Security Guard

I am 38 years old. I was in auxiliary police first time. Auxiliary police is a tough job lah…you have to overwork. Security life have to work 12 hours but the auxiliary police longer…sometimes you have to work for more than 36 hours straight…so harder to survive. And you know, is like, they don’t have the (opportunity for) family commitment. Work in auxiliary police, you can’t go back to see your family members or your children; You have to work very hard. And after that I also got put on weight ah. You know last time is like once you put on weight, they won’t agree ah (they will retrench), because they have certain limit on weight. [Presses button to open the front gate for an incoming car]. Must not exceeds to 60 above or 70. And you must not have the medical history. So after that, they just decide don’t want me. Nursing is uh, I wished to do ah. That time I love to go and do and help all the nurses. So, I went in by (being) a patient-care assistant. And I went to SGH. I quit nursing because is so much of… you know people pass away then we feel very sad ah. But we can’t show in front of the body (other people). And I feel I not interested in it. So, is I LOVE to serve people, but the problem is eh, you know we have to control our emotions when sad and everything? Ah, that one I cannot [shakes head and laughs]. 

So now I work in security life. Then that time I cannot go for other jobs. Because that time I was not educated – just only sec (Secondary) 2. Then cannot get any office job. First thing is I no interest in studies. Second thing, when I go into auxiliary police, I only sec 2 that time. That time your education sec 2, they will accept us. After that I never intend to study. Then after that, I got married at the age of 18 years old. Then I got kids (at) 19 years and 20 years old that time. So, no intention to study. But now I got upgrade myself, then go for my courses and things. And then just two years ago I finish my diploma – the diploma in security life and the other one is diploma in people and leadership! I take the course because after that my children grown up ah, I just want to be example that I can do it as a mum. And I want to show that I am a diploma holder. So that they will upgrade more and upgrade their studies lor. That is why I go my courses! [eyes lit up]. Oh, the course is the government give the lump-sum money to ask us to upgrade. Then some company also make us go for courses to see if we know the job scope…

For the place, this one we don’t decide. This one is company decide. They won’t let us choose, they just tell us ‘Okay, this is the location we have, we want you to go there’. Sometimes they prefer to give us nearby place - they will ask you which area you prefer. I mainly work around Tampines, Pasir Ris, Loyang. First time I come I do one condo, but then now got other place. 

In security life when I came in, I experience a lot. That time, first time, I didn’t know anything. But then when I go in, step by step, I was pushed by someone. You know old timer ah – the old uncles. They are supervisor. Then that time uh, got no certificate, no security license, and without course ah they can join anywhere. They teach me a lesson, that when they are supervisor, they will treat us like a dog. Ya, that time, is 2005 like that. They will treat us like a dog; If you supervisor you can sit inside (with the proper workspaces), then others need to sit outside. Is like that. So, I thinking to myself if I can upgrade then better. So I went for my course, then step by step, I went through all, then better already. 

A lot of challenges lah, in the security line. We have to face the residents, a lot of things. We can see… sometimes got the incident of the people suicide, then we have to write incident report. Then have to submit to police… and have to submit to the management site. A lot of things to do. You know some people will think, security just for fun - you sitting down only. But they don’t know that we have to go through this one lor. And I ever work in a factory, that you know is uh… HAUNTED factory as a security! One-man show, you know! Then, you can see spirit! Ok, not say we can see lah, but we can feel it you know [rubs arms and shudders]. A lot of things lah. Quite interesting. Not say very difficult job lah, depend on the site. Some management they will be very friendly to the security, some management they don’t agree with the security (they don’t treat them well). Example ah, some management greet (us) as a friend, but some site can be ‘I AM MANAGEMENT, so DO. WHAT. I. SAY.’ So, they will be like (the) big head, and we will be ‘okay madam… okay sir…’. We have to obey them. If we never obey them, we give them comments or what, they will take us out from there. They will terminate us from the contract, and so we can’t come back here to work. Then some resident like to complain that the security no good, then management won’t ask (us) anything. They won’t ask ‘why you never do the job’. They will just talk to our boss to take us out. So, (there is) so many ways lah (to be taken out). Security line ah, we don’t have a secure place one. We can work here for 10 years, then that one god-give lah, very good lah [laughs]. If not 10 years, then 2 years, 3 years… like over here, I already 2 years here. But management here okay. I know what my job need to do also, so is good. The people here that work with (me) depends also lah. Depend on the character. If can make friend, then can work as a team. Some who are older think they also like big head, then that one no good. But depends on character, attitude, lah. For me, last time I very hot-tempered. I a little bit, little bit, then hot-tempered and walk off. Now, once getting old, middle-aged already, so have to think, this is our future already, nothing to be changed. So, just go in the flow and follow lah. 

Last time I used to get daily pay when I part time. Then that time cannot save money. One day $50 get ah, then they cut for CPF then become $30, $40? And this is 2005. But I tell you, some company like to cheat. They say, ‘okay this is the amount (of money you will get after CPF)’. Then we don’t know how the CPF calculations (work). I ever work for one company for 10 years ah, they pay my CPF contribution every month $50 ONLY! But I work every day that time. Then I only find out when I went to HDB to buy a house with my husband. They ask me (for) my Sing pass, then after that they say my CPF contribution not enough. Then I went to CPF board, and I find out lor. And I supposed to get around 3 to 400, then they take everything [laughs sadly] … for 10 years some more… then I talk to my boss then he say, ‘Oh, because you part-timer, so we can only afford to pay you this’. Then I say, ‘HUH? 50 dollars is the amount meh?’. I cannot even buy a house. 10 years you imagine how much I have only. Then I go to MOM (Ministry of Manpower), then they started to bargain, then they ask the company to talk to me nicely, and they paid me cash – but $6000 only. Then after that step by step, I start to know that government say our CPF 17%, 20%. And every month I will calculate how much my CPF account. Everything I will calculate. Then I stop working for him already. Then they still ask me why I stop working. But for me, my character is like, if I like one place, then I will work very long; If I start to hate the place, I very stubborn, cannot work there already. However my boss brainwash me also cannot, my heart won’t be there one. If I comfortable, I how long work also can, never take off also can. But now I change to full time, then got stable salary lah - We all in life, have to have contribution to CPF, and have stable money, then okay. Now I earn 3000+. Last time is lesser, but government ah, they suggest (the companies) to take increment, so now security line salary is quite high. But then one thing is we don’t get any entitlement for the government subsidies.

But very interesting to work as security. I work 12 hours, 8pm to 8am. Because morning I cannot wake up [laughs]. Sometimes, when not a lot of things to do, I can watch stories (movies) lah. Then we have to go for patrolling. More important is we have to do the closing, opening [points to the buttons to open front gates]. Then we have to check lighting - which lobby no light. Then now covid period ah, we cannot let people sit around the swimming pool. So middle of 3’o clock like that then go round. And we standby also, so anybody complain, then will just rush there. People complain in the middle of the night for shouting… for screaming… Sometimes people drunk ah, then people talk very loud. Then sometimes residents complain about the water tank – when got low pressure or what. Sometimes, this area side [points to a few condo buildings] the power trip. Especially night-time, we have to do all the technician work. We have to learn everything, but not the tough one lah, just simple things. [Points to television monitor] This one the camera only for the lift lobby. But (the) camera in the lift and the main cameras around is all in the control room. So, if we want to find out something, we have to inform the control people (her higher ups), then they will check for us [proceeds to press button for opening gate for another car]. Ya, so actually is not we see, is management see everything lah. The camera inside here also they watch us and (see) what we do. And they watch us 24/7 one. They see when we do work, when we resting… I scared or not, not really lah. ‘Cos first thing, (if) they want to complain about us, they have to think first, they got manpower to survive or not – strong manpower to work here have or not. They will see us but no choice, we also entitled to rest. And this is the only space we have. We don’t have proper restroom to rest. But ah, they can also check whether we got do work, because we need to write update for them, and we have to update attendance. Other problem is toilet lah. We have to rush to the other side. Tiring ah. But water, food all here have lah. 

I see all the old people at night a lot. But I never see you young girl before come down and hang around. And I was wondering, you resident or visitor. You come from where, I was shocked you know! Where you come from, I don’t know! That’s why I wanted to scold you, you know. Then I wondering what this girl doing (at) this timing. Because usually this hour, no girl will come down like this. I was scared already, alamak! Because you know sometimes ah, I scared the China lady ah. They cannot speak English. So, when we ask them where they going or where they come from, they will act blur, say ‘uh, uh’, but no reaction. They blur or really don’t know, that one, we also don’t know! Then very difficult to communicate with them. Because they only know mandarin. Then I only know a bit. But sometimes they answer, then I don’t understand what they trying to say. But I learn a bit a bit, like when they say, ‘wo bu zhi dao’ (I don’t know). Ya so, when I see you, I wanted to call the control already! See if you sneak in or not! Because we scared ah, some of them like to sneak in ah. [leans forward and talks softly] Sometimes is because they are like the ex-tenent, sometimes is boyfriend, girlfriend. Especially China people, we scared, because we don’t know their language. Then they just act blur come here. Like today I just caught one fellow, I never see him before. Then I ask him why he come in, then he cannot reply. Then he turn away, then just walk straight, then faster run already! These people all very dangerous sometimes. Sometimes is maybe ‘cos they work nearby here, you know the factory here [points to the direction of factory buildings]? Then they know here got shower, so they want to shower here (to) save money, so they try sneak in lah. 

I will continue working here. I love this place. Because most of the job scope I know. Unless they want to take me out, then can’t do anything lah [laughs]. And unless the management change ah. Maybe they will take out our contract then put new contract in, we don’t know. Only my boss will know. They ask us to pack up, then we pack up lah. And if need to pack up, depend on where they give us lah. If too far, then I don’t want. But now I got one more year for my contract, so still okay. 

Then last time ah, I tell you, I was very active, I can work how many hours also can. But now I getting older and older ah. So, my body system stopping already – I have leg problems ah, now cannot walk so long. Then now also most of the work is standing jobs. And I cannot stand too long; cannot sit too long. I stand for 2 to 3 hours, I tell you, I cannot – I will faint! But is very risky job lah. Sometimes get scolded for nothing. Resident or outsider angry or something then they will come to security. So many things we kena. But not sad lah [laughs]. Depend on mood; If we good mood, we keep quiet, then if we got bad mood, then we scold back lah [laughs louder]. Because ah, not only you have tension (anger), we have tension also. And sometimes ah, we also don’t have a lot of sleep, then also very tired. Sometimes, we also sad lah, but we don’t show. Sometimes irritating but we also cannot show to them. If we talk anything, they will think that we are rude. Sometimes you all angry but we also angry, but we cannot show lah. This one is also what we learn in the course. But okay lah, we got learn self-defence also.

But so far, I love my job lah. I in security life for 19 years [smiles proudly]. And this is the only job I can survive and get more money. I don’t know how long I going to work, it depends on the god or whatever lah. But whatever (it is), first thing is we have to love ourselves and love our job also. If you half love half dead ah, you cannot survive in security life.

Singapore, 2021