Indian-origin rapper in Singapore to be charged for promoting ill will between religious, ethnic groups

The Singapore Police Force has listed four incidents involving the 29-year-old, who had been conditionally warned in 2019 for publishing a 'racially-charged' rap video

Singapore's Indian-origin rapper Subhas Nair will be charged next Monday with four counts of attempting to promote feelings of ill will between different groups on grounds of religion and race, according to reports.

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) has listed four incidents involving the 29-year-old, who had been conditionally warned in 2019 for publishing a "racially-charged" rap video attempting to promote feelings of ill will between the Chinese and other races, according to a Channel News Asia report on Thursday.

On July 25, 2020, Nair had posted comments on his social media account in response to a video of Chinese Christians who had made hateful remarks against another community.

He allegedly said that Malay Muslims who make the same hateful comments would be treated differently by the authorities compared to the Chinese Christians, the report cited the authorities as saying.

In another incident on October 15, 2020, Nair was alleged to have attempted to promote feelings of ill will between Chinese and Indians by claiming that a Chinese suspect involved in the July 2, 2019 murder of an Indian man at Orchard Towers, in the hotel belt of Singapore's renowned Orchard Road, received lenient treatment by the authorities by virtue of his race.

On March 11, while already under police investigations in connection with the post on October 15, 2020, Nair exhibited a cartoon drawing of the same during an indoor stage performance "to promote feelings of ill will between Chinese and Indians", the police alleged.

The rap video in question was a response to a controversial advertisement by NETS promoting E-Pay. The advertisement sparked a backlash online because Chinese actor Dennis Chew was dressed up as four characters, including a Malay woman and an Indian man. To portray these characters, Chew’s skin was made up to look darker.

If convicted of attempting to promote feelings of ill will between different groups on grounds of religion or race, Nair faces a jail term of up to three years, a fine, or both.

"Allegations that the law or law enforcement agencies accord differential treatment based on religion or race are baseless and have the potential to damage religious and racial harmony in Singapore and erode public trust in our law enforcement agencies," said the police, adding that action will be taken against those who make such baseless allegations.

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