Khalsa Former Home

The construction of the dockyard HMNB Singapore (HM Naval Base) particularly its extension and refurishment in the early 1940s. Near the jetty, there used to be ROYAL TORPEDO DEPOT. Along the stretched road, there was ASIAN QUARTERS to housed coolies. The same site where the former Khalsa Crescent residents moved in 1950s to 1970s after it was newly built in 1950.

Newly built in 1950

Blk 1 foreground & Blk 2 far end on the left, on the right Blk 3 far end and Blk 4 foreground on the right.

The Present Day

In 1950s, the newly built Khalsa Crescent quarters of seven 2-storey blocks (former sites of coolies lines - ASIAN QUARTERS) to housed the families from Naval Base Police Force and Fire Brigade Quarters (later in year 1980). Fire Brigade Quarters (FBQ) caught fire and it razed to the ground in Feb 1980 and FBQ residents like Kamal & his family moved in at Khalsa Crescent in March 1980 till August 1980 at blk 3 Rm 17. 

Contruction site ongoing can be seen at the far end of the large outdoor shade. Rapid Transit System (RTS) will link to Thomson East Coast Line (TEL) from Woodlands North, will be completed by 4th quarter 2026. The site was once a "R.M.N. FOOTBALL & SPORTS GROUND (no longer exist) where Khaksa Crescent ex-residents' as their playing ground - soccer and others during their younger days.

Blk 5 known as "Admin Block" was housed the Sikh families in 1950s till 1960s, some families relocated to Rimau (View Road) when the Asian N.B. Police Barracks already started in late 1950s while some families stayed behind. Other families moved to Cochrane Crescent at the same year.

 Blk 5, 6 & 7 have common ground floor spaces where the festivals and  activities took place. The bachelors were housed at these blocks.

Bachelors' Block

Staircase leading up to the bachelors' restrooms. A long metal bell hanging by the hook at the wooden window.

Group photo of former Khalsa Crescent residents

A special invitation, a private session all former Khalsa Crescent residents and guests to be invited on 21st May 2022, and to reminiscing and sharing memories of their former homes for their 1st and their last farewell to their former home. Khalsa Crescent private event was organised by URA and NHB, in collaboration with Old Sembawang Naval Base (OSNB) group admins - Sofya & Kamal.

A Stretch of Seven 2-storey blocks

A home to the former Khalsa Crescent residents was once known as "TORPEDO DEPOT ASIAN ACCOMODATION" before it converted into Khalsa Crescent Drug Rehabilitation Centre (DRC) in late  1970s and it was changed to Khalsa Crescent Prison in June 2005 according to Prisons Act (managed by SPS) till it abandoned years later. The first Drug Rehabilitation Centre (DRC) in Singapore was the Opium Treatment Centre (OTC) at St. John’s Island. In 1977, Prisons Department developed five DRCs including Khalsa Crescent DRC.

In 1995, all drug addicts were sent to Sembawang DRC for medical checkup during their drug withdrawal and recuperation after their arrest. After recuperation, they were tranferred to other DRCs based on their records, the 3rd time inmates to Khalsa Crescent DRC.

Soon to be demoished to make way for new residental developments except Blk 2 to be conserved.

The children stood and posed at the street name - KHALSA CRESCENT wooden signage, behind them was Anthony shop made of wooden hut located the entrance.

The wooden signage was where the children stood located near the watchtower.

Photo Credit: Cheng YamSan

One former Khalsa Crescent Assam Pedas (a boy by nickname) and his grandmother at the rooftop of Blk 2 by climbing up through the 'open' window. Behind them was a badminton court.

This is Blk 2 where a boy and his grandma stood at the rooftop. Sadly, the badminton court was no longer there but a grassy field.

Group photo at Blk 2

Finally, we posed for the group photo, ex-residents have fond memories of their once meeting spot and their activities during their time at their former homes. They also shared fond memories and their stories here during their younger days.

There are 2 observation towers aka watchtowers in between entrance and exit, built for then DRC and Khalsa Crescent Prison.

Visit Entrance hut was built for the visitors, next to the watchtower near the entrance and Guard house (hidden from view).

The entrance to the Security Control Office (SCO). Visitors must produce their ID to the SCO before they are allowed to visit their loved ones. Also all Staff surrendered their weapons (The Arms) to the Security Control Office after office hours or off duty. 

I admitted...I accompanied my old friend whose brother was at KC DRC, walked in this building. He was a drug addict and had family issue. I declined further about his family.

Entry to Security Control Office

There are locker compartments on the right next to SCO.

The Locker compartment

Personal belongings should be kept in the lockers.

Security Control Office

The SCO was once Delta Isolation Hall, during that time DRC & Khalsa Crescent Prison occupied, the Hall became Security Control Office.

One former Khalsa Crescent resident, Keenman shared his memory about Bomb Shelter located behind blk 4 up the hill. We didn't go there cos' the gate was locked, the path we walked all installed caged fence.

Close-up of the bomb shelter

Former Khalsa Crescent residents stumbled the bomb shelter but didn't venture in bcos of bad stale air smell. There were broken helmats scattered near the entrance. 

I believe the bomb shelter had sealed up after DRC & Khalsa Crescent Prison occupied the premises.

My block and neighbourhood blocks also built above SCDF bomb shelter in 1990s, namely Civil Defence Public Shelter (HDB). It has been around more than 25 years. Currently the bomb shelters occupied by childcare educations and other organisations.

The Workshop 1 & 2

Workshop 1 has two sections which was a huge space whereas Workshop 2 has one section.

The DRC workshops provided trainings for potential inmates and offenders, to learn their job work skills during their journey of rehabilitation. By end of 2003, SCORE had 10 subcontract workshops, 4 each in Jalan Awan Prisons (JAP) and Sembawang DRC, one each Changi Prison and Khalsa Crescent DRC. They employed a total 900 inmates. My hubby's company also had 3 inmates to work at production lines, one of the inmates worked under my hubby's supervision. One inmate (attached a device on his leg hid under long pant) accompanied with SCORE staff to introduce to my hubby. Well, that was long time ago.

PRISON VISIT CUBICLES

The Visit Cubicles - DRC inmates can speak to their family members is through each cubicle using typical wall phone. There was also Syariah Court Tele-visit at the corner end of the Visit Cubicles. Over the years, the visit facilities had changed to a tele-visit through the screen via video call.

Finally, I found these cubicles accordingly to my old friend whose brother was there for drug offences and he was a glue-sniffer (considered drug addicton).

The 'large' Kitchen

Remember the word "MASAK" means "To Cook" in Malay in which the inmates, mostly male and chinese called this. The former inmates' pastimes in S'pore's Prisons and DRCs during 1970s and 1980s was to cook supper - was a CRIME. Old timers should have known about it.

The 'large' prison kitchen probably at blk 4, designed to provide food preparation for the inmates but before this, KC ex-residents used this kitchen to cook for their families, neighbours including the bachelors.

Delta Housing Unit

Due to increase numbers of inmates, the housing unit was added including the yard. The Yard located at the 2nd level of housing unit, gathered for the inmates to do their free time based on weekly basic. Yard time was the only time to breathe some fresh air and exercise. Inmates were not allowed to exercise in their cells.

There was also 'Outdoor' activities for the inmates.

Yard "Outdoor" activities

Inmates were ushered into the corridor outside their locked cells, where they waited for their turn outdoor at yard time. Facilities for basketball and sepak takraw (Kick volleyball) were made available. It built like a bird cage, with barbed wires fencing on all sides.

The 'Open-Air' men's loo (toilet)

There is a 'open-air' men's loo (toilet) at the corner near the gate inside the 'outdoor' yard. Well, there was two guys posed at this 'open-air' loo. So... who's the guys, from 'T.R.E.E' group? I have a photo of these 2 guys shot at the 'open air' loo.🤫

Life in Solitary Confinement

Inmate inside the singular cell can't see the sunrise or the moon at night.

Row of singular cells attached with dim-light bulb on top of the cell door.

A single cell for those who got serious crime that led into fight with other inmate or likewise.

Singular cell - a squat toilet, a shower and mounted wall propeller (installed with metal sheet with small hole) but no window.

There was no bed and the inmate had to sleep on the cement floor or the inmate used a towel/clothes that was given to him to cushion his back and backside so it's more comfortable unlike the other cell room had a long metal bed above the ground.

By living in singular (single) cells with little or no meaningful contact with other inmates. They were go 'crazy' if it carried on like this.

Ex-residents' rooms turned into prison cells

Walking in a passageway in a dim light was once Khalsa Crescent ex-residents' rooms turned into prison locked cells and installed grilled windows covered by a metal sheet with small holes, in each room as well as outside corridor including metal doors with a 'rectangle' hole (served cooked food) at the bottom.

The room that ex-residents stayed, had fond memories of what livelihood they had gone through all the years. To the KC ex-residents a 'Sweet Memories of home' and to the former inmates a 'Hell & Boring life'.

Every ex-resident's room or prison cell  has a story.

The cell room where the inmates slept on the top of the long solid metal bed. It can hold about 8-10 inmates in each cell room depending of the room size.

The 'blue' Spiral Staircase

The Group photo

Although we had a short time walking around, sweet memories and shared storied, separated into different groups. The tour took us a few hours to walk around the seven 2-storey blocks. But we had a great time, getting to know one another. 

It's indeed heartened to see former Khalsa Crescent residents' close bonding like families, even students and teachers whom they can't recognised each other when they were young at that time.

Another group photo

The T.R.E.E. group 😁