SINGAPORE: A recent post on the Chinese social media platform “Little Red Book” has ignited a wave of outrage among Singaporeans, as a new citizen was seen holding up his Singapore passport while professing his love and loyalty towards his home country, China.
The new citizen, who goes by the username “Singapore – Little Dragon Brother” said in Chinese: “A villager from the farm! Successfully received Singapore citizenship after 4 years!” Inserting an emoji of the flag of China, he added, “Heart always belongs to China.”
The post quickly sparked an uproar on social media by Singaporeans who found the new citizen’s sentiments disrespectful and offensive. A number of citizens questioned whether the man obtained Singaporean citizenship primarily due to the attractiveness of the country’s powerful passport, rather than any genuine attachment to the nation.
Numerous individuals have taken to social media platforms and online forums to express their displeasure. Asserting that individuals should embrace the values, culture, and principles if they are given citizenship, one netizen said: “If you take up Singapore citizenship, it is ridiculous after getting your passport to say that your heart is not here.”
The controversy has also led to calls for the Singapore Government to reconsider the individual’s citizenship status, on the basis that his behaviour undermines the integrity of the citizenship process and disrespects the nation’s identity.
Some online have also raised the hypothetical scenario of reversed roles – what if a Singaporean had made similar remarks about China after obtaining Chinese citizenship?
Critics argue that such an individual might be accused of treason by the Chinese government and face severe consequences, highlighting a potential double standard. One netizen said, “If the reverse happened, this would be seen as treason by China people. Maybe they (the Chinese government) might even catch him and shoot him.”