Handling of accident may have caused Little India riot: Wijeysingha

SINGAPORE — The Committee of Inquiry (COI) looking into the Little India riot should tackle larger issues surrounding the Dec 8 incident, Dr Vincent Wijeysingha of Workfair Singapore said today (March 13).

One of the issues that Dr Wijeysingha — who is a representative of the civil society group — pointed out was the handling of the accident which “may have given rise” to emotions which led to the riot.

For instance, the workers wanted to move the bus to save Indian national Sakthivel Kumaravelu, 33, who was pinned under the wheel of the bus.

COI chairman G Pannir Selvam asked Dr Wijeysingha directly if he was happy about the way the inquiry is being conducted. Dr Wijeysingha replied: “You’re putting me in (a) spot. I would prefer not to answer.”

On the first day of the public hearing, Mr Selvam had set the tone of the public hearing as he warned against any interference in the committee’s work. He also took the opportunity to respond to civil society activists who made suggestions about how the inquiry should be conducted.