“Leong Sze Hian, Han Hui Hui and I were in India in the aftermath of the recent riots in Singapore.
We had deported the foreign workers from India, who were to have been involved in the riot.
But what are the lives of the people in India really like? What would drive them to seek job opportunities as domestic workers or construction workers in Singapore, even as there are stories of ill-treatment by their employers? What are our Indian friends really like – are they the drunken squalor who rioted as portrayed by the media, or are they determined, unassuming people like everyone of us are?
We met and spoke to the people in India, and find out what they had thought about the riots, and along the way, gained a better understanding of their livelihoods and the harsh environment that they have to live in.
The conditions in India does also help you realise that in Singapore, the problems we face can be a lot more easily managed, and perhaps what we need is the will to resolve these issues, so that our people can also live better lives.
Watch the videos of our journey here:
Part 1:
Part 2:
Roy Ngerng
*The author blogs at www.TheHeartTruths.com