SINGAPORE — At least 70 witnesses will testify at the public hearing for the Committee of Inquiry (COI) on the Little India riot last December, which was the Republic’s worst outbreak of violence in more than 40 years.

The hearing will start on Wednesday and some of the key witnesses include the bus driver and timekeeper of the bus involved in the fatal accident in the area on the day of the riot, police officers, Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) personnel, business owners and residents in Little India and foreign worker dormitory operators.

Foreign workers who had been issued police advisories over the riot will also be called to give oral evidence. In a press release issued yesterday, the COI Secretariat said the committee expects to question all the witnesses during the hearing, which is estimated to span four weeks.

The Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) will be leading the evidence at the hearing. On the first day, Senior State Counsel David Khoo will present an opening statement to the COI explaining broadly the evidence that will be presented over the course of the inquiry. The evidence will cover the events surrounding the riot and some of the possible factors and circumstances that may have led to it. The first week of the hearing will focus on establishing how the riot unfolded and how the response forces managed the incident, the COI Secretariat said. The COI had earlier invited all 57 foreign workers who were to be repatriated to be interviewed on a voluntary basis before leaving the country. The committee interviewed 20 of them.

In preparation for the inquiry, appointed investigators from the Central Narcotics Bureau have also interviewed and taken statements from about 300 witnesses. Besides reviewing these statements, the COI has also visited the scene of the riot and spoken to a number of foreign workers — including those staying in dormitories in Tagore Lane, Avery Lodge and Penjuru Dormitory — to seek their views on matters relating to the riot, such as the living conditions of foreign workers here.

The COI Secretariat said it had received 22 emails and letters from a number of individuals and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) interested in the proceedings. They offered views on, among other things, possible causes of the riot and suggestions on how the situation in Little India and the living and working conditions for foreign labour could be improved. The secretariat said the COI would take into consideration the submissions received. It will also determine which of these individuals or NGOs should be called to give evidence at the hearing.

Earlier this week, the first of 25 men accused of taking part in the riot had pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 15 weeks’ jail for failing to disperse from the area despite orders from riot police. The AGC also announced that it would not be taking further action against the bus driver after it was satisfied that he did not commit any offence, based on investigation papers submitted by the Traffic Police.

The COI Secretariat reiterated that the inquiry would not interfere with the current criminal proceedings in relation to the riot. “In any event, the guilt or innocence of those charged has no relevance to the terms of reference,” it added.

The COI is prohibited from determining the civil or criminal liability of any person. It is required by law to focus solely on its terms of reference, which include to establish the factors and circumstances that led to the riot, how the riot unfolded and how the response forces managed the incident. It also has to consider whether current measures to manage such incidents in areas where foreign workers congregate are adequate and recommend any further measures to improve the management and reduce the risk of such incidents.

Appointed in Dec, the committee has been tasked with submitting a report of its findings and recommendations within six months to Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Teo Chee Hean. The findings will be made public.