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SINGAPORE \u2013 Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth Dinesh Vasu Dash and Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC MP Alex Yam have urged Singaporeans to show compassion for the victims of last week\u2019s Nepal-Tibet disaster<\/span><\/a> and their loved ones and to unite in the face of the tragedy.<\/p>\n Both also called out comments questioning whether the nine Singaporeans reported missing<\/span><\/a> in the Aug 26 incident were \u201creally Singaporean\u201d.<\/p>\n In a Facebook post on Aug 31, Yam called the glacial flood that struck the Himalayan border between Nepal and Tibet a \u201cterrible tragedy\u201d and listed the names of the Singaporeans who are still unaccounted for.<\/p>\n They are Estee Loeh, Ghosh Aditi, Ng Kit Kuen, Rajesvaran Ayyavoo, Rengarajan Prabu, Shalinny Deavy Elan Sozan, Shubakshi Rawla, Subramaniam Diraviam and Sumit Rawla.<\/p>\n Yam said that while scrolling through the online comments about the disaster, he found something else equally difficult to stomach.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile families wait desperately for news of their loved ones, a loud minority of people apparently looked at the names and faces of those missing and decided that this was the moment to ask whether they were really Singaporean,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n He added that some had said they hoped that people would remain stranded or die, while others had also questioned why the authorities should help these Singapore citizens.<\/p>\n Yam said people can have arguments over immigration, citizenship policies and integration, but this was not the time and place for that.<\/p>\n \u201cNot now. Not over people who may have lost their lives, while their children and loved ones are waiting for news,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou do not have to know someone to have compassion for them. You do not have to share their ancestry to pray for their safety. And you certainly do not have to diminish someone else\u2019s Singaporeanness to prove your own.\u201d<\/p>\n Some of the comments are not just racist but are downright heartless, Yam said, adding that \u201cwe can be better than this\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cMay we remember that before race, nationality or politics, there are frightened families hoping that someone they love comes home. And I pray we never become so angry with one another that we lose the ability to simply be human.\u201d<\/p>\n Dinesh, who is also Minister of State for Manpower, agreed, telling The Straits Times: \u201cAt a moment like this, our first response must be humanity. Every missing person is someone\u2019s parent, spouse, child, sibling or friend.<\/p>\n \u201cLet us be clear: Using a person\u2019s name, race or appearance to question whether that person is truly Singaporean is racism. It is wrong, and it must be called out.\u201d<\/p>\n More than 900 people have been killed and nearly 5,000 are missing<\/span><\/a> after a glacier collapse unleashed a catastrophic mudslide across the Himalayas on Aug 26.<\/p>\n