Singapore cab driver under scrutiny for racist ‘go back India’ remark
The ride-hailing company in Singapore said that they are investigating the matter and firmly oppose ‘discriminatory behaviour and language’ on their platform.
An individual booked a ride from a Singapore ride-hailing company, Grab, and was waiting for the driver to arrive. When the driver messaged the passenger, explaining he couldn’t reach the location due to road blockage, the passenger asked the driver to cancel. This is when their conversation took a hurtful turn. Not only did the driver ask if the passenger was Indian, but he also told the person to ‘go back India’. The customer then reported the matter to Grab and even shared the incident with an Instagram account. Soon, the screenshots of their conversation started gaining traction on social media. The company has responded to the incident, stating that they are investigating this distressing incident.
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The passenger shared an account of the incident and screenshots of the conversation with the driver with the Instagram account ‘sgfollowsall’. According to the account, “It was a Grab ride I booked, and the driver said the road is closed due to roadworks, so he can’t turn in my lane. I told him I can wait and then he said no and when I asked him to cancel the ride if he isn’t coming, he asked me if I am Indian. When I asked how that matters, he went on to say your behaviour is different and that I should go back to India.”
They added, “I reported it to Grab and am still waiting for a response - I got a Gojek in the meanwhile and reached my destination. But was totally uncalled for and blatant racism. I don’t want to name and shame the person though. I work here and have been here for 10 years. What’s sad is that it’s so blatant and for no reason! But then again, one bad apple doesn’t change my experience of Singapore - I love it and have had so many people reach out to apologise for what I experienced.”
Take a look at the text exchange between cab driver and passenger here:
In response to the incident, Grab’s spokesperson told AsiaOne that they are investigating the matter. The spokesperson emphasised, “We take a strong stance against discriminatory behaviour and language on our platform. Our driver-partners are expected to treat passengers fairly and not discriminate against them in any way. This is in line with our code of conduct.”
The screenshots were shared three days ago on Instagram. Since being shared, they have gained a lot of traction from people. Many even took to the comments section and dropped their thoughts.
Here’s how people reacted to this incident:
“Make a police report!” suggested an individual. Another added, “This driver is a racist. He should quit driving or change his attitude. Singapore is a multi-racial country; being racist is not allowed.” “I just got this guy as my driver just now,” claimed a third. A fourth demanded, “Fire him!”
