The ex-chief of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was known by former colleagues as a hard worker who slogged his way up the ranks.
Peter Lim Sin Pang, 51, was suspended from today for the ongoing Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau probe.
The SCDF provides fire-fighting, rescue and emergency ambulance services. It also deals with hazardous materials incidents, fire safety and civil defence-related matters.
Former colleagues said they were shocked at the news.
One ex-SCDF officer told The Straits Times that he remembers Mr Lim as a law-abiding scholar "marked for success".
Mr Lim, a Public Service Commission scholar, graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Applied Science in Hamburg, Germany.
During his time at SCDF, Mr Lim held several key positions, including head of the Civil Defence Academy.
His milestones include receiving the Public Administration Media (Silver) in 2002 and becoming the Deputy Commissioner in June 2005.
He became chief in May 2009.
Recently, he supervised SCDF operations on Pulau Bukom in October 2011 after a blaze at a Shell refinery took 32 hours to be extinguished.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has appointed Mr Eric Yap Week Teck to assume the role of SCDF commissioner on February 1.
