Singapore must never allow prejudice against any community to become accepted or normalised: PM Wong

SINGAPORE - There will always be people who seek to exploit Singapore’s differences, but how the country responds is up to Singaporeans, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

While not every hateful comment online can be stopped, “we can reject such views, and refuse to give them more space or legitimacy”, he added.

Singapore has held together because it has consistently rejected attempts to divide it along racial or religious lines, and chosen instead to recognise one another as fellow Singaporeans, he said in a post on Facebook on Sept 6.

“We must keep making that choice,” he said as he urged Singaporeans to hold fast to the ideals of the National Pledge - “regardless of race, language or religion”.

He was addressing anti-Indian comments that have emerged online following the devastating floods in Nepal in which nine Singaporeans remain missing. Such comments also came up over SIA’s investment in Air India.

PM Wong said while Singapore can and should have robust debates, seemingly legitimate arguments should not be used as a cover to fuel prejudice against any community or hostility towards foreigners.

“We should be clear about the distinction.”

He said: “These views do not represent Singapore. 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.”

That is why he discussed the developments with his Cabinet colleagues and Senior Minister K. Shanmugam spoke about it on Sept 5, said PM Wong.

Shanmugam had told the media that the police are looking into the racist and xenophobic comments.

He said some of these comments have been “shameful, nasty and totally unacceptable”, with references to snakes, curry, prata, black magic and other racist stereotypes.

The Ministry of Digital Development and Information will also ask platforms to take such comments down as they are in breach of guidelines, he added.

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong similarly spoke out against such comments on Sept 6, saying they were deeply troubling and urging Singaporeans to “reject hatred”.

PM Wong noted that the emergence of such online comments are not new, with anti-foreigner and racial sentiments stirred up during the Covid-19 pandemic and in debates over the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement between Singapore and India. They also surfaced during the 2025 General Election, where he spoke out against attempts to bring race and religion into politics.

Singapore’s identity must remain open and inclusive, said PM Wong.

“Whatever our background, if we embrace our values and way of life, we are part of this nation. This is what our National Pledge stands for, and I believe the vast majority of Singaporeans share this view,” he said.

“We must never allow prejudice against any community to become accepted or normal in Singapore.”