In multi-racial Singapore, we value harmony deeply. So when any incident threatens our relative harmony, it’s sure to cause quite a stir.
A TikTok video showing a private hire vehicle (PHV) driver going on a racist tirade on his Indian passenger for being late recently caught much attention online.
The footage captured the Grab driver calling the passenger a “rubbish Indian” among other unpleasant comments. He then repeatedly demanded that the passenger leave his vehicle.
Following the incident, Grab suspended the driver for his discriminatory behaviour.
In the video posted to TikTok, a PHV driver angrily ranted at the passenger filming him. He clearly said,
“Such a rubbish Indian that [I] have to wait so long! Then you tell me what route to take.”
Source: TikTok
The passenger pointed out that being late required him to pay extra, so the driver would receive compensation for waiting. How long the driver had to wait is unclear.
The passenger then questioned why the driver was “being racial”.
“I’m not being racial, this is a fact,” the Grab driver insisted. The passenger then asked if he meant that it was a fact that Indians were always late.
“From what I know, it is,” the driver remarked. He subsequently told the passenger to leave his car.
At one point, the driver told the passenger that he could complain to Grab, but it would have little impact on him as he only drove one day a week.
He further claimed that “there’s so many apps I can [use to] drive”.
When calmly asked to behave properly, the driver retorted that he only behaved well to people who are “good”.
“This is very disappointing,” the passenger said.
“Disappointing to have you in here,” the driver shot back, pulling to a halt. When asked to clarify, he once more insisted that the passenger get out of his vehicle.
Source: TikTok
In a loud voice, he threatened to drive both of them to the police station if the passenger did not alight in three seconds.
The passenger then agreed to leave and the video thus ended.
While the driver could understandably be annoyed at a late passenger, there was certainly no need to resort to racial abuse.
In response to queries from MS News, a spokesperson said that Grab “takes a strong stance against discriminatory behaviour and language”. Hence, they suspended the driver involved following the incident.
“Our driver-partners are expected to treat passengers fairly and not discriminate against them in any way,” the spokesperson said.
Last month, a similar incident occurred when a TADA driver racially abused a Singaporean Eurasian passenger for being ‘Indian’.
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Featured image adapted from TikTok.
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