President Tharman to invite workers who rescued woman from Tanjong Katong sinkhole to Istana Open House on Aug. 3

Mothership understands that President Tharman Shanmugaratnam will invite the foreign workers who rescued a woman from the Tanjong Katong sinkhole to the Istana during the National Day Open House on Aug. 3.

The topic was publicly broached by President Tharman in response to a comment on his post, suggesting the invite.

In response, President Tharman said: "Absolutely. Thanks for the sentiments, like many others."

National Day Open House

The Istana welcomes the public to visit its grounds during its Open Houses, which are held up to five times a year.

The next Open House will be on Aug. 3 from 8:30am to 6pm in celebration of SG60.

The Open House will feature live performances and family-friendly activities.

Entry to the Istana grounds is free for Singapore Citizens, Singapore Permanent Residents, and migrant domestic workers accompanying families.

Other visitors will have to pay an admission fee of S$20 per adult and S$10 per child (four to 12 years).

For other activities like the Istana Heritage Tour and visiting the Villa, there will be additional fees.

All fees collected go to the President's Challenge beneficiaries.

Heroics

When the sinkhole opened on Jul. 26 at about 5pm, site foreman Pitchai Udaiyappan Subbiah heard the noise and rushed over.

He saw the car had plunged into the hole, and the woman had managed to escape the vehicle.

He and several other migrant workers tossed down a nylon rope and managed to pull the woman up.

She was subsequently conveyed to the hospital.

The migrant worker, who has worked in Singapore for 22 years, said it was the first time he had experienced something like this.

"Scared, but must rescue her out," he said of his effort.

In a Jul. 28 Facebook post, Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash shared that he presented an "MOM Appreciation Coin" to Subbiah and six other migrant workers for their heroic efforts.

Dinesh called the coins "a small token of appreciation that goes a long way in appreciating our efforts for our migrant brothers".

All of them, he added, had stepped forward to support the woman in "a situation that would otherwise have been very different".

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Top photos via Tharman Shanmugaratnam/Facebook & Hannah Martens/Mothership