Prime Minister Lawrence Wong of Singapore expressed concern over the normalisation of prejudice against persons of Indian origin in light of racist posts on social media, following incidents related to a disaster in Nepal and Singapore Airlines' investment in Air India.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong spoke out against online abuse targeting persons of Indian origin, following 'nasty and racist' posts that had been directed at Singaporeans of Indian ethnicity and Indians in general, including the CEO of state-owned investment firm Temasek. The comments came a day after Singaporean Home Minister K Shanmugam stated that the police were investigating these online posts.
Wong expressed concern that an 'uglier side' had emerged in online discussions about two matters – some of the missing Singaporeans during a disaster in Nepal and Singaporean national airline's 25% stake in Air India. He emphasised that while robust debates are allowed, they should not be used as a cover to fuel prejudice against any community or hostility towards foreigners.
Wong noted that anti-foreigner and racial sentiments have been stirred up during the COVID-19 pandemic, debates about the Singapore-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement, and in anticipation of the 2025 general election in Singapore. Wong encouraged citizens to reject such views and refuse them more space or legitimacy.
In June, the Singaporean government ordered social media platforms to block 14 posts that targeted the Indian community, with claims suggesting the island nation was being overrun by Indians.
Source:
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