Commentary: ‘Shameful’ racist comments after Nepal disaster should never become normal in Singapore
Most Singaporeans reject the idea that race decides who belongs. But hateful views held by a minority become dangerous the moment the majority stops objecting to them, say Mathew Mathews, Teo Kay Key and Melvin Tay from the Institute of Policy Studies.
Singaporeans, by and large, reject the notion that race determines who belongs in the country. However, when a minority harbours hate speech, it can become dangerous when the majority remains silent, warn analysts from the Institute of Policy Studies. As families anxiously awaited news of nine missing Singaporeans after the Nepal floods, some questioned their race and nationality online.
Responses were particularly vile. Senior Minister K Shanmugam condemned these remarks as "shameful, nasty and totally unacceptable," adding that the police were investigating them. However, he cautioned that a small group of individuals should not be allowed to "poison the entire well" of community relations. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and other political leaders have also urged Singaporeans to reject such hateful views.
While polling by the IPS shows that the displayed racism is not representative of the wider population, the issue remains concerning. The deeper problem is that some individuals are presumed to belong or must prove their citizenship based on their race. This is unacceptable, even if some Singaporeans may have concerns about immigration, employment competition, housing, and other factors.
Written by urgent.news from Channel News Asia's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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