Singapore slams ‘xenophobia’, orders platforms to block posts targeting Indian community

Among over six million people residing in Singapore, seventy-five per cent are of Chinese origin, 15 per cent are Malay, and only 7 to 9 per cent are of Indian descent. 

The Singapore government Saturday ordered YouTube, Facebook, and X to block access to 14 posts that targeted the Indian community while “undermining” the country’s “model of multiculturalism”, news agency PTI reported.

The police issued disabling directions under the Online Criminal Harms Act (OCHA) to block the social media posts, which most likely originated from China, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) of Singapore said in a statement. The direction asked the platforms to “take all reasonable steps to disable access by Singapore users to these posts”.

According to the MHA, various social media posts, including videos, reportedly displaying Singapore’s “anxiety over its cultural identity” and “ethnic politics”, started circulating online in the Chinese domain in May. “Shortly thereafter, online content emerged containing inflammatory narratives about Singapore’s cultural diversity and suggesting that Singapore was being overrun by Indians,” the ministry said.

Among over six million people residing in Singapore, seventy-five per cent are of Chinese origin, 15 per cent are Malay, and only 7 to 9 per cent are of Indian descent.

Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong told the media that from what has been found so far, it is suspected that “the content originated from overseas”.

According to Channel News Asia report, a probe into the controversial content of these posts revealed that it originated likely from a China-based platform and subsequently spread to other websites as well. “These videos attack our multiracial society, and they try to divide people based on race. This, however, is not who we are. Every community in Singapore here is valued and everyone has an equal place,” the Channel quoted Tong as saying. “These videos strike at the very foundation of what makes Singapore home for all of us and they undermine the very basis of our society,” said Tong, who also serves as the Minister of Law.

The MHA issued a statement saying Singapore firmly opposes “nativism and xenophobia”. “Any attempt to pit one community against another here must be firmly rejected,” said the MHA. “These attacks coming from a foreign source are doubly unacceptable.”

Tong said the Singapore government does not tolerate narratives that seek to weaken the country’s racial harmony, “especially when it is propagated by foreigners”. Tong said that there is currently no evidence to suggest that this is a coordinated campaign by any government. Investigations have shown that the content was likely generated organically by various foreign netizens, he added. “I would say any country seeking to safeguard its social cohesion would agree with us that such content is unacceptable, and would take a similar stance to safeguard their own society,” the Channel quoted the minister as saying.

— with inputs from PTI

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The Singapore government Saturday ordered YouTube, Facebook, and X to block access to 14 posts that targeted the Indian community while “undermining” the country’s “model of multiculturalism”, news agency PTI reported.

The police issued disabling directions under the Online Criminal Harms Act (OCHA) to block the social media posts, which most likely originated from China, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) of Singapore said in a statement. The direction asked the platforms to “take all reasonable steps to disable access by Singapore users to these posts”.

According to the MHA, various social media posts, including videos, reportedly displaying Singapore’s “anxiety over its cultural identity” and “ethnic politics”, started circulating online in the Chinese domain in May. “Shortly thereafter, online content emerged containing inflammatory narratives about Singapore’s cultural diversity and suggesting that Singapore was being overrun by Indians,” the ministry said.

Among over six million people residing in Singapore, seventy-five per cent are of Chinese origin, 15 per cent are Malay, and only 7 to 9 per cent are of Indian descent.

Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong told the media that from what has been found so far, it is suspected that “the content originated from overseas”.

According to Channel News Asia report, a probe into the controversial content of these posts revealed that it originated likely from a China-based platform and subsequently spread to other websites as well. “These videos attack our multiracial society, and they try to divide people based on race. This, however, is not who we are. Every community in Singapore here is valued and everyone has an equal place,” the Channel quoted Tong as saying. “These videos strike at the very foundation of what makes Singapore home for all of us and they undermine the very basis of our society,” said Tong, who also serves as the Minister of Law.

The MHA issued a statement saying Singapore firmly opposes “nativism and xenophobia”. “Any attempt to pit one community against another here must be firmly rejected,” said the MHA. “These attacks coming from a foreign source are doubly unacceptable.”

Tong said the Singapore government does not tolerate narratives that seek to weaken the country’s racial harmony, “especially when it is propagated by foreigners”. Tong said that there is currently no evidence to suggest that this is a coordinated campaign by any government. Investigations have shown that the content was likely generated organically by various foreign netizens, he added. “I would say any country seeking to safeguard its social cohesion would agree with us that such content is unacceptable, and would take a similar stance to safeguard their own society,” the Channel quoted the minister as saying.

— with inputs from PTI