At 56, Richard Tan looks back on a past marked by gang involvement, substance abuse and drug trafficking — choices that led to a total of eight arrests in his life.
Some 18 years since he left prison, Richard celebrates his decision to follow Jesus and rejoices in the transformation God has brought to his life through this story.
His hope is to inspire young people grappling with similar vices and addictions with these five hard-earned life lessons that he would offer to his younger self, so they can break free from destructive cycles and pursue a life filled with purpose and faith.
1. A healthy community is essential
During his younger days, having a sense of belonging was crucial to Richard. Like most teenagers, he desired to be part of a clique and have a group of friends that he could trust and call his own.
Unfortunately, this overwhelming desire, combined with a lack of supervision and guidance, led him down a dangerous path. In his quest for belonging, Richard began to associate with the wrong crowd, ultimately joining a gang.
To maintain his place within the group, he was influenced to start smoking, drinking and even trafficking drugs. These activities would alter the course of his life in a negative way.
“Mixing with the wrong company can ruin your life. It is important to choose the right friends from a young age,” Richard says.
“Looking back, I would have searched for a sense of belonging in healthy and supportive environments, such as church groups, hobby clubs or volunteering communities. Look for people who genuinely care for your growth and well-being.
“Join a church cell group or a youth organisation where you’ll find friends who uplift you and lead you in the right direction.”
Today, Richard’s closest friendships are with people he met in church and the prison ministry he now serves in.
These wholesome relationships have provided him with genuine encouragement, accountability and support (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
Through finding a nurturing community, he believes that young people can avoid the destructive choices he made.
2. Don’t take the easy way out
Growing up, Richard had no guidance on what was right and wrong. His father passed away when he was a young child, and his mother was constantly working as the sole breadwinner of their family.
Searching for quick money, he began robbing, stealing and dealing drugs, influenced by gang members who taught him these were the “fast ways”.
At just 16, this path led to his first stint in prison, yet his greed for money only intensified. He continued committing increasingly serious crimes, landing himself in prison over and over again.
“I knew I was doing something very wrong, but I just wanted to make money,” Richard recalls.
Reflecting on his past, Richard wishes that he had channelled his energy and drive into more productive and positive pursuits.
“Why waste your youth on illegal things? Don’t be like me and take the easy way out. I deeply regret wasting so many years of my life because of my greed,” he shares.
“Earning money the illegal way may fetch you lots of money in the beginning but the consequences are just not worth it.”
Today, Richard emphasises that it not just important to build a meaningful career — there is also great value in engaging yourself in fulfilling hobbies.
“Go travelling, dive into reading or take up a sport. There are so many hobbies out there that are legal, enriching and can bring genuine happiness,” he encourages.
What Richard hopes for, is that young people will choose paths that build up their lives and contribute positively to the world around them.
3. There is no sin too big for Jesus
During his final sentence, Richard wrestled deeply with self-condemnation and overwhelming guilt.
After seven incarcerations, he decided he no longer wanted to return to jail and illegally absconded to Malaysia. There, he was recruited by a drug syndicate, which leveraged his connections to help smuggle drugs into Singapore.
Though he enjoyed a little taste of freedom over his two years in Malaysia, he later realised that he was merely a pawn in the syndicate’s operations.
Richard’s turning point came when his wife, pregnant with their first child, was also imprisoned due to his actions.
She was forced to give birth to their first son in prison because Richard, trusting the syndicate’s false promises, refused to reveal their boss’s identity.
Betrayed by his associates, he was eventually arrested, imprisoned in Malaysia, and later sent back to Singapore to serve an additional seven years.
Reflecting on the lives lost to drugs he had trafficked and the suffering endured by his loved ones, Richard was consumed by guilt.
“I found myself drowning in self-condemnation and was unable to get rid of the guilt I felt.”
By God’s grace, his sister had been sending him many encouraging letters filled with many insightful lessons from Scripture.
One day, he received a letter that changed his life. It was a letter that concluded with these powerful words, “After all you’ve done, I can forgive you because I have the love of Christ in me.”
Her message struck Richard deeply, igniting hope in his heart, and prompted him to dedicate his life to Jesus. “I no longer need to be weighed down by guilt, for He has forgiven me,” says Richard.
4. Don’t ever give up
After being released from prison, Richard was determined to rebuild his life. He began working as a lorry driver and took courses through the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) to improve his skills.
With doors continually opening, Richard experienced rapid career growth. Within five years, he advanced from a lorry driver to a site supervisor; to a project manager; and eventually became a commission-based project director.
Six years after becoming a lorry driver, he established his own construction company, Divine N Dynamic, which continues to thrive today.
“I started with just four to five workers,” Richard recounts. “Now, I have around 50 employees. From just one to two clients, I’ve grown to oversee five or six major projects.”
But Richard credits all his success to God’s divine provision: “Jobs came smoothly and easily. Without God, this wouldn’t have been possible.”
Richard hopes young people see that perseverance and faith can lead to incredible growth and that they should never give up on themselves, no matter how tough life gets.
5. Build a firm foundation upon Jesus
Today, Richard leads a cell group of 20 ex-convicts and serves in Faith Community Baptist Church’s prison ministry, counselling those still behind bars.
Galatians 2:20 has become his guiding verse: “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
He encourages young people to ground their lives in faith: “When we fully surrender our lives to Christ, we truly experience the fullness of God’s love and grace.”
That is what gives him a calm heart and enables him to trust in God’s sovereignty. “I no suffer from anxiety because I know that God is in control of my life,” affirms Richard.
