The team and individual awards recognise Xponents for their outstanding service and innovation.
Xponents with Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law K Shanmugam and HTX Chief Executive Chan Tsan at the Minister’s Awards Presentation Ceremony on 17 January 2023. (Photo: HTX)
It is important for the Home Team to be nimble, savvy, and bold in engaging Singaporeans, and in how we work, said Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law, given the challenges posed by the impact of technology on society, social cohesion, and terrorism.
He was speaking at the Minister’s Awards Presentation Ceremony held on 17 January at the Home Team Academy.
In his speech, Minister Shanmugam cited examples of how technology is being used to force multiply the Home Team.
He highlighted the multi-agency team behind the Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (CUAS) Capability Development Programme (CapDev).
The Sensor Systems team at HTX’s Robotics, Automation and Unmanned Systems (RAUS) Centre of Expertise is responsible for the CUAS CapDev programme, which includes the end-to-end delivery of CUAS (counter drone) capabilities for the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The CUAS CapDev programme supports Home Team Departments in their fight against the threat from rogue drones, an emerging security challenge that has risen to prominence in the last few years.
“The relentless advancement of technology requires us to anticipate how threat actors will operate, and how we can use technology to overcome them to keep Singapore safe and secure,” said Chua Song Heng, Deputy Director (Sensor Systems), RAUS Centre of Expertise, HTX.
Read related article: Keeping Singapore Safe Against Rogue Drones
On the investigation front, a team in HTX developed a way to create 3D models of drone data boards. Modelled after medical CT scans, this technology is able to extract digital evidence from drones without compromising the drone data. “This was an out-of-the-box solution”, said Minister, “to solve a real problem faced by investigators.”
This year, HTX received 27 Minister’s Awards. The awards recognise outstanding Home Team officers who have demonstrated efficiency and competency in major operations, cases, and projects, or displayed high standards of innovation and service excellence in the course of their work.
The list of awards is as follows:
Minister for Home Affairs Home Team Achievement Award (HTAA)
The award recognises teams that have achieved exceptional outcomes through inter-agency collaborations, contributing significantly towards keeping Singapore safe and secure.
• Emergency Responders’ Fitness Conditioning & Enhancement Lab (EXCEL)
• Operationalisation of Tuas Port
• Ops Shikra series I-VIII
• Project TELO
Minister for Home Affairs Operational Excellence (OE) Award
The award recognises teams for outstanding competency and operational excellence in major operations and cases.
• Advanced Video Analytics To detect Abnormal behaviouR (AVATAR)
• Business Analytics System for Screening of E-Letters
• Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (CUAS) Capability Development (CapDev) Programme
• Development and Delivering of In-house Technological Solutions and Products to Home Team Departments
• Development of the INTERPOL-Border System for Automatic Processing of INTERPOL Notices
• Digital Driving Licence
• Fee-free collection of passport and NRIC at SingPost
• HTX Investigators’ Challenge (HTXIC)
• Organisation of the 2021 One Public Service Observance Ceremony and Public Sector Transformation Convention
• Randomised Patrol Scheduler 2.0
• TechXplain
• To achieve 100% online submission of applications for ICA services with streamlining and digitalisation of backend processes to enhance operational efficiency
• 2nd HTX TechXplore (May 2021)
Star Service Award (SSA) – MHA Commendation Star Service Award 2022
The award recognises Home Team officers who delivered outstanding service and exceeded customers’ expectations.
• Chua Yue Ling Ariel (Corporate & Finance)
• Muhammad Izwan Bin Rahmat (Ops Systems)
• Zulfadhli Fahim Bin Suratman (Building & Infrastructure)
Home Team Innovation Award (InnovA)
The award recognises exceptional Home Team officers in the area of innovation.
• InnovA Champion category – Platinum: Dr Oh Hue Kian (CBRNE Centre of Expertise)
• InnovA Project – Gold:
- Advancement of data recovery capabilities
- Operational Medical Networks Informatics Integrator (OMNII)
• InnovA Project – Commendation:
- Enhanced Live Firing Range System (ELFRAS) (Human Factors & Simulation Centre of Expertise)
- Project eXtract (Biometrics & Profiling Centre of Expertise)
• InnovA Project – Dare to Try:
- Allan Tan (Building & Infrastructure)
- Leong Hin Fong & Lowell Chong (Human Factors & Simulation Centre of Expertise)
Xponents striking the quintessential HTX “X” pose at the Minister’s Awards Presentation Ceremony. (Photo: HTX/ Valerie Yee)