When full-time national serviceman, Prhabagaran, joined a Facebook discussion on the things parents do to frighten their children into behaving, he expected to be amused. However, some remarks about Indians made by someone called "Desmond Tan" offended him. Prhabagaran felt that what he wrote was racist. Desmond Tan posted on Facebook that parents made their children behave by making them afraid of Indians.
Prhabagaran made a police report on 31 January 2010. On 4 February 2010, police announced the arrest of three teenagers including Desmond Tan under the Sedition Act.
Racist remarks or comments are not tolerated in Singapore. Singapore is a multi-racial country. Making racist comments that are hateful, threatening, malicious or discriminating can lead to racial violence and threatened the stability of the country. In the 1960s, Singapore experienced racial riots due to racism. Many people were killed. To prevent such riots from happening, severe penalties are implemented.
I strongly feel that we should learn from this incident to respect people of all races. While we want to have freedom of speech, we must at all times measure our words. A wrong comment can have serious consequences.
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