Ultimate Little India Riot Committee of Inquiry cheat sheet: He Said, She Said

A who's who, who-said-what hassle-free cheat sheet.

Martino Tan| March 06, 09:37 AM

Note: This post will be updated regularly until the COI publishes its findings.

The Community of Inquiry (COI) hearings into the Little India riot started on Feb. 19, 2014.

Here's the wheat without the chaff:

Bus timekeeper

Grace Wong Geck Woon

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One of the main targets of rioters' wrath on the night of Dec. 8, 2013.

Several auxiliary police officers gave testimony during the COI that she had been verbally abusive towards the workers and had raised her voice at Mr Sakthivel Kumaravelu prior to his death that night.

This raises the possibility she could have lied under oath as she gave testimony claiming she wasn't abusive.

Bus driver

Lee Kim Huat

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The bus driver did not see the victim, Sakthivel Kumaravelu, walking or leaning beside the bus moments before running him over.

This was because he did not turn on the two monitors in the bus even though all five cameras on the bus were working that could have shown him the surroundings of the vehicle he was driving.

The Straits Times had to apologise to the COI for interviewing the bus driver and publishing his take of events in a news report, which is tantamount to interfering with the COI's work.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Jonathan Tang

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One of the first few police officers who responded to the accident at Race Course Road. Lauded as a hero because of the iconic photo of him bleeding while directing his men without protective gear on.

Got struck on the head with a rock while out looking for any lone police officers who might have been overwhelmed by the crowd. Ended up regrouping with a group of 10 officers in an ambulance.

Had also considered using the SCDF's Red Rhino to hose down rioters. But Red Rhinos don't contain water as long as they are not connected to a hydrant.

COI chairman, G. Pannir Selvam, said ASP Tang deserves a medal.

Unnamed Little India riot hero

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The unnamed Little India riot hero has been identified by the authorities but was not called to give testimony at the COI because he had left Singapore.

Singapore Civil Defence Force

Lt Tiffany Neo

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She was the highest ranking SCDF officer at the accident site that night and made several critical decisions.

She gave the go-ahead to raise the bus with a hydraulic jack to extract the accident victim who was pinned under the wheel as a way to reassure the crowd help was being rendered.

Ordered the victim's body to be covered, form a human barrier around it and broke protocol by deciding the victim had to be placed in an ambulance instead of police vehicle as a way to protect the body in the midst of the rowdy crowd.

Later she extracted the timekeeper and bus driver from the bus amid flying projectile.

Traffic Police Officer

Fadli Shaifuddin

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He reached the scene of the riot on his motorcycle, took out his baton and charged at the rioters. Not once, but three times in total.

Was commended by the COI for being the only officer who charged at the crowd.

Auxiliary police officer

Srisivasangkar Subramaniam

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Single-handedly caught four rioters who were throwing objects.

But was told to stop as the situation looked like it would worsen with more rioters joining the fray.

But two senior police officers later told the COI it was not possible to make any arrests that night because of their limited manpower and it might have agitated rioters more.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police (DAC)

Lu Yeow Lim

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Took the stand at the COI and was grilled for four hours and questioned if his containment strategy during the riot made the situation worse.

He had arrived at the scene of the riot without wearing his police uniform and explained at the COI that police doctrine states that the commander of an incident should not enter the fray -- in response to why he was hiding behind police shield protection instead of charging at the crowd.

Was lauded as top cop just barely two years ago.

 

Top photo from here

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