Racial profiling has once again reared its ugly head in Singapore, as a young couple was subjected to a disturbing incident at a supermarket. Farah Nadya, a Singaporean national, took to social media to recount an unpleasant encounter that occurred at an NTUC FairPrice outlet in Tampines Hub. According to Farah, she and her Indian-Muslim husband Jahabar were confronted by a FairPrice employee who made a derogatory remark based on their ethnicity and religion.
The couple was at the supermarket to purchase groceries when they noticed a stand offering free items for Muslim patrons who needed to break their fast. As Jahabar was reading the stand-board message, a FairPrice staff member approached him and repulsively mentioned, “Not for INDIA, not for India”. The employee then repeatedly said, “Not for India, don’t take. Go away!” in an attempt to shoo them away.
Jahabar, who was understandably taken aback by the discriminatory comment, calmly explained to the staff member that the free items were intended for all Muslims and not limited to any particular ethnicity or nationality. However, the staff member remained unrepentant and made matters worse by claiming that he was merely following the instructions of his superiors.
Farah took to Facebook to express her shock and disappointment at the incident, which she described as “incredibly distasteful”. She pointed out that she and Jahabar, who are both Muslims of mixed Malay-Indian and Indian-Muslim heritage, were not even intending to take the free items but had merely stopped by the stand to applaud the supermarket’s inclusive initiative.
The incident has once again highlighted the issue of racial profiling in Singapore, which has been on the rise in recent years. The government has taken steps to address the problem, but many feel that more needs to be done to combat discrimination and promote racial harmony in the country.
In response to Farah’s Facebook post, NTUC FairPrice issued a statement condemning the employee’s behaviour and apologising for the incident. The company also promised to conduct an investigation into the matter and take appropriate action against the staff member involved.
The incident has sparked outrage on social media, with many Singaporeans expressing their support for Farah and Jahabar and calling for an end to racial discrimination in the country. It remains to be seen whether the incident will lead to any concrete action being taken to address the issue, but it serves as a stark reminder that there is still much work to be done to promote racial harmony and equality in Singapore.
