Jeffrey, 17, first Boys' Brigade member to get prestigious award

Teen gets Cross for Heroism for saving man's life in Thailand

Mr Hawazi pinning the Cross for Heroism on WO Jiang's uniform as the Boys' Brigasde President, Mr Choo, looks on.

PICTURES BY THE BOYS' BRIGADE

WARRANT OFFICER Jeffrey Jiang Song 'En of the 12I Singapore Boys' Brigade Company was the hero at The Boys' Brigade's Awards Presentation Ceremony this year.

It was a day of accolades as BB Boys and Companies received their due recognition in attaining their respective awards at the colourful ceremony, which was held at Anglo-Chinese Junior College on Aug 23, 2003.


But the star attraction was WO Jiang, 17, who received the Cross for Heroism from Mr Hawazi Daipi, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education. The award was given in recognition of his act of heroism and bravery in saving a man's life during a community service project in Thailand in June last year.


It was the first time that the BB has given out this prestigious award.


Jeffrey, with the help of two other BB officers, lifted a man who was lying on a railway track, to safety when he saw a fast-approaching train. The incident happened in Khon Kaen, a village north-east of Bangkok. He later learned that the man, who had only one leg, was trying to commit suicide.


Receiving the Cross for Heroism is a rare honour in The Boys' Brigade and Jeffrey, a student at Anglo-Chinese Junior College, exemplifies the hallmark of a BB Boy.


And, naturally, his parents were present at the awards ceremony. "Jeffrey is a blessing to us," said his father, Mr Vernon Kang, Executive Director of the Methodist Welfare Services, an agency of The Methodist Church in Singapore.

Jeffrey, whose 12I Singapore Company is sponsored by Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) and Barker Road Methodist Church, plans to make another trip to the Thai village next year to "find out how the man is coping and what he is doing". Mr Hawazi and Mr Choo Gim Kang, the BB President, presented a total of 59 J. M. Fraser Awards to BB Companies.

This year saw the inclusion of the Juniors Programme Gold Badge presentation. While traditionally presented at a separate ceremony, a higher profile was given to the 141 Junior Boys at the ceremony who received their awards in the presence of their parents, principals, Education Ministry officials and BB officers.

Mrs Lennie Cho, 1st Deputy Principal of ACS (Independent), receiving the J. M. Fraser Award (Gold)
from Mr Hawazi. Others, from left, are the BB President, Mr Choo; the Rev Malcolm Tan,
Pastor-in-Charge of Barker Road Methodist Church; and Mr Jonathan Ng, Captain of 12I
Singapore BB Company, whose sponsors are the school and the church.