Agencies combing CCTV footage of NYE gathering at Clarke Quay: Lawrence Wong
SINGAPORE — Enforcement agencies are combing through CCTV footage of the spontaneous New Year's Eve gathering at Clarke Quay, and different individuals will be called in for "interviews", said Finance Minister Lawrence Wong on Wednesday (5 January).
Enforcement actions will be taken against those deemed to have breached COVID-19 safe management rules, added the co-chair of the multi-ministry task force on COVID-19 (MTF).
Speaking to reporters at a virtual media briefing, Wong noted that the crowd "got caught up in the moment" and soon swelled to more than a hundred. "I can understand why people are keen to celebrate the New Year, but such actions are not acceptable, especially when we are still in the midst of a pandemic."
According to media reports that cited eyewitnesses, the crowd grew too large for police officers on the scene to control. Wong did not address whether sufficient numbers of enforcement officers had been deployed on the final day of 2021 at Clarke Quay, a popular spot for partygoers.
On Monday, the MTF issued a statement on the incident, calling it a "potential superspreading event". Agencies are investigating the matter, it said.
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