'Abang' Singapore coast guard in heartwarming exchange with Malaysian fishermen touched by response from public and wife

It was a heartwarming exchange which went viral, and not something Station Inspector (SI) Ramdzan had expected. 

A Malaysian fishing boat had accidentally drifted into Singapore waters on Nov 15, but the friendly interaction with Police Coast Guard SI Ramdzan left such a good impression on one of the anglers that he ended up posting the exchange on social media.

In the clip posted on Nov 18, SI Ramdzan had gently assured the anglers with good humour that checks had to be conducted, putting them at ease.

The patrol officer shared in a Facebook post by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) on Friday (Nov 21) that he did not know he was being recorded and was "completely caught off guard" when he found out about the viral video.

"I was a bit worried at first because you never know how these things will be perceived."

The police commended SI Ramdzan and his team's actions as a case where "duty meets humanity".

Netizens too, applauded SI Ramdzan's warm yet firm approach, affectionately giving him the moniker, "Abang police" ("brother police").

He doesn't take the praise lightly.

"When people use that term, there's something much more meaningful behind it. 'Abang' is like calling someone a protective older brother, someone you can trust, someone who looks out for you," SI Ramdzan shared.

"Being professional and firm doesn't mean we have to be cold or aggressive. We're dealing with people who deserve to be treated with dignity and respect."

However, SI Ramdzan added that it was the reaction from his own wife who touched him the most.

"She actually laughed and said she was proud of me. She could see that I tried to put those fishermen at ease while still making my point clear," he said.

In their post, SPF lauded his approach, which "wasn't just about enforcement".

"It was about building trust, one interaction at a time. Sometimes the most powerful moments happen when duty meets humanity. Kudos to SI Ramdzan and his team!"

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candicecai@asiaone.com