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The sudden severe flood in Nepal on August 26 has deeply affected Singapore, thousands of miles away.
After this natural disaster, the Prime Minister and senior ministers of the country have said in a strict tone that prejudice against any community should not be allowed to flourish.
It is noteworthy that 1,355 people have been confirmed dead in the floods in Nepal while thousands of people are still missing.
The missing people also include citizens of many other countries, including Singapore.
About nine people from Singapore are involved in the sudden flood that started from the Nepal-Tibet border. Most of them are Singapore citizens of Indian origin.
The Prime Minister and senior ministers of Singapore had to issue a warning because of citizens of Indian origin and a Singapore Airlines.
what is the whole matter
After the disappearance of nine Singaporeans in Nepal, racist and xenophobic posts had surfaced on social media.
After this, the country's Home Minister K. Calling it 'shameful', Shanmugam had asked social media platforms to remove such comments.
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Shanmugam said, "The media told me that they had to remove many comments because they were so bad. I don't know whether all these comments were made by Singaporeans or not. But I must say that these comments are shameful, bad and not acceptable at all."
He said, "I have asked the police to investigate these comments."
Singapore-based news platform CNA reported that Shanmugam cited several examples of racist comments made online about missing Singaporeans.
He said the comments included "No, they are not our own", "I see only Indian faces here. Leave. Stop the rescue operation" and "Everyone looks the same, how will AI identify?"
However, Shanmugam also said that "Singaporeans, regardless of race, are generous. And it is important that we do not let a few people spoil the whole environment."
Hateful comments on Air India issue also
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Hateful comments about Indians are not limited to Nepal floods only but Air India has also entered into it.
Shanmugam said that the news that Air India was trying to raise new equity from shareholders (which includes Singapore Airlines) led to a new wave of "anti-India and racist statements" online.
He told that during this time, things like "snake, curry, paratha and black magic" are being said on social media.
According to CNA, comments regarding ethnicity were also made against Temasek's CEO and senior management on social media. Temasek is the largest shareholder of Singapore Airlines and Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara is the CEO of Temasek.
Shanmugam said, "It has been said that the CEO is of Indian origin, so he will favor Air India. In the eyes of these people, the CEO's crime is only that he is of Indian origin, whereas he is also a citizen of Singapore like any of us. This is very bad and insulting."
Last month, a report by news agency Reuters quoted sources as saying that Air India, just months after posting a record annual loss, is seeking additional help of US $ 1.5 billion from its owners Tata Sons and SIA.
An SIA spokesperson said last week that the board would "carefully consider any demand for additional capital from Air India, taking into account the group's other capital needs and Air India's business strategy."
What did the Singapore PM and former PM say?
Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong have also given statements regarding racial comments.
Current Prime Minister Lawrence Wong wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday that "We can and should debate vigorously. But we should never use sound arguments as an excuse to spread prejudice or xenophobia against any community."
He wrote that while such thinking may not reflect the reality of Singapore, it should not be dismissed as "small online conversation".
"If such behavior is not stopped, it could become the norm, increasing distrust between communities and driving us further apart," Wong wrote.
He also said that he had discussed the matter with his cabinet colleagues and that is why Shanmugam had spoken about it.
He said that the country's identity should be "open and inclusive of everyone".
"No matter what our background is, if we embrace our values and our lifestyle, we are part of this country," he said.
"This is what our National Pledge means, and I believe most Singaporeans share this sentiment."
Wong said that Singapore has faced such tensions before. He noted how xenophobic and racist sentiments had flared up during the COVID-19 pandemic, and during the debate on the Singapore-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA).
The country's former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong also wrote on Facebook, "The recent floods in Nepal have left many families in grief. My deepest condolences to those who have lost their loved ones and those who have been affected by this tragedy."
"At times like these, our attitude must be one of empathy and solidarity. It is very disturbing to see racist comments and hate speech against our Indian community after this tragedy."
Former Prime Minister Loong wrote, "There will always be attempts to incite racist prejudice and hatred. We strive for tolerance and respect between different races, but human beings cannot be completely indifferent to race. Singapore can always be affected by these deep and divisive sentiments."
"Race and religion can always be a source of discord in our society. Therefore, we must continue to work hard to strengthen our interactions and protect racial harmony."
