Sungei Road Market Chairman gets a midnight visit by police to investigate threatening letter sent DPM Tharman
Mr Koh Eng Khoon, chairman of the Association for the Recycling of Second Hand Goods who has been widely known in Singapore over the past few months of campaigning for the survival of the Sungei Road Second-hand Market, is being investigated by the police under the suspicion that he sent a threatening letter to Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam. Midnight visit and ransacking of flat According to Mr Koh, the police knocked on his door around midnight on 27 April (Thursday) to look for him. The police were in plainclothes and claimed to be from the Central Police Division Initially speaking at the door as they presented no arrest or search warrant, the police officers asked if he sent a threatening letter to the DPM. He denied any knowledge of the matter When Mr Koh asked to clarify on the letter, the police officers declined to reveal the content of the letter. But only noted that there were pieces of hell money sent along with the letter and that his name was on the letter. As the police officers noted to Mr Koh that the letter had no signature, he argued that all letters that have been sent by him to the Prime Minister, Members of Parliament and other agencies had signatures on them. As Mr Koh does not understand English, the Malay inspector spoke through the Chinese police officer to ask questions. Throughout the questioning, Mr Koh was continually asked if he understood what offence has he committed by sending the letter to the DPM. The police officers also asked Mr Koh to stand and pose at his door for them to take a photo of him, and asked to take a look at his mobile phone. When the police officers were handed his phone, they looked through all the messages and asked about the video which he gave a speech about the treatment of vendors at the Sungei Road Market. The police asked who helped to take the video for him which he answered truthfully that it was taken by Terry Xu (the writer of this article), The Online Citizen (TOC) and handed over the contact number of the videographer. The police then proceeded told Mr Koh that his phone will be confiscated by the police for the purpose of investigation and was handed a police receipt for the phone. (attached at end of report) After the questioning, the Chinese officer told Mr Koh that his superior would like to enter the house, to which Mr Koh approved. Mr Koh said, "I have nothing to be afraid of, since I did not do anything wrong." Mr Koh then had his one-room flat in Circuit Road ransacked by the police, going through his cupboards, paper documents and etc. Photos of his flat were also taken by the police. The police officers specially asked for a copy of the letter written to the Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in 2015/16 from Mr Koh, but he was unable to provide as the letter was kept with the association's secretary. According to Mr Koh, he handed the number of the secretary to the officers and asked them to contact him if they really want the letter. According to Mr Koh, the police officers eventually left his house at around 1 plus on Friday morning (28 April). Threatening letter to Prime Minister and other MPs According to TODAY Online, it also received a copy of the letter. But it stated that the letter was sent to the Prime Minister and others, not just DPM Tharman. It also published the photo of the letter along with the accompanying hell notes. The newspaper noted that the letter was handwritten and addressed to "PM Lee Hsien Loong and the other MPs" expressing anger that the Sungei Road flea market will not be relocated. TODAY also reported that the letter wrote, "Don't forget the 200 people and supporters. We only ask for this place. That's not much," and it was signed off by "Koh Eng Khoon (Friend)".
