Ex-NMP calls out Singaporeans who accept local Indians but discriminate against ‘Cecas’

SINGAPORE: There has been much chatter online in the wake of content targeting the Indian community getting blocked upon directions from the Singapore Police Force on June 6.

Former Nominated Member of Parliament Calvin Cheng, however, also called out a different kind of racism: one that tolerates “local Indians” but discriminates against more recent arrivals.

The context

Law Minister and Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong announced that the Police issued Disabling Directions under the Online Criminal Harms Act to deal with the content circulating on YouTube, Facebook, and X, requiring the platforms to disable access by Singapore users to these posts.

Mr Tong told members of the media that the content was likely to have come from overseas, and CNA reported that they are believed to have originated from a platform based in China.

“These videos attack our multi-racial society and try to divide people based on race. This, however, is not who we are. Every community in Singapore is valued, and everyone has an equal place,” the minister said, adding, “We don’t tolerate narratives which undermine the racial harmony that we enjoy and work so hard to protect.”

He also called on Singaporeans to be more discerning.

Why the “CECA” excuse doesn’t hold up

In a June 8 (Monday) post, Mr Cheng wrote that he had seen many racist remarks on social media against people from India.

“These people – vast majority of whom are Singaporean Chinese – try to excuse themselves by saying they are ok with local Indians. Just not what they call ‘ceca’ s,” he wrote, adding, “What rubbish.”

The India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) is a 2005 trade agreement between Singapore and India, carried out for the purpose of strengthening bilateral trade.

However, some Singaporeans have been vocal against CECA, especially in recent years, mainly due to concerns over local talent losing out on job opportunities.

Mr Cheng pointed out that there are neighbourhoods where there are many Caucasians, such as Tanglin and Holland Village. While this has been the situation for years, he asked if people complain or remark on it.

If nine out of 10 of them were Indian, there would have been an uproar, he wrote, adding that people should not “dress up racism as something else.”

“Chinese people have always been notoriously prejudiced towards dark-skinned people. Even now in China, if you go to Guangzhou, you will see racism against Africans doing trade there. 

Even the comments about businesses with predominantly mainland Indians. There are similar Western companies with majority white people. Do we see the same level of attacks? No.  So let’s call out this BS and stop this ceca nonsense, please,” he wrote.

What commenters are saying

The comments on Mr Cheng’s post have been mixed, with some agreeing with him while others were offended at his remarks.

Several commented along the lines of “there is a big difference between India Indians and local Indians,” while others aimed CECA itself.

“This is really a nationality issue, not a race issue,” a Facebook user wrote.

“As a third-generation Indian Singaporean, I can assure u this isn’t about race. There are bound to be differences between those from developed vs developing nations,” added another. /TISG

Read related: CECA 101: TISG answers your FAQs on the trade agreement between Singapore and India