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 … 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.
“I’ve decided to call out these people because you see what is happening in other countries. First, a minority says these nasty things; slowly it becomes normalised; then it becomes mainstream, and political and community leaders will say it,” he added.
“Public discourse is then debased. Social harmony is affected. Violence against people of a different skin colour and different religion becomes acceptable.”
Racist comments, particularly against Indians in Singapore, have grown more frequent of late, with some originating and “fanned from overseas”, Mr Shanmugam said.
“We are a very small multiracial, multi-ethnic country. If we are divided along racial or religious lines, we will lose the unity that has made Singapore strong. There will be feelings of ill-will, suspicion, and we will all suffer,” he added.
“We should not tolerate this. This is not who we are as Singaporeans.”
TEMASEK’S ROLE IN SIA’S DECISIONS
A Reuters report last month cited sources as saying that Air India is seeking a further US$1.5 billion in support from owners Tata Sons and SIA, just months after it posted a record annual loss.
An SIA spokesperson said last week that the board would “carefully consider any requests for additional capital from Air India, taking into consideration the group’s other capital requirements and Air India’s business strategy”.
Workers’ Party MP Kenneth Tiong said in a Facebook post on Aug 26 that he would not support nor expect any future use of Temasek’s funds to “prop up Air India via Singapore Airlines”.
Whether it is SIA or Temasek that “writes the cheque”, there will be a “significant impact” on Temasek, he wrote.
“No one, least of all Singaporeans, owes Air India a living … If Singapore Airlines wants to continue its bet on Air India, it should do so on its own two feet, and not on Temasek’s.”