SINGAPORE: Workers’ Party chair Sylvia Lim appeared to be excited to attend the Open House of Woodleigh Neighbourhood Centre over the weekend, exclaiming in a social media post that “Almost every child dreams of being a cop!”
In June, the Singapore Police Force announced that it would be opening its newest Neighbourhood Police Centre (NPC), Woodleigh NPC, toward the end of July, at 501 Upper Aljunied Road, within an integrated development next to Woodleigh MRT.
“Happy to be a part of this bustling community!,” Woodleigh NPC said in a June 19 Facebook post.
Before it fully launches on July 23, an Open House was scheduled for July 1 and 2 (Saturday and Sunday), from 10 am until 3 pm.
“Interact with our friendly Police ‘Ray’ Mascot and get an up-close look at our vehicle fleet right at Woodleigh NPC. Come dressed in blue for goodie bags redemption (while stocks last)!” Woodleigh NPC said.
“Open House of Woodleigh Neighbourhood Centre this weekend. The crowd was huge, with many families from Bidadari (Potong Pasir) and Paya Lebar division (Aljunied GRC) which the NPC will oversee. Almost every child dreams of being a cop! The NPC will be operational on 23 July. #WoodleighNPC,” wrote Ms Lim over Instagram on Saturday (July 1).
The WP chair, who has been representing Aljunied GRC in Parliament since 2011, posted a number of photos from the Open House, which indeed looked well-attended.
Ms Lim, a lawyer, worked as a police inspector from 1991 to 1994, and her father, Mr Lim Choon Mong, had once been part of the police force but eventually resigned and went on study law in London, becoming a practising lawyer at the age of 39.
Before she entered politics, the WP chair’s career was somewhat similar, as she studied law in Singapore and London before joining the police.
Ms Lim revealed in a 2013 AsiaOne interview that she had almost dropped out of the National University of Singapore, where she studied law because she could not see how being a lawyer would help society.
In the final year of her studies, she saw a policeman directing traffic while standing in the rain and realized that this would be a way for the law can serve society.
She then decided on a career in law enforcement, which her father was less than thrilled about.
He, therefore, sent her to the University of London for her Master of Laws degree, hoping she would change her mind.
But the strong-willed Ms Lim did not, telling the interviewer. “In my heart, I just felt that I just had to do” join the Police Academy.
/TISG
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