E-Paper
Who are the 7 Indian workers Singapore President invited after sinkhole rescue?
7 Indian workers who saved a woman from a sinkhole in Singapore will meet the President. They were honoured with ACE Coins and backed by public donations.
Singapore President to meet Indian workers who rescued woman from sinkhole
The seven Indian migrant workers who rescued a woman from a car that fell into a sinkhole in Singapore last Saturday have been invited to meet President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at the Istana presidential palace.
The workers will attend the Istana Open House on Sunday, 3 August, along with other guests, Channel News Asia reported.
Who are the workers invited for the honour?
Those invited are site foreman Pitchai Udaiyappan Subbiah, 47, and his co-workers Velmurugan Muthusamy, 27, Poomalai Saravanan, 28, Ganesan Veerasekar, 32, Bose Ajithkumar, 26, Narayanasamy Mayakrishnan, 25, and Sathapillai Rajendran, 56.
The incident took place near a Public Utilities Board worksite on Tanjong Katong Road South, where a 16-metre-deep shaft was being constructed to link three sewer lines. Around 5.50 pm on Saturday, a concrete part inside the shaft failed, according to the national water agency. A sinkhole formed on the nearby road, and a car fell in.
Workers praised for saving woman from sinkhole
Subbiah and his colleagues used a rope to pull the woman out of the car within minutes. Their actions have been praised widely, including by President Tharman.
The president wrote on Facebook, “Bravo. Thanks to the migrant workers led by foreman Pitchai Udaiyappan Subbiah. They moved quickly and with courage.”
The President’s Office said, “There will be opportunities for interaction between the guests, including the migrant workers and the president, during the Istana open house.”
1,639 donors raise SGD72K for migrant workers: IRR
So far, 1,639 donors have raised SGD72,241 for the workers, according to a Facebook post by Its Raining Raincoats (IRR), a local charity that supports migrant workers.
“Thank you, Singapore, for your overwhelming kindness and generosity to the brave sinkhole rescue migrant worker heroes,” IRR wrote. The group added that the funds will be shared between the seven men and sent to their bank accounts.
“We will be hosting a meet and greet with these workers as soon as we are able to arrange it,” IRR said.
Workers honoured with ACE Coin for community support
The Ministry of Manpower’s Assurance, Care and Engagement Group has also commended the men. Each worker received the ACE Coin, which is given to migrant workers and volunteers who support the community.
“It is also awarded to migrant workers who demonstrate courage, initiative, or public spiritedness in times of need,” the ministry said.
(With inputs from PTI)
