Singapore People’s Party releases statement on the riot at Little India and the subsequent temporarily ban on alcohol at Little India the weekend.
The SPP salutes our brave law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line during the riot of 8th December, which was the first in Singapore since 1969. We wish the injured officers and victims a speedy recovery.
We also wish to extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the victim of the traffic accident.
The Prime Minister has called for a Committee of Inquiry (COI) – we look forward to the report of the COI, since not all details of the riot can be fully ascertained yet. We also hope that the traffic conditions of Race Course Road will be addressed, in view of the road accident that took place, and in view of feedback from residents there.
This incident has highlighted the importance of social media. Video footages were captured by observers and circulated online, thus keeping Singaporeans aware of the situation on the ground that night in a timely manner. The police have even appealed for these footages to be shared with them, to help their investigation.
Finally, we hope disruptions to businesses in the aftermath of the riot can be minimised. An alcohol ban instituted for the neighbourhood this weekend will add on to these disruptions, and the ban may potentially be extended. We hope the authorities will be sympathetic to businesses there as they try to forge a balance.
SINGAPORE PEOPLE’S PARTY
On Monday evening, Second Minister for Home Affairs S Iswaran announced that there will be a complete ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol this coming weekend in the Race Course Road area where a riot broke out at. He further said that the details of the ban, such as exactly what time it will apply and what geographical area it will cover, will be worked out by the police.