RACIST BACKLASH OVER AIR INDIA INVESTMENT
News that Air India is seeking fresh equity from shareholders, including SIA, has sparked a new wave of “anti-Indian, racist ranting” online, such as “references to snakes, curry, prata, black magic,” Mr Shanmugam said.
An “online mob” has also attacked various parties, including the CEO and senior management of Temasek, over their ethnicity. Temasek is the majority shareholder of Singapore Airlines and Mr Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara is Temasek’s CEO.
“It has been said that because the CEO is of Indian ethnicity, he would favour Air India. In the eyes of these people, the CEO’s sin is that he is of Indian ethnicity, even though he is as Singaporean as any of us, he was born here, studied here. That is nasty and libellous,” Mr Shanmugam said.
“But for this online mob, however, all of that, the facts don’t matter. What matters is their racism and their own prejudices. If we allow this, in future, everyone can be attacked for their decisions based on their ethnicities.
“These people should be unmasked and dealt with rather than be allowed to hide behind online anonymity.”
Singapore is not exempt from “latent racism”, Mr Shanmugam said, adding that authorities have taken a “tough line” to protect the country’s multiracial, multi-religious fabric and preserve social harmony.
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