Little India riot: Be discerning in face of untruths

SINGAPORE- Singaporeans usually take a pragmatic approach to dealing with crises, and the Little India riot is no exception ("Most remain calm and call for restraint"; yesterday).

The fact that the riot was nipped in the bud is testimony to the good work of our police and security personnel; the public display of goodwill and civility also played a pivotal role.

As expected, xenophobia has reared its ugly head, but as a peace-loving and harmonious society, we should not be swayed by racist slurs.

Given our well-known reputation as a peaceful and law-abiding nation, there are undesirable elements that want to destroy the fabric of our society.

We must also guard against foreign news media platforms that had a field day reporting the riot; some had no qualms about reporting half-truths and distorting the facts.

In short, we must be more discerning in what we read and hear, and more importantly, be capable of viewing things in perspective.

Jeffrey Law Lee Beng

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