NPC).
One of these officers is Special Constable Sergeant (SC/Sgt) Muhammad Syahid Bin Faries. Fresh-faced and earnest at 24, he started his journey as a Full-time Police National Service (PNSF) officer in October 2023. As a GRF officer, he has adapted quickly to his role and grown in confidence, handling many different cases on the frontline.
For SC/Sgt Syahid, 2 July 2025 began as a routine afternoon on duty. However, a single dispatch call would soon transform it into something far more significant.
A Call to Action
That day, a call came through from the Police Operations Command Centre (POCC) at around 2.30pm. A man, his voice thick with worry, reported that his distraught wife had taken a Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) to Changi Beach.
The POCC despatched officers from Changi NPC to look out for the woman based on the descriptions provided by the caller.
Insp Rizduan, who was patrolling in his Next-Generation Fast Response Car (NGFRC) along Loyang Avenue with his partner, SC/Sgt Syahid, quickly acknowledged the despatch message and proceeded to Changi Beach.
“I remember checking my watch constantly,” Insp Rizduan says. “Every minute felt like an hour.”
Meanwhile, the POCC had traced the PHV driver’s contact details and pinpointed where the woman had been dropped off: Changi Beach Carpark 1. This crucial piece of information narrowed down the search parameters significantly.
With this lead, Insp Rizduan and SC/Sgt Syahid turned towards Changi Beach. As he drove, Insp Rizduan scanned the surroundings for anyone matching the woman’s descriptions, his mind mapping out possible scenarios.
A Call Unheeded
Dark clouds had appeared over the waves when the NGFRC arrived at Changi Beach. Suddenly, the officers caught sight of a person who matched the descriptions of the woman – a solitary figure walking along the shore.
“Something in her body language set off alarm bells for me,” Insp Rizduan recalls, his voice dropping slightly. “Twenty-four years in the Force teaches you to read certain signs.”
The officers parked the NGFRC and dashed towards the woman, calling out to her. But their calls went unheeded. Then she turned into the mounting waves.
Into the Waters
SC/Sgt Syahid’s training kicked in: “I began wading through the water to get to her,” he remembers.
By his side was Insp Rizduan. The weight of their uniforms and equipment pulled at both officers as they charged into the sea. “Equipment can be replaced,” Insp Rizduan says firmly. “Lives cannot.”
A light rain began to fall, turning the rescue into a battle against nature itself. “The current was stronger than it looked from shore,” SC/Sgt Syahid says, unconsciously mimicking a swimming motion as he spoke. “Each wave felt like it was trying to push us back.”
Yet the officers pressed on, the saltwater stinging their eyes.
Together, they reached the woman and began pulling her to shore. “It’s strange but time seemed to slow down,” says SC/Sgt Syahid.
Their determination paid off as the officers finally guided her back to the safety of the shore, all three collapsing onto the wet sand.
Real Policing
For Insp Rizduan, whose policing journey began as a PNSF in 1998, this rescue stands apart from other cases he has attended to. “Water can change everything,” he says, gesturing toward the beach. “You’re not just fighting a person or 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.”
SC/Sgt Syahid smiles in agreement. “Movies show car chases and gunfights,” he says, “but real policing? It’s about being there when someone needs you most.”
Watching SC/Sgt Syahid recount the incident, Insp Rizduan’s pride is evident. “You can teach procedures,” he says, “but you can’t teach heart. That comes from within.”
Looking back on that day, both officers remained humbled by the experience, reflecting on what might have happened had they not responded as they did.
“Our equipment dried out eventually,” SC/Sgt Syahid says with a laugh. “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.”
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