The following is an excerpt from Singapore Notes
It would appear that something tragic has to take place, before the authorities in Singapore will act on safety measures. Try explaining that to the parents of Indonesian student William Lim, who fell into a open drain because a protective barrier was not installed.
Assistant director of PUB’s waterways department Choy Wai Kwong acknowledged he was aware the Mandalay Road stretch was the lowest point in the area. Despite the many instances of flash flooding across the island during the past year, the national water agency had scheduled plans to cover the exposed drains only by the first quarter of next year. It was not exactly the type of complicated public works undertaking that necessitated a call for tender and evaluation of bids.
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