X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
Product GuideSign in
  • SPF 2023
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • Aptamil
    • Immunity
    • Intelligence
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • VIP

'Everyone In My Family Is Singaporean': Sprinter Responds To Racist Comments On National Day Banner In Tanjong Pagar

3 Aug, 2021

With National Day just around the corner, the lead-up to Singapore’s 56th birthday should be filled with excitement. 

For Thiruben Thana Rajan and his family, however, it would be understandable should their feelings for the day be a little more mixed.

They were invited by Tanjong Pagar Town Council to be one of 20 families from different ethnic backgrounds and faiths featured on National Day banners that were recently put up around the neighbourhood. 

But when the banners made an appearance, some members of the public did not take too kindly to the one showing Thiruben’s family and went on social media to air their grievances over the weekend.

cases of racial discrimination

Image source: Screengrab from Twitter / @meepokdry_

cases of racial discrimination

Image source: Screengrab from Twitter / @meepokdry_

Everyone In My Family Is Singaporean: Sprinter Responds To Racist Comments On National Day Banner In Tanjong Pagar

Image source: Screengrab from Twitter / @meepokdry_

Everyone In My Family Is Singaporean: Sprinter Responds To Racist Comments On National Day Banner In Tanjong Pagar

Image source: Screengrab from Twitter / @meepokdry_

These netizens questioned the nationality of Thiruben’s family, wondering why Singapore appeared to be celebrating the National Day of another country. 

One netizen went a step further by spewing a hateful and tasteless comment referencing their dark skin tone.

The Facebook post containing these comments has since been deleted. However, it had already caught the attention of many, Thiruben included. 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  A post shared by @thiruben

Thiruben, 20, addressed the issue in an Instagram post on Monday (Aug 2).

To put matters to bed, he said: “Everyone in my family is a Singapore citizen. My siblings and I were born and bred here.”

His post, which has garnered over 21,000 likes at the time of writing, included screenshots of the racist and xenophobic comments hurled at him and his family.

On top of that, Thiruben shared a couple of photos of him at athletic events representing Singapore.

“I myself have been representing Singapore in athletics since I was 15 years old,” Thiruben said.

In fact, he set a national Under-18 400m record when he was participating at the World U-18 Championships back in 2017. 

Everyone In My Family Is Singaporean: Sprinter Responds To Racist Comments On National Day Banner In Tanjong Pagar

Image source: Screengrab from Instagram / thiruben

Thankfully, there were also plenty of netizens who highlighted the problem on social media and sent love and support to Thiruben and his family. 

Partner Stories
Celebrity Dad Mark Lee Shares the 3 P's of Raising School Going Children - Parenting Tips, PSLE Preparation & Protecting Your Child’s Eyesight!
Celebrity Dad Mark Lee Shares the 3 P's of Raising School Going Children - Parenting Tips, PSLE Preparation & Protecting Your Child’s Eyesight!
NTUC First Campus (NFC) Expands Child Support Model to Include Support for Mental Well-being
NTUC First Campus (NFC) Expands Child Support Model to Include Support for Mental Well-being
Singapore's Dengue Cases Surpass The 35,000 Mark, Highest Since 2013
Singapore's Dengue Cases Surpass The 35,000 Mark, Highest Since 2013
Typhoon Haiyan relief effort
Typhoon Haiyan relief effort

Tanjong Pagar MP Alvin Tan shared his thoughts on the incident in a Facebook post on Monday afternoon.

He mentioned that it was important to put up National Day banners featuring people from various walks of life, celebrating the rich multicultural diversity of the residents.

“Unfortunately, some groups and individuals have taken a photo of one banner featuring an Indian family, asking why the banner did not feature other races,” he said.

These remarks “do not and should not represent who we are as a people,” he wrote.

“Thankfully, many others are now speaking up against such comments and representing the multicultural and open Singapore that many of us are working towards. We can do better and we should continuously strive to do better.” 

This article was first published on AsiaOne and republished on theAsianparent with permission.

Lead image source Screengrab from Facebook / LowKianTat.

ALSO READ:

Ngee Ann Poly To Fire Lecturer Who Made Racist Remarks In Viral Video For Serious Misconduct

Racist Grandma Burns Granddaughter’s Curly Hair To Get Her To “Fit In”

Everyone In My Family Is Singaporean: Sprinter Responds To Racist Comments On National Day Banner In Tanjong Pagar

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

asiaone

  • Home
  • /
  • News
  • /
  • 'Everyone In My Family Is Singaporean': Sprinter Responds To Racist Comments On National Day Banner In Tanjong Pagar
Share:
  • Registration for 2024 P1 Admissions Will Begin on July 4

    Registration for 2024 P1 Admissions Will Begin on July 4

  • Indulge in Heavenly Durians from S$2 and Experience Taste Sensation with Giant Tampines!

    Indulge in Heavenly Durians from S$2 and Experience Taste Sensation with Giant Tampines!

  • Punggol Container Park Guide: Here's How To Plan Your Day With Family

    Punggol Container Park Guide: Here's How To Plan Your Day With Family

  • Registration for 2024 P1 Admissions Will Begin on July 4

    Registration for 2024 P1 Admissions Will Begin on July 4

  • Indulge in Heavenly Durians from S$2 and Experience Taste Sensation with Giant Tampines!

    Indulge in Heavenly Durians from S$2 and Experience Taste Sensation with Giant Tampines!

  • Punggol Container Park Guide: Here's How To Plan Your Day With Family

    Punggol Container Park Guide: Here's How To Plan Your Day With Family

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and lifestyle updates.