Draft:Chng Teow Hua
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Chng Teow Hua | |
|---|---|
 Chng Teow Hua in 1989 as Commissioner of Singapore Civil Defence Force | |
| Commissioner of Singapore Civil Defence Force | |
| In office 1987–1992 | |
| Preceded by | Eugene Wong |
| Succeeded by | James Tan |
| Personal details | |
| Nationality | Singaporean |
| Spouse | Yes |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards | Bintang Bakti Masyarakat (BBM) |
Chng Teow Hua
[edit]Chng Teow Hua is a retired Singaporean military officer and civil servant who served as the Commissioner of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). He is best known for leading the national rescue response during the 1986 Hotel New World collapse and for establishing the early organisational and National Service foundations of Singapore’s modern civil defence system.
Early life and education
[edit]In 1967, Chng Teow Hua was among the first batch of officers in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Alongside 2nd Lieutenant Gurcharan Singh, he was selected to attend a basic engineer officer's course at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, United States. Upon returning, both officers conducted the inaugural Engineer Commanders' Course from April to August 1968 under the guidance of Major George Mitchell. Graduates from this course formed the foundation of the Singapore Combat Engineers.[1]
Military and civil service career
[edit]Chng Teow Hua rose to become the Chief Engineer Officer of the Singapore Combat Engineers, where he helped build up engineering infrastructure and operational expertise.
Following the Hotel New World collapse, he was placed in charge of the command and control of the seven-day rescue operation. In that capacity, he implemented the organisational framework and systems for civil defence response, and led the coordination of multi-agency rescue efforts. He also established the first National Service (NS) Units for civil defence — which today form the backbone of Singapore’s National Civil Defence Plan.
In 1987, he was officially appointed as the Commissioner of Singapore Civil Defence Force. During his tenure, Commissioner Chng implemented several major initiatives:
- Launched a comprehensive civil defence shelter programme, beginning with public shelters built into the void decks of new HDB blocks.
- Oversaw the rollout of Singapore’s public warning system. The first 250 warning sirens, developed by Hörmann Warnsysteme GmbH in Germany, were installed by 1991 and tested in 1992. By the early 2000s, this number had increased to 284 sirens, placed on rooftops or ground locations across the island.
Hotel New World collapse
[edit]On 15 March 1986, the six-storey Lian Yak Building, known as Hotel New World, collapsed due to structural failure, trapping 50 people beneath the rubble. The disaster resulted in 33 deaths and 17 rescues.[2]
Col Chng Teow Hua, then with the Singapore Armed Forces, was placed in charge of command and control for the entire rescue operation. He directed coordination between the Singapore Fire Service, the SAF, and international tunnelling and rescue experts. His leadership was credited for the efficient and structured response.[3][4]. His work during this incident laid the foundation for SCDF's future operations, systems, and National Service framework.
For his leadership during the Hotel New World rescue operation, Chng Teow Hua was awarded the Bintang Bakti Masyarakat (Public Service Star), one of Singapore’s national honours, in recognition of his public service contributions.
Col Chng’s role was prominently featured in the Channel NewsAsia documentary series Days of Disaster, which aired an episode on the Hotel New World tragedy.[5]
A photograph from the National Archives shows Chng briefing DPM Goh Chok Tong and Home Affairs Minister S. Jayakumar at the disaster site.[6]
Legacy
[edit]Chng Teow Hua’s leadership in both crisis and institution-building has had a lasting impact on Singapore’s emergency preparedness. The NS Units he created continue to be the manpower core of the SCDF. The shelter system and siren network he helped implement remain integral parts of Singapore’s civil defence infrastructure.
In later years, Chng Teow Hua supported efforts to preserve National Service heritage and encouraged veterans to share their experiences with younger generations.[7]
Personal life
[edit]Chng Teow Hua is married and has two children. As of 2014, he was 68 years old. Further personal information is not publicly documented.
References
[edit]- ^ "Gurcharan Singh: Pioneer in SAF Engineering". Asia Samachar. 11 November 2020. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
- ^ "Collapse of Hotel New World". National Library Board. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
- ^ "Col Chng Teow Hua leads rescue operations during the Hotel New World disaster".
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help) - ^ "Collapse of Hotel New World". National Library Board. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
- ^ "Days of Disaster – Hotel New World Collapse". Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
- ^ "Colonel Chng briefing leaders". National Archives of Singapore. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
- ^ "SAF to expand veterans' group". Today Online. Retrieved 2025-05-07.