SINGAPORE: The police are investigating a threatening letter sent to Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam (pic).

“The police confirm that reports have been lodged. We are unable to comment further as investigations are ongoing,” Singapore Police Force said in response to queries from The Straits Times.

ST understands that the letter, addressed to DPM Tharman, was written in English and had two hell notes attached to it. The letter was apparently sent by someone named “Eng Khoon Koh”.

The one-room Macpherson flat of Koh Eng Khoon, the president of the Association for the Recycling of Second Hand Goods’ at Sungei Road flea market, was subsequently raided at midnight on Friday.

Speaking to The Straits Times in Mandarin, Koh, 76, whom friends refer to as “Ah Koon”, said two plain-clothed police officers, who said they were from the Central Police Division, raided his home while his wife, cleaner Sim Ah Moi, 72, had been sleeping.

Koh, who denies any involvement, said: “I was shocked. I couldn’t understand who would want to sabotage me and use my name.

“The police took photos, searched my things and opened my cupboards. They asked if I knew how to write in English but I don’t. I didn’t even know about the existence of such a letter.”

Koh had started a petition in late February urging the authorities to allocate an alternative or temporary site to allow Sungei Road market’s vendors to continue their business so local heritage can live on. He has gathered about 4,000 signatures to date.

The market’s last day will be on July 10 after the authorities announced in February that the free hawking zone will be making way for future residential developments.

Koh said that he has only “requested” the Government to designate an alternative site for the market.

His phone was also confiscated.

On Friday afternoon, Koh said he attempted to make a police report of his own on the matter. ST understands his statement was taken down. “I told them to please investigate and to clear my name,” he said.

Koh’s association, which represents about 70 of 200 vendors at the flea market, was established in 2012.

The authorities have reiterated that the market will not be relocating even as a new group, Save Sungei Road Market, is petitioning to get the issue heard again in Parliament.

It added, categorically, that the market will not be relocated. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network