4 SMRT bus drivers charged with instigating illegal strike

Four SMRT drivers from China have been charged with instigating an illegal strike involving fellow drivers at Woodlands dormitory on Monday and Tuesday. 

The four are: He Jun Ling, 32; Gao Yue Qiang, also 32; Liu Xiangying, 33 and Wang Xianjie, 39. 

They're accused of engaging in a conspiracy to instigate the drivers to take part in the strike. 

If convicted, each of them may be fined up to $2,000 or jailed 12 months. 

The offences are not bailable under the statute, and they will be remanded for a week at Central Police Station. 

One of the four accused, He Jun Ling, faces an additional charge of making an online post about the strike. 

He is accused of calling his fellow drivers to "take action" in a post he wrote in Chinese on website Baidu, 

He allegedly called the drivers to "go on MC together tomorrow, 26, Monday and 27, Tuesday." 

He allegedly said if a few hundred bus drivers did not report for work for a few days, there would be public outcry in Singapore. 

And the Land Transport Authority would then have to start questioning SMRT. 

He allegedly said the matter concerns the interest of everybody, and everyone should take part in the action. 

MediaCorp asked the Attorney-General's Chambers if more drivers will be charged over the next few days. 

In response, an AGC spokesperson said police are still investigating. 

On Monday, 171 bus drivers took part in the strike, while 88 continued with the strike on Tuesday. 

On Wednesday, 20 SMRT bus drivers were called in by police to help with investigations. 

Representatives from the Chinese embassy were seen Subordinate Courts but declined to comment on the case.