Police patrols along Race Course Road. Photo: Ernest Chua
I refer to Mr Jolovan Wham’s letter, “Costs of protracted judicial process not reason for denying access to justice” (Dec 19).
While his position in and commitment to Workfair Singapore mandated his stance, would he also make a personal stand for Singaporeans who were traumatised or inconvenienced by the riot? Would he articulate on behalf of the bus timekeeper who was injured by the rioters? She might have been killed if some stout-hearted workers had not ushered her onto the bus.
Would he empathise with the ambulance driver and National Service policemen who must have felt the terror of being heavily outnumbered by a destructive mob? Would he factor in the costs of replacing burnt government vehicles, to be borne by taxpayers, and the repairs to the other vehicles?
Would he consider the losses suffered by businesses in Little India due to the restrictions on alcohol consumption and bussing of workers to and from Little India on weekends?
Would he commiserate with the police and Civil Defence personnel who faced missiles and assaults? The former had to shield the latter in extricating the bus accident victim.
Would he feel Singaporeans’ anxiety over security issues and related matters? Innocent foreign workers, too, feared for their jobs subsequent to the riots.
HO KONG LOON
*Article first appeared on TodayOnline Forums (20 Dec 2013)