Some 200 foreign workers in Singapore were issued police advisories on Sunday, reminding them that they must obey the laws of Singapore, or they will face stern action. (AFP News)
Singapore issues 200 people police advisories after riot: On Sunday an estimated 200 foreign workers were issued formal police advisories at the Police Cantonment Complex.
According to the police, the foreigners had been present at the location of the Little India riot on December 8, 2013, but their involvement had been passive and incidental.
In the written advisory, the migrants are reminded that they must abide by the Singaporean laws, and should they commit any criminal offence, they would face stern action, including the revocation of work privileges.
The migrant workers were accompanied on Sunday by representatives of the companies they are employed by.
Many of the workers and their representatives did not appear to know why they had to be there, said a Channel News Asia report.
“I had already checked with my worker. But he wasn’t involved in anything. That’s why I asked the police officer. The police officer didn’t say anything,” said Suresh Babu, administrative manager at Bluesky Infratech.
The owner of Siak Hoe Outdoor Spray Painting, Heng Siak Hoe, came with his worker who is an S Pass-holder from India.
“(The worker) is very obedient. I don’t know why police asked me to come here. I’m not alarmed (over being called to the police centre) because we didn’t do anything wrong,” said Mr. Heng.
They came out of the police complex about an hour later, with a copy of the police advisory.
Construction worker Manikgam Arumugam, who is employed by Hock Tat Building Construction Pte Ltd, said “They asked me to obey the rules and I said okay. Yes, I will go to Little India if I want to send money or buy any groceries. I don’t mind going there. I am not afraid.”
A worker at Blue Sky Infratech Pte Ltd, 24-year-old Arumugam Thenappan, told what he did inside the police center: “I signed two papers. They explained what was on the paper to me. Then they asked me to leave.”
