Sana tree-planting day: How former self-professed ‘menace to society’ finally said ‘no’ to drugs

SINGAPORE - When Mr Mohammad Hairul was released from prison in 2019 after eight years and four months behind bars for drug-related offences, he had only $140 to his name, and no job or clothes.

But the support of close friends and family members was what kept him on his path to recovery.

His turning point was when he realised that his family members were building their lives without any contribution from him.

“I wanted to contribute to my family, and I regret that I was a menace to society,” said Mr Mohammad, 39. “I found that it was nothing to be proud of, and at the end of the road was just a big hole.

“I realised it was time to do the tough thing, which is to change.”

Today, Mr Mohammad is a personal trainer at a gym, and has been drug-free for three years.

He is also a newly minted peer leader with social service agency, the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association (Sana), motivating others on their recovery journey by sharing his own experience.

On Friday morning, he and around 40 other people, comprising other peer leaders, residents of halfway houses, Sana staff and members of the public, took part in a tree-planting event at Sungei Serangoon Linear Park.

Fifteen trees were planted at the Sana event.

Sana executive director Chua Chee Wai said: “This tree-planting activity holds great symbolism of the rehabilitative journey of persons in recovery as it is a testament of the support from the different stakeholders, which makes the recovery journey considerably smoother, just as how we have seen all hands on deck during the activity today.

“Research shows that persons in recovery with social networks promoting positive behaviour are three times less likely to relapse... We hope that through this event, we will raise awareness about the positive impact we can have when we all come together to support persons in recovery and the anti-drug cause.” 

The trees planted will add to the count in National Parks Board’s OneMillionTrees movement, an initiative launched in April 2020 to plant one million more trees by 2030.

Mr Simon Khung, another former drug addict who is now a Sana peer leader, began experimenting with drugs at the age of 16.

He served three prison sentences, the first in 2015, and was eventually released in 2019.

But he relapsed and even made an unsuccessful suicide attempt. That was when he realised that he could either seek help, or “one day, just die”, the 36-year-old said.

“I’ve been in that vicious circle for so many years, and every single time I told myself I would change, I relapsed afterwards,” said the freelance content creator.

“I felt so useless. I couldn’t hold a job and had no qualifications, compared with my friends, who are married and have children.”

Determined to turn his life around, Mr Khung checked himself into a halfway house in 2019 and left in 2021 after rehabilitation. Three months ago, he was invited by Sana to be a peer leader.

Mr Khung said: “I was very happy when I received the invitation. It made me more motivated to become better.

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to help others or what I can do when I accepted this role, but it’s the little things that add up, a continuous commitment.”

Noting parallels with his struggle and tree-planting, he added: “Planting a tree under the hot sun, it’s a lot of hard work, sweat and effort. But the same goes with making a change in life. We need to take the first step.

“One year later, when I walk past this area, I will be able to see the tree growing, and see the rewards of the hard work, effort, and feel a sense of contentment.”