Everything About the Arrest of the 19YO Who Posted Extremely Racist Remarks in Instagram

By
Boon Hun
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Here’s a brief history lesson:

Singapore can’t stand racists who incite troubles between races.

The race riots in 1964 resulted in 37 dead and 560 people injured, and it was later found out that someone had worked behind the scenes to pit the Malays and Chinese against each other.

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In 1965, founding father Lee Kuan Yew promised that Singapore will be a multiracial country where every race and language will have equal standing.

So, yes, racial harmony is key to Singapore and any attempt to increase tensions between races are usually dealt with heavily.

Unfortunately, not everybody got the message, such as the man who went on a racist rant a few months back and this 19-year-old boy.

19YO Teenager Posts Racist Remarks On Instagram

Between 7 and 8 June 2020, the Singapore Police Force received many reports about an Instagram user.

The user had posted several disturbing posts on his Instagram stories, including a disturbing dream about “gunning down” members of a particular race:

Image: AsiaOne

He compared the feeling of enjoyment to when he achieves a new milestone in weightlifting.

He had also posted about his desire to burn the religious texts of two other religions:

Image: AsiaOne

The screenshots were captured by a Facebook user who couldn’t believe he could be living in a “state of fear” in Singapore for being “Muslim” and “non-Chinese-looking”.

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Teen Arrested, Investigations Are Ongoing

After establishing the teenager’s identity, which is believed to be a student studying at Temasek Polytechnic, the police arrested him on 8 June.

He was arrested for suspected involvement in inciting violence and posting comments with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings on social media.

During the arrest, they also seized a laptop, a computer and a mobile phone.

Currently, investigations are ongoing.

School Aware & Investigating On Their Own

Temasek Polytechnic took to Twitter on 8 June to announce that they are aware of one of their students doing this.

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His posts have been taken down, the school added, and they “take a serious view” of his actions.

They will be looking into the incident as well and promise that, if necessary, they “will not hesitate to mete out the necessary disciplinary action”.

Fellow Students Calling For His Expulsion

TP students have come forward, asking for the school to expel him.

Image: AsiaOne

One even stepped forward with a few more claims about the student:

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Image: AsiaOne

Let’s just say that he’s not exactly Mr Popular right now, especially now when people are more racially-sensitive.

So sensitive that even Education Minister Ong Ye Kung has to step forward to talk about race matters.

If convicted of making a document containing incitement to violence under Section 267C of the Penal Code, Chapter 224, the 19-year-old could be facing up to five years in jail, a fine, or both.

For posting comments with deliberate intent to wound religious or racial feelings of any person, he can be jailed up to three years, fined, or both.

By the way, if AGC isn’t clear enough, posting things online in blatant disregard for Singapore’s laws can get you a one-way ticket to court.

If you are still not convinced that posting online will get you into big trouble, just look at the dude who bragged about cheating the government and the guy who posted about visiting his cousin-in-law.

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Boon Hun
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