CATCHING CRIMINALS IN A CHEONGSAM

Long before Michelle Yeoh did us proud with her role as a Bond girl in "Tomorrow Never Dies", Blossom Wong was already making world headlines in her real life role as a police officer with the Special Branch, often dressed in her eye-catching, figure-hugging cheongsam.

I remember seeing this photo of Blossom in the papers back in the 1960s escorting Senator Robert Kennedy and his wife Ethel when they visited Malaysia. My eyes were drawn to her svelte figure. Wow! I had never seen any of our local police women looking so glamorous. She certainly did justice to the cheongsam. Her beehive hairdo was the trend in those days, before Amy Winehouse made it her signature look.

NST photo

Now 74 and retired after 36 years of service, Blossom, whose real name is Wong Kooi Fong, still leads an active life. This spunky lady spends most of her days enjoying her favorite hobby - gardening. That gives you a clue to her nickname Blossom.

If you missed the interview with her in the New Sunday Times yesterday, you can watch it on the Youtube video below. Travel back to the 1960s with her as she recounts chapters from her life and how she ended up in the police force. "If I could do it all again, I would," says Blossom.