Singapore Prison Service officers appointed honorary aides-de-camp

SINGAPORE – Deputy Superintendent of Prisons Lin Rouxiu broke new ground in 2017 as one of the first female officers deployed to Institution A3, a male correctional unit at Changi.

Nine years later, DSP Lin is one of the first officers from the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) to be appointed as an honorary aide-de-camp (HADC) to serve the Office of the President.

“It feels meaningful to represent SPS in a different capacity and also to contribute alongside other officers from the different services,” said the 32-year-old, who currently serves as a team leader in Institution A4, Singapore’s only all-women prison institution.

“I really hope this appointment helps to reflect the professionalism and commitment of SPS officers too.”

DSP Lin was among 18 new honorary aides-de-camp appointed by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Bukit Gombak on May 25. Another 95 were reappointed to the role.

Previously, HADCs were drawn only from the Singapore Armed Forces, the Singapore Police Force and the Singapore Civil Defence Force. DSP Lin and Deputy Superintendent Chua Yi Gang, an assistant director overseeing corporate relations, are the first two appointed from the prison service.

HADCs support a group of four full-time aides-de-camp in planning, coordinating and executing events and functions attended by the president in Singapore and abroad. These range from state visits to national events such as the National Day Reception and Istana Open Houses. They serve in this role on top of their main appointments or civilian jobs, typically for three years, and can be reappointed thereafter. 

Speaking at the event, President Tharman highlighted the inclusion of the SPS as a meaningful milestone for the corps.

He said: “The work of the Prison Service is not only about security and discipline. It is also about rehabilitation, reintegration and the belief that every person deserves a life of dignity and a second chance.

“It is difficult work, often unseen by the wider public. But it speaks to something important in our national ethos: that justice must be firm, but society must also retain its capacity for hope and redemption.”

He also said it was important for the HADCs to continue to reflect a myriad of professional backgrounds, as it does now, spanning medicine, aviation, engineering, finance, the civil service, corrections and the arts.

“The breadth of experience within the corps strengthens its ability to relate to people from all walks of life, and represent Singapore with confidence and humility.”

Captain Ahmad Hafizuddin Abdul Hamid from the Singapore Army said he was humbled and honoured to be one of the newly appointed HADCs.

The 30-year-old, who is a company commander in the 1st Battalion Singapore Guards, has more than 100 soldiers under his charge.

He believes his ability to perform under pressure and think on his feet – traits he learnt from a 65-day-long SAF Ranger Course – will come in handy in the new role.

Asked about his personal goals for his new role, he said: “If given the opportunity to be a full-time ADC one day, I’ll be more than happy to weigh the option and pick it up.”

Among the reappointed HADCs was Captain (NS) Gilbert Toh Wei Han, who served as a regular in the SAF from 2013 to 2023. He continues to serve in the navy when called upon, as an operations officer for the 3rd Flotilla Support Group, to support operations for bilateral exercises among other duties. This is on top of his full-time job as regional business director for South-east Asia at electronic signature platform eSign.AI.

The 32-year-old, who was first appointed in 2025, said he took on the role then as he wanted to stay connected to service and contribute to Singapore in a different way.

In the past year, CPT (NS) Toh has supported events such as the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and his Cabinet in May 2025 and the National Awards Investiture in November.

He does not take his reappointment for granted, he said, adding: “It represents a trust, responsibility and the opportunity to continue to contribute beyond my regular service years. So it also motivates me to continue to carry myself professionally and to serve to the best of my ability.”

President Tharman also paid tribute to the 20 HADCs retiring from the corps.

“Together with the other officers who are retiring, I thank you for your contributions, and hope that you look back fondly upon the experiences and friendships forged over these years.”

In closing, he said: “To the ADCs, may your appointment serve to remind us all of the spirit of service and unity that defines us as Singaporeans.”