Its one thing for riot police to clamp down on a bunch of unarmed, peaceful opposition supporters, and an entirely different thing when they are tasked with a mob of 400 bloodthirsty ah neh who overturn mata chia and burn ambulances. The shit got serious, and they are not up to it. Thats why take so long to gather a strong response to put down the riot. Even the Gurkhas think SG is a cushy posting, the brits send em to afghan, singapore send them to jog around mt vernon.
Seriously the riot police have it easy in SG. Imagine 100,000 strong mobs like our northern neighbours, i think 24 hrs later, the ambulance still burning.