Recipients of the Total Defence Advocate Awards 2024 — Guardians Committee co-chairman, Mr Cheah Kok Keong (right), and DSP (NS) Danial Hakim — share how their initiatives are strengthening community preparedness and fostering a resilient Singapore.
In 2019, public sector policymaker DSP (NS) Danial Hakim and his friends identified a critical gap in end-of-life planning among Singaporeans — particularly in Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) registrations. LPAs allow individuals to nominate someone to make decisions on their behalf in the event of mental incapacity, yet many were unaware of its importance.
Determined to address this, the group collaborated with the People’s Association and the Ministry of Social and Family Development’s Office of the Public Guardian to offer free LPA registration sessions at community centres. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, they expanded their efforts to include online panels, guiding small and medium enterprises (SMEs) on legal matters and providing ad hoc legal advice. These efforts led to the formation of PEGUAM, which has since evolved from a small initiative into a full-fledged society providing pro bono legal advice and assistance to the wider community.
Danial receiving the Total Defence Advocate (Individual) Award at the Raffles City Convention Centre on 10 October 2024.
For Danial, 32, this was just one aspect of his dedication to service. As a volunteer on the HomeTeamNS Guardians and Legal Advisory Committee, he tirelessly works to empower communities and uplift youths — a commitment that earned him the Total Defence Advocate (Individual) Award this year.
The Total Defence Advocate Awards represents Singapore’s highest accolades for individuals, businesses and organisations that embody the six pillars of Total Defence — Military, Civil, Economic, Social, Digital and Psychological. This year, 15 individuals, alongside 64 SMEs, 39 organisations and 26 large companies, were recognised for their contributions.
Danial at the Group of 20 Youth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Danial’s impact extends beyond legal aid. In August, he represented Singapore on the Inclusion and Diversity track at the Group of 20 Youth (Y20) Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. As one of five senior youth leaders selected by the National Youth Council, Danial participated in multilateral negotiations with invited countries and contributed to crafting the Y20 Summit Communique, tackling critical global challenges.
Within the local community, Danial wears many hats. As president of the MENDAKI Club, head of the Jurong Spring Legal Clinic, board member of Yayasan MENDAKI and advisor to M3@Jurong Youth Wing, he champions impactful community work. “Understanding the perspectives of those we aim to help is essential for crafting robust solutions,” he explains. “While big-picture data and trends are important, it’s the lived experiences and empathetic human connections that truly enrich our efforts and ensure they are meaningful.”
Danial sharing his career journey with Jurongville Secondary School students during a recent invitation to their career fair and sharing session.
Danial recounts the transformation of a shy mentee in the MENDAKI Club’s PEER Community Programme, a six-month mentorship initiative for secondary school students. “Initially, she was hesitant to participate due to social anxiety. We encouraged her to try just one session, and after that, she began to bond with her mentor. By the end of the programme, she was outgoing, enthusiastic and eager to return the following year.”
His work also inspires Malay/Muslim youths to pursue careers in the legal profession. In 2016, he launched a legal workshop to spark interest in law, with a couple of former attendees currently undergoing studies in NUS Law school or having worked at the Public Defender’s Office.
In 2018, Danial kickstarted and led a community leadership programme for secondary school youth leaders in Jurong Central, involving around 80 students from four schools. He’s pictured here with participants exploring materials on community service and leadership values.
“Youths today are keenly aware of Total Defence, especially in areas like civic preparedness, diversity and multiculturalism,” Danial reflects. “Through initiatives like the PEER Community Programme, I strive to nurture their character, resilience and aspirations, while exposing them to key national issues like sustainability, food security and ageing.”
Sharing the motivation behind his dedication, he adds: “I’ve always believed that no one succeeds alone. Many of our achievements are only possible because of the support from mentors, teachers and loved ones. This belief fuels my efforts to uplift others, especially in areas like youth development, social mobility and community building.”
Kok Keong receiving the Total Defence Advocate (Organisations) Award at the annual Total Defence Awards 2024.
As Chairman of the Taman Jurong Community Emergency and Engagement (C2E) Committee, Kok Keong embodies this philosophy and earned the committee the Total Defence Advocate (Organisations) Award this year. This is the first time that a Grassroots Organisation (GRO) received the award.
On 26 February 2024, the committee took part in the Total Defence 40: Combined Food & Water Supply Disruption Exercise at Taman Jurong — a first-of-its-kind event in 30 years aimed at enhancing Singaporeans’ readiness for crises and disruptions. This exercise also marked the 40th anniversary of Total Defence.
The Taman Jurong C2E and Zone F RN joined Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, in distributing water and essential supplies to residents of two blocks on Yung Sheng Road. Over 200 households collected water from the Public Utilities Board’s (PUB) water wagons and filling machines during the two hours of water disruption, demonstrating civic preparedness in action.
Taman Jurong C2E and Zone F RN volunteers, joined by volunteers from Jurong GRC, Yuhua SMC, and Bukit Batok SMC, at the Water Disruption Exercise in February this year.
“Over the years, there have been several Total Defence taglines, but the one that resonates with me most is ‘Not If, But When,’” Kok Keong shares. “No community or country is immune to emergencies. Preparedness ensures that we can meet basic needs during crises.”
A long-time HomeTeamNS volunteer, Kok Keong, 58, is the Co-Chairman of the HomeTeamNS Guardians Committee and a Senior Manager at the National University of Singapore, Advanced Robotics Centre.
Kok Keong receiving Taman Jurong C2E CERT’s sixth consecutive PA-SCDF CERT Award at the SCDF Parade 2024, recognising its contributions to emergency response and civil defence operations.
His dedication to service began during his time in the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), where he served for over two decades and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before completing his National Service commitment in 2012.
This wealth of experience has been instrumental in his civilian role, where he continues to strengthen community resilience. “Together with my Committee and the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members, I encourage volunteers to take the initiative when challenges arise,” he says.
This proactive approach led to consistently outstanding contributions and initiatives from the team, earning them accolades like the National Civil Emergency Preparedness Award (Platinum), PA-SCDF CERT Award and Municipal Services Award as well as individual recognition such as the SCDF Community First Responder Award and SCDF Lifesaver Award.
Kok Keong and his team receiving the SCDF Community Lifesaver Awards for their proactiveness in evacuating residents during a unit fire on 3 September 2022.
For Kok Keong, however, the greatest rewards are not the awards but the real-world impact of their efforts. In recent years, the team has made a tangible difference, including responding to numerous local emergencies such as cardiac arrest and rubbish fire incidents, coordinating the evacuation of residents during a house fire in 2022 and organising a donation drive to aid earthquake victims in Turkey in 2023.
“These experiences highlight the importance of readiness at every level of society,” he notes, encouraging more HomeTeamNS members to contribute to Total Defence by downloading the SCDF myResponder app or joining their neighbourhood CERT. “Home Team NSmen have unique skills that are invaluable in emergencies. With more trained responders, our communities will be safer and more resilient,” he affirms.
Like our stories? Subscribe to our Frontline Digital newsletters now! Simply download the HomeTeamNS Mobile App and update your communication preference to ‘Receive Digital Frontline Magazine’, through the App Settings.
