Singapore’s top leadership, including Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, has issued strong statements following racist comments that reportedly surfaced online after the deadly Nepal-Tibet flash floods and the Singapore Airlines-Air India partnership.
Speaking to the media, Singapore’s home minister K Shanmugam said, “There is news that Air India will seek fresh equity from shareholders like Singapore Airlines. Some of them have originated and have been fanned from overseas,” Shanmugam said. That has given rise to anti-Indian racist ranting online. For example, references to snakes, curry, black magic and parathas. Furthermore, the minister emphasised that overseas social media accounts are fanning racism against Indians in Singapore. “It is noticeable that of late, there have been more racist comments, particularly when it comes to Indians in Singapore. “We are a very small, multiracial, multi-ethnic country. If we are divided along racial or religious lines, we will lose the unity that has made Singapore strong. There will be feelings of ill will, suspicion,” he added.
Police investigation into racist comments online
Singapore has a population of over six million, comprising roughly 75 percent Chinese, 15 percent Malays, 9 percent Indians, and other nationalities, according to news agency PTI. Because they were so nasty, “The media tells me that they had to remove several comments. My deepest condolences go to all those who have lost loved ones, and to everyone affected by this tragedy.
This comes after Shanmugam had earlier said that officials are investigating “shameful” racist online comments about the Nepal-Tibet disaster and Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) investment in Air India. The senior minister condemned the remarks as “shameful, nasty, and totally unacceptable,” noting that media outlets had to pull down several comments. Furthermore, Wong warned that these toxic sentiments cannot simply be dismissed as “harmless online chatter”. But we should never use seemingly legitimate arguments as a cover to fuel prejudice against any community or hostility towards foreigners,” he said. “It is equally troubling when legitimate issues for public discussion — like Singapore Airlines’ investment in Air India — are distorted or exploited to stir vicious racial, anti-Indian resentment,” the leader added. It is at times like this that we realise the full meaning of the words of the National Pledge, and how important it is for us to make every effort to live up to these ideals,” he said. Earlier reporting noted: Authorities in Singapore have launched an investigation after “racist and xenophobic” remarks, directed at people of Indian origin, surfaced on social media last week. Racist comments surfaced online in response to the August 26 flash floods near Nepal-Tibet, in which nine Singaporeans are among the missing, while comments about Singapore Airlines’ investment in Air India were “accompanied by anti-Indian abuse,” Singapore Senior Minister K Shanmugam said. Earlier reporting noted: Shanmugam said police are investigating “shameful” and “totally unacceptable” comments posted online.
I don’t know if all the comments are all made by Singaporeans. But I will say this – the comments are shameful, nasty, totally unacceptable,” Channel News Asia quoted Shanmugam as saying. He added, “I have asked police to look into these comments. “Unfortunately, we have seen an uglier side emerge online. After the devastating floods in Nepal, racist comments were made about Singaporeans who remain missing. More recently, questions about SIA’s investment in Air India have been accompanied by anti-Indian abuse,” Wong noted. “We can and should have robust debates. “These views do not represent Singapore. But neither can we dismiss them as harmless online chatter. If such behaviour goes unchecked, it can become normalised, deepen mistrust between communities, and pull us apart,” the leader added. Singapore’s senior minister Lee Hsien Loong termed the anti-Indian abuse as “deeply troubling. Extending his condolences to families grieving losses from the devastating floods, he stated that disasters call for compassion and solidarity. “The recent floods in Nepal have left many families grieving. At times like this, our response should be compassion and solidarity. It is deeply troubling to see racist comments and hateful remarks directed at our Indian community in the wake of the tragedy,” the post read. “Let us all reject hatred, support those who are mourning, and stand by one another regardless of race, language or religion.
Earlier reporting noted: Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong reacted to the online abuse against Indians, saying the country must never allow prejudice against any community to become accepted or normalised.
