Tanjong Katong sinkhole: President Tharman thanks migrant workers for saving driver who fell in

Amidst the National Day festivities at the Istana open house, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam met with the seven migrant workers who helped to save the woman who fell into the Tanjong Katong sinkhole on July 26.

The seven workers and their project manager, who work for Ohin Construction, were invited to the Istana's National Day open house on Sunday (Aug 3).

President Tharman, accompanied by his wife Jane Ittogi, walked up to the workers and greeted them warmly while shaking their hands.

As he chatted with them outside his office, he was heard saying: "You saved her life, thank you."

He also wished the workers well. 

After the interaction, each of the workers received a memento — a pen bearing the presidential crest which is typically given to guests of the president as a keepsake — of their visit to the Istana, according to the President's Office.

Speaking to the media at the Istana, construction site foreman Pitchai Udaiyappan Subbiah said that the most rewarding aspect of the incident was successfully rescuing a life, reported Tamil Murasu.

"Because of us, a family is safe and happy, (which) makes us very glad," 46-year-old Subbiah said in Tamil. 

"The recognition we have received is more than enough."

In addition to Subbaiah, the other workers involved in the rescue were: Excavator operator Sathapillai Rajendran, 56, Anbazhagan Velmurugan, 26, Poomalai Saravanan, 28, Ganesan Veerasekar, 32, Bose Ajithkumar, 26, and Arumugam Chandirasekaran, 47.

Sathapillai told media that the President had asked the workers how they rescued the driver using a rope, reported CNA.

"I'm just very happy she is okay," he said, adding that he hopes more people will step forward to help others in times of need, reported The Straits Times.

President Tharman also met 11 men involved in a rescue during a fire at a River Valley shophouse in April. 

They had used scaffolding from a nearby construction site to rescue children who were stranded on a third-storey ledge due to the blaze.

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bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com