Business

Singapore PM Wong warns against normalising racism

By Sohail Khan 8 September 2026, 8:59 am

Benchmarks
Nifty23,779.15-118.55

Precious Metal
Gold (MCX) (Rs/10g.)152,750.00-17.0

Enter search text:

Business News›News›India›Singapore PM Wong warns against normalising racism after anti-Indian abuse online

Read Today's Paper

Singapore PM Wong warns against normalising racism after anti-Indian abuse online
Synopsis

Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has condemned rising online prejudice. Racist comments targeted flood victims and anti-Indian abuse accompanied business news. He warned that unchecked prejudice can normalize and deepen mistrust between communities. Former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong also urged Singaporeans to stand together. Police are investigating these unacceptable racist and xenophobic online posts.

Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong visits Thailand — Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has condemned rising online prejudice. Racist comments targeted flood victims and anti-Indian abuse accompanied business news.

Singapore must never allow prejudice against any community to become accepted or normalised, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Sunday, days after racist and xenophobic comments appeared online about the Nepal-Tibet flash floods disaster and the Singapore Airlines-Air India partnership.

"We can and should have robust debates. But we should never use seemingly legitimate arguments as a cover to fuel prejudice against any community or hostility towards foreigners," the Channel News Asia quoted Wong as saying.

Wong said that "an uglier side" had emerged in online discussions about the two matters.

Racist comments surfaced online targeting some of the nine Singaporeans missing in the Nepal-Tibet disaster, while questions about SIA's investment in Air India were "accompanied by anti-Indian abuse", he said.

While such views do not represent Singapore, they should not be dismissed as "harmless”

"If such behaviour goes unchecked, it can become normalised, deepen mistrust between communities, and pull us apart," PM Wong said.

Wong said that Singapore had encountered similar tensions before, pointing to how “anti-foreigner” and “racial sentiments” were stirred up during the COVID-19 pandemic and surfaced during debates over the Singapore-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement.

Such sentiments also surfaced during the 2025 general election, when Mr. Wong spoke out against attempts to bring race and religion into politics.

"There will always be people who seek to exploit our differences," Wong said.

“We can reject such views, and refuse to give them more space or legitimacy.” "Singapore has held together because we have consistently rejected attempts to divide us along racial or religious lines, and chosen instead to recognise one another as fellow Singaporeans," said the Prime Minister.

Former Prime Minister and now a Senior Minister in the Cabinet, Lee Hsien Loong, on Sunday (September 6) also called on Singaporeans to "stand by one another regardless of race, language or religion".

In a Facebook post, Lee described racist comments directed at the Indian community in Singapore following the recent floods in Nepal as "deeply troubling".

He added that it was "equally troubling" when issues such as SIA's investment in Air India were "distorted or exploited to stir vicious racial, anti-Indian resentment".

The Prime Minister’s remarks come a day after Singapore Senior Minister K. Shanmugam said police are investigating “shameful” and “totally unacceptable” racist and xenophobic comments posted online about the Nepal-Tibet flood disaster and Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) investment in Air India.

Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source
Add Now!

(You can now subscribe to our WhatsApp channel)

(You can now subscribe to our WhatsApp channel)

Read More News on
Singapore PM Wongracism in SingaporeSingapore Airlines Air India

Enter search text:

Continue reading with one of these options:
Limited Access
Free
Login to get access to some exclusive stories

& personalised newsletters
Login Now

Unlimited Access
Starting @ Rs120/month
Get access to exclusive stories, expert opinions &

in-depth stock reports
Subscribe Now

Unlock Access to All Exclusives with ETPrime FREE TRIAL

15 Days Free: Unlock All ETPrime Exclusives, Market Tools & ePapers

Trial offer expiring in00 : 05 : 00

I'd rather pay ₹2599 now

Uh-oh! This is an exclusive story available for selected readers only.

Worry not. You’re just a step away.

Prime Account Detected!

It seems like you're already an ETPrime member with

Log out of your current logged-in account and log in again using your ET Prime credentials to enjoy all member benefits.

Unlock ETPrime's Exclusive Stories Today!

Subscribe to gain powerful insights on business, stock market and industry trends.

Big Price Drop! Flat 40% Off

Student Only Offer

Already a Member? Sign In now

Already a Member? Sign In now
Already a Member? Sign In now

Offer Exclusively For You

Save up to Rs. 700/-

ON ET PRIME MEMBERSHIP

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get 1 Year Free

With 1 and 2-Year ET prime membership

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get 1 Year Free

With 1 and 2-Year ET prime membership

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get Flat 40% Off

Then ₹ 1749 for 1 year

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

ET Prime at ₹ 49 for 1 month

Then ₹ 1749 for 1 year

Avail Offer

Special Offer

Get flat 40% off on ETPrime

Avail Offer
Avail Offer

Claim NowAlready a Member? Sign In now

Need Assistance?

Connect with an ETPrime expert for personalized support and guidance

+91 9484700004

' + h3 + '

' + h4 + '

' + listing + '

What’s Included with

ETPrime Membership

1Exclusive Insights That Matter

Uncover the truth with our investigative stories

Make strategic moves using the real-world case studies

Read industry-specific stories to identify emerging trends

Spot opportunities with in-depth insights that matter

Trump temper on H-1B visas is forcing Indians to do these things to stay put in US

What Adani’s US indictment means for India Inc’s overseas fundraising
Why veterans like Reliance, L&T are on acquisition spree? Aswath Damodaran has an answer.

Will China’s dollar bond sale in Saudi Arabia trump the US in financial world?
Huawei launches its own OS to compete with Google and Apple. But can it win beyond China?

The problem with lab grown diamonds
Why a falling rupee is a better option for the economy

A list of top 20 momentum stocks that have delivered massive returns in one year