A MEMBER of parliament in Singapore today apologised for describing groups of foreign laborers as ‘walking time-bombs’ during a debate to discuss the Home Affairs Ministry’s budget recently.
Denise Phua said she should not have also labelled them “public disorder incidents waiting to happen” when addressing fears on the repeat of the 2013 riots in Little India.
“I should not have used the phrase ‘walking time-bombs’ to describe congregations of high density,” she said in a posting on Facebook today.
“I personally get along very well with the foreign cleaners in my constituency. To them and the other foreign workers in our country, thank you for your help and please accept my sincere apology if I have caused you concern.”
There were mixed reactions to her apology on Twitter Friday:
Ms Denise Phua. I'm not impressed you get along with cleaners. That is not tantamount to knowledge. The fence, is around you #Parliament
— Anita Kapoor (@AnitaKapoor) April 8, 2016
I think Denise Phua has much to improve things for the disabled and I still support her for that, but not for her views re foreign workers
— Jiak Kantang Auntie (@why_vo) April 8, 2016
In parliament on Wednesday, Phua expressed concern that the crowds in area had returned to the pre-riot numbers.
“Congregations of such high density are walking time-bombs and public disorder incidents waiting to happen,” the Jalan Besar MP said in parliament.
“We want to protect our residents from the disamenities that arise from large gatherings of visitors, including foreign workers, in the communal areas, such as playgrounds, void decks and staircases.”
Police cars seen overturned after riots in Little India, Singapore in 2013. Pic: AP.
Phua’s speech had been criticized for having racist, prejudiced and xenophobic overtones.
The riot, which took place on December 2013, involved an angry mob of 300 foreign laborers who reacted to a fatal road accident near Race Course Road and Hampshire Road in Little India.
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