Singapore—There was confusion online after Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam in a speech in Parliament on Tuesday (May 11) deploring a hate crime challenged the opposition to take a stand on racism.
The minister said any member of Parliament who believes that CECA, the India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement, is the problem may put up a motion for debate.
The hate crime occurred last Friday (May 7) when a 55-year-old Singaporean-Indian woman was kicked in the chest and called racial slurs.
“If we go down this route, eventually all Indians can be a target of hate,” Mr Shanmugam was quoted by CNA as saying.Â
“This bad behaviour and open expression of racism – I invite all here to condemn. There have been several canards about CECA, promoted by a whispering campaign.”
He specifically addressed Mr Leong Mun Wai, a Non-Constituency MP from Progress Singapore Party, who had in the past called for a review of CECA.
“I am looking at you, Mr Leong. I invite you to put up a motion to debate CECA. You know that most of what is said about CECA is false.”
The NCMP clarified later that neither he nor the PSP is xenophobic, and said: “We are just stating the economic effects (that) some of these free trade agreements have had on our economy.”
Mr Leong added that he plans to take up the minister’s challenge to a debate at “an appropriate time in the future”. Â
As for the Workers’ Party chief, Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh, he also made it clear later that “There is no place for racism in Singapore – no ifs, no buts.”
Mr Shanmugam’s pivot from condemning racism to challenging the opposition left some netizens puzzled.
Many commented on a quote from the minister that was tweeted by Today Online and put up on the Wake Up, Singapore Facebook page.
“I hope responsible opposition parties will take a stand on this, notwithstanding that many of these sites which promote xenophobia support you,” Mr Shanmugam said. https://t.co/7Kn6iGzohT
— TODAY (@TODAYonline) May 11, 2021
The quote reads, “I hope responsible opposition parties will take a stand on this, notwithstanding that many of these sites that promote xenophobia support you.” Â
One commenter wrote, “Wt in the freaking world does the opposition party have to do with this racist attack?!?”
Another netizen seemed equally puzzled. “Why did he threw the ball to opposition party?” they wrote.
“They should tackle the problem openly instead of blaming all the people,” a netizen wrote.
Many others expressed similar sentiments.
One netizen used the word of the hour—umbrage—to express his opinion.Â
/TISG
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