In a lengthy commentary titled, “Past flood assumptions might not hold water” published in the Straits Times on 29 June 2010, journalist Grace Chua tried to downplay the significance of the flooding and shift the responsibility of preventing the flooding to Singaporeans. She wrote:
“If there were a severe flood, would Singaporeans be prepared? Would we be ready with a stock of clean drinking water, food, an emergency radio and first-aid supplies, or would we wait for someone to come to our rescue? The simplest thing Singaporeans can do, which will have a direct effect on the drainage system, is to stop littering. The public should not toss trash into drains or onto streets. A plastic cup or cigarette stub on the ground gets washed into the drainage system.”
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