Singapore leaders condemn anti-Indian racism after Nepal floods, SIA-Air India investment deal

New Delhi: Singapore’s prime minister and former premier have condemned a wave of racist online comments targeting the country’s Indian community, warning that prejudice must not be allowed to take root. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said an “uglier side” had emerged after flash floods on the Nepal-Tibet border left nine Singaporeans missing and after questions were raised about Singapore Airlines’ investment in Air India.

“Racist comments were made about Singaporeans who remain missing,” he wrote. “More recently, questions about SIA’s investment in Air India have been accompanied by anti-Indian abuse.” Wong said Singapore could and should have robust debate. “But we should never use seemingly legitimate arguments as a cover to fuel prejudice against any community or hostility towards foreigners.”

Such views “do not represent Singapore”, he added. “But neither can we dismiss them as harmless online chatter. If such behaviour goes unchecked, it can become normalised, deepen mistrust between communities, and pull us apart.”

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who served as prime minister from 2004 to 2024, said the country’s first response to the Nepal disaster should have been “compassion and solidarity”. “It is deeply troubling to see racist comments and hateful remarks directed at our Indian community in the wake of the tragedy,” he said. “It is equally troubling when legitimate issues for public discussion, like Singapore Airlines’ investment in Air India, are distorted or exploited to stir vicious racial, anti-Indian resentment.”

Lee said race and religion would “always be a fault line” in Singapore. “Human beings are not race blind. Singapore will always be vulnerable to these visceral and divisive pulls.” The comments follow remarks on Saturday by Senior Minister and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, who said police were investigating “shameful, nasty and totally unacceptable” posts, including those from overseas accounts.

Some comments about the missing Singaporeans suggested they were “not our own” or used a derogatory term for Indians. Criticism of the Air India investment included racial stereotypes and attacks on Temasek executives. The 26 August floods, triggered by a glacier collapse in the Himalayas, have killed more than 1,200 people.

Singapore has sent police specialists to help identify victims and provided humanitarian aid.

Wong said similar anti-foreigner and racial sentiments had surfaced during Covid-19, debates over a free-trade pact, and last year’s general election. “There will always be people who seek to exploit our differences,” he wrote. “How we respond is up to us.”

Both men invoked Singapore’s National Pledge. “We must never allow prejudice against any community to become accepted or normal in Singapore,” Wong said. Lee urged citizens to “reject hatred… and stand by one another regardless of race, language or religion.”