Family, Meaning of Life, Relationships, Work & Money
This hardened drug dealer broke when his baby was born behind bars
By
Gemma Koh
, 24 April 2024
Former gangster Richard Tan went from drug dealer to lorry driver – after his innocent wife had to give birth in prison. He is now a builder of landed homes and rebuilder of lives. Photos courtesy of Richard Tan.
He held up someone at knifepoint in a lift in the “trending” style of robberies in the 1980s.
Smashed up a KTV lounge in an extortion attempt.
Even in a reformatory centre for young criminals, was involved in a violent gang fight – hitting someone with a metal post from a table tennis table. For this, he earned himself 12 strokes of the rotan (cane) – and got the game banned.
He learned such behaviour from senior secret society members, including a notorious gangster who was eventually murdered.
“You need to give us your syndicate boss. If not, we won’t release your wife.”
From the age of 16, “when other students were carrying their haversacks to school”, Richard Tan was in and out of jail.
At the age 33, he was arrested for the seventh time.
“I told myself I didn’t want to go to prison again. So I jumped the $50,000 bail,” recalled Richard, now 56.
He absconded to a country up north, where he disguised himself as a businessman.
“I joined a drug syndicate importing drugs into Singapore. I did it for the money. But deep down inside, I knew that I was doing something wrong,” he admitted.
There, he we has caught by the authorities.
Richard made some of his tattoos with needles while in prison. He got his first tattoo when he was in secondary two, on an area concealed by his school shorts. He was expelled from school for gangsterism that year.
“My pregnant wife Celine – who was due to deliver – was also captured. She was innocent, and didn’t know about my activities.
“The authorities threatened me. They said, ‘You need to give us your syndicate boss. If not, we won’t release your wife’.
“How can I call myself a man if I cannot protect my pregnant wife and baby son?”
“I chose not to betray my boss as I thought he would buy me out of prison. He didn’t.”
As a result, his wife had to deliver their son while in lockup.
“I was totally broken. How can I call myself a man if I cannot protect my pregnant wife and baby son?” Richard said.
“I told myself that I need to change.”
Richard (front row, second from right) now runs a successful construction company building landed homes. It supports the Unlabelled Run organised annually by The New Charis Mission to crush negative stereotypes and draw attention to the good work of former offenders. The 6th edition of the run will take place on May 18, 2024.
Since the age of 17, when Richard was released from prison for the first time, he had tried to turn over a new leaf. But he was not able to do so on his own smarts and own strength.
A sister’s letter
Many people Richard dealt with during his time with the drug syndicate were sent to the gallows or ended up with very long jail terms.
Richard, who didn’t handle the drugs, got off with a lighter sentence.
He was behind bars for two years overseas before being sent back to Singapore to serve for another seven years.
“All this while, I thought I was somebody, bringing home the money.”
His sister Mary, who is a Christian, wrote regularly to him, urging him to pray. She also encouraged him with verses from the Bible.
In one letter, Mary wrote: “My dear brother Richard. Do you know how much shame and misery you’ve brought on the family? Do you know why we haven’t given up on you?”
It puzzled Richard.
“Eh, why did she say that I brought shame and misery on the family? All this while, I thought I was somebody, bringing home the money – through drugs.”
In prison, he had a lot of time to think about what he had done:
“When I was in jail, my mother had to tell lies to the neighbours, saying ‘My son go army’.
“Actually when doing drugs, I didn’t bring money home. I just spent it on myself.
“In the middle of the night, the police came to our home and handcuffed me.
“When I was in jail, my mother had to tell lies to the neighbours, saying ‘My son go army’ or ‘My son is away’. But I stole, I robbed, I extorted money, I was active in gangsterism. I was also a drug abuser.
“I used a chopper to chop other people in gang clashes. I also got whacked and ended up bloody. I landed in hospital five times.
“I came to realise that all these things piled up to bring shame and misery to my family.
“I asked myself, ‘Richard, if you have this type of brother, can you still continue to love him?’
“I came to realise that all these things piled up to bring shame and misery to my family.”
“My answer was ‘no’.”
Richard then asked his sister why she could still love him through his 24 years of sin and crime.
“Her reply was ‘Because I have the love of Jesus’.”
Richard saw her love when she took their mum on a long trip every month to visit him while he was behind bars overseas.
“That was when I realised how great God’s love must be. Otherwise how could she humanly love such a brother?”
Deleting his old self
While in prison in Singapore, Richard benefitted from chapel sessions which were held three times a week.
Former inmates came to share how they had turned their life around with the help of Jesus. They included Don Wong, founder of halfway house The New Charis Mission.
“He was nine times in and out of prison – and then became a pastor who is influencing others,” Richard said.
Richard, who was “totally broken”, knew that God was his only hope.
“In the last 30 years, I could not find one thing worthy of turning my head. But now I decided to surrender my life to Jesus – it was the most important decision I made.
Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hean, presented Richard and second wife May Wong an award in recognition for their support of The New Charis Mission during its 10th anniversary in 2016. With them is its founder, Pastor Don Wong.
“I decided to delete myself totally. Meaning, I didn’t want my old self anymore.”
He was sorry for the wrongs he had done that had hurt others.
“I sought the Lord earnestly for an answer to transform my life.
“God, if I can be a lorry driver or mee pok seller for the rest of my life, I will hallelujah.”
“I let God run my life. I followed the prison chapel service closely, read the Bible, prayed. I also gave thanks to Him every day in my cell.
“I had seen the ugliest side of life, and had visited friends just before they were sent to the gallows. I realised that I could not find peace and love without Jesus.”
Just before he was released, Richard asked himself: “What do I want in life?”
He told himself: “I need to pursue God closely. I just need a simple life. I told Him, ‘God, if I can be a lorry driver or mee pok seller for the rest of my life, I will hallelujah (praise you).”
“Why do I have to leave now?”
Richard was nearly 40 years old – and his son seven – when he was released from prison in 2007.
His wife Celine, who had patiently waited for him, helped to purchase a four-room flat for the family to settle into.
Richard just out from prison – for the final time – at the age 40. This year, he celebrates his 17th year of freedom from jail.
Richard indeed worked as a lorry driver when he was released. He attended church and participated in Christian activities regularly.
“My life was peaceful, joyful and meaningful.
“I always thought stories should have happy endings. But mine was totally the opposite – a super sad one.”
Within two years, his world crumbled when his beloved wife was diagnosed with cervical cancer.
“After she left, I did a lot of crying inside my lorry.”
“She asked me, ‘I waited for you to come out from prison, to change, and you became good. Why do I have to leave now?’
“I didn’t know how to answer the question,” Richard said.
His heart broke as he witnessed how she slowly faded away from the illness.
“But God consoled me. One night, she suddenly told me at 10pm that she wanted to see me in her next life. She wanted to accept Jesus and get baptised.
“A pastor rushed to my house in the middle of the night and baptised her in front of her parents. I am thankful she accepted Jesus.”
She passed away two weeks later, within a year of being diagnosed.
After Celine’s passing, Richard raised their son Keith who was 9, with the help of his sister Mary. Today, Richard is training Keith, now 23, to be a project manager.
“I cannot accept it. If she was 52, I can accept it. But she was only 32,” Richard said.
“After she left, I did a lot of crying inside my lorry for a few months.”
Old friends – who were involved in loan sharking, gambling, illegal betting and cigarette smuggling – tried to lure him back to his old ways and easy money.
“After months of debate and quarrel with God, I adjusted my mind and decided to grab hold of the promises of God and follow Him no matter what,” said Richard.
Second chances at love: God healed Richard’s relationship with his mother (left) and siblings, and brought May Wong (right) into his life as his second wife.
God also blessed Richard and May with a daughter, Chloe, who is now 2.5 years old. They are pictured with Richard’s sister Mary and son Keith.
“I decided to let God run my life,” said Richard.
From lorry driver to construction boss
Eager to “chase back my 40 lost years”, Richard worked hard by day. He spent four nights a week upgrading himself through eight courses run by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA).
“Every year, I saw significant changes in my career,” he said.
“From lorry driver, I was promoted to site supervisor, to project manager. In the fifth year, I was promoted to a commission-based project director.
“God put me at the right place, at the right time, with the right people,” said Richard.
“In the sixth year, God gave me the peace and a clear indication to set up my own construction company.”
Starting as a “one-man, one-lorry, one-office-girl business”, Richard’s construction company, Divine N’ Dynamic Private Limited, now includes a team of 30 foreign workers. “I cannot imagine how a lorry driver reached this stage if not for God,” he said.
God blessed him with favour from clients.
“From a drug dealer, God transformed me into a builder of landed homes,” said Richard, who shares his testimony with clients like this gentleman. “My owners know about my past and are all very supportive of me.”
As his career and life stabilised, Richard did not forget the One who had changed him, and started serving Him by going into prison every fortnight – and helping new releasees find jobs, and adapt to society and church.
“I felt not worthy to come before God. But now, I have the capacity to serve Him,” says Richard who also runs a cell group for former inmates, with the help of wife May Wong and a Christian friend.
Many who hear Richard’s testimony cannot comprehend how a former gangster like him was able to turn his life around – and how a lorry driver earning $1,500 a month became the boss of an established construction company.
“I also cannot comprehend,” said Richard.
“I came out of prison with no educational qualifications, no connections … This is definitely God’s hand in my life.”
“I came out of prison at zero, with no cert, no educational qualifications, no connections – only one driving licence.
“This is definitely God’s hand in my life.
“He has restored my life in all areas – family, career and enabled me to give back to Him and the community,” said Richard, who shares of his transformation – only to boast about the goodness and grace of God.
“耶稣是让我们抬起头的神 (Jesus is the God who lifts up our heads in dignity).
“This is why my life overflows with gratitude to Him.”
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