‘Offensive’ Singapore rap video by Preetipls attacking Chinese people sparks police probe
- The vulgarity-laced video was made by two rappers of Indian ethnicity in response to an ad on a government initiative that had caused outrage
- In the ad, an ethnic Chinese actor had his skin darkened to portray an Indian character and donned a headscarf to impersonate a Muslim Malay woman
The government – known for its assiduous management of race relations in the multiracial, Chinese majority city state – signalled it was deeply alarmed by the episode, with the law and home affairs minister K. Shanmugam issuing a sharply worded condemnation of the video produced by siblings Subhas and Preeti Nair.
Tongues were set wagging earlier on Tuesday after the Singapore Police Force said it had launched a probe over “offensive content” in the video, titled “K. Muthusamy”.
Shanmugam, speaking to local media, said he has asked the police to launch the probe.
He criticised the controversial advertisement that triggered the saga, but said the siblings’ video crossed a line.
“If we allow this then we have to allow other videos … what do you think will happen to our racial harmony [and] social fabric, how will people look at each other?” Shanmugam said.
“When you use four-letter words, vulgar language, attack another race, put it out in public, we have to draw the line and say not acceptable,” said the minister.