Singapore’s online community rallies behind TikToker after alleged racism incident involving China peers

A Singaporean TikToker’s account of an alleged racist encounter involving mainland Chinese students at his university has prompted a wider online discussion about race, identity, discrimination and the responsibilities of citizens and newcomers in a multicultural society.

The TikToker, known as Dinesh or by the username @dineshthebigbaby_, said in a video posted on 3 July 2026 that he and a Singaporean Indian friend allegedly experienced derogatory remarks from a group of mainland Chinese male international students while travelling in a university lift.

Dinesh, a 25-year-old first-year university student, said the incident occurred during a break between lessons.

According to his account, he and his friend entered the lift before a group of students from mainland China joined them.

He said he noticed that two of the students appeared to intentionally leave a large gap between themselves and him and his friend, despite space being available.

Dinesh alleged that one student then asked another in Mandarin: “Do you think they understand Chinese?”

He said he was able to understand the conversation and repeated the remark in Mandarin in his video.

“That’s something suspicious to say in a lift full of China people,” he said, adding that he believed the students were referring to him and his friend.

Student alleges derogatory comments during lift encounter

Dinesh alleged that the conversation continued with remarks targeting Indians, including comments describing them as “disgusting”, a “problem” and as people who were “overrunning the country”.

He further alleged that as the lift doors opened, one of the students said in Mandarin: “Should I kick them out? They don’t even deserve to be here, should I kick them out?”

According to Dinesh’s account, another student responded by telling the person not to speak so loudly before laughing.

“Do you know how disgusting it feels to be ridiculed in your own country by f**king foreigners that are here on daddy and mummy’s money?” Dinesh said in his video.

He said he wanted to confront the students but did not do so because he experiences severe anxiety.

Dinesh said he began shaking when he considered confronting them and later replayed the incident repeatedly in his mind.

He described feeling disappointed that he did not respond at the time, saying: “Literally in front of your face... and you didn’t open your mouth.”

He also said that although one student allegedly made the remarks loudly, the others present did not intervene.

“When you get bullied in a different language, and you don’t even understand the language, but you can see everybody’s vibe around you. That’s crazy,” he said.

Dinesh said the experience affected his mental well-being and sense of identity as a Singaporean.

He added that he had previously encountered similar incidents during his schooling years but felt encouraged that many people recognised the issue and shared their own experiences.

University investigation follows report

Dinesh’s video gained more than 335,000 views and over 223 comments after being posted.

In an interview with local media outlet STOMP, Dinesh said he had reported the incident to his university’s student services.

He said university staff were understanding and had contacted him while looking into the matter.

Dinesh added that he had spoken with several friends, including friends from mainland China, who empathised with his experience.

According to him, they suggested that some individuals may hold certain views because they have had limited interaction with other Singaporeans.

The alleged incident also led fellow TikTok creators to discuss wider issues surrounding race relations and integration.

Creators call for greater support for minority communities

TikToker Alicia Tadah shared her views after Dinesh’s video, calling on Singaporeans, particularly members of the majority Chinese community, to speak up when they witness discrimination against minority groups.

Alicia said she agreed with Dinesh’s concerns and sympathised with his experience.

She argued that Singapore’s multicultural identity required citizens to support one another regardless of race.

“Our citizenship comes before our race,” she said, urging Singaporeans to challenge behaviour that could contribute to discrimination.

Alicia also shared her own account of an incident involving an Indian security guard at a shopping mall.

She said she was in a lift with her husband, another Chinese couple and their helper when the security guard stopped the lift to check it.

Alicia said the couple reacted negatively towards the guard and later spoke in Mandarin after he left.

She said she responded in Mandarin, telling them that he was only doing his job.

Alicia said the incident reflected what she described as everyday forms of racial prejudice and encouraged Singaporeans to recognise and address such behaviour.

She stressed that her criticism was directed at individuals who refused to respect Singapore’s multicultural environment rather than against all foreigners from any particular country.

“I’m not just against foreigners from China,” she said, adding that she opposed foreigners who refused to integrate into Singapore society.

TikToker shares interview experience, calls for greater adaptation to Singapore’s multicultural environment

Another TikTok creator, @mainotmiaa, also shared her perspective, recounting an experience during a job interview for an administrative position at a top Singapore university.

She said an interviewer asked whether she could speak Chinese because many students from China allegedly had difficulty communicating in English.

Mainot Miaa, who said she is Malay, questioned why Singapore institutions and workplaces should accommodate foreign students and workers without similar expectations for them to adapt.

She argued that English remains Singapore’s common working language and that those studying or working in the country should be able to communicate in English.

“We are not a Chinese country, we are a multiracial country,” she said.

She added that concerns over racism should also include discussions about whether newcomers understand Singapore’s social norms and multicultural background.

Supporters say Singapore identity should come before race

Many commenters on Alicia’s TikTok account supported her call for Singaporeans to stand against discrimination.

Several said Singapore’s national identity should take priority over ethnic differences.

One commenter wrote: “Our citizenship comes before our race.”

Another said Singaporeans should “stand up for all Singaporeans but especially to minorities who are already more disadvantaged.”

Some recount experiences of racial remarks and language-related challenges

Some minority commenters shared their own experiences of alleged discrimination.

One commenter claimed a Chinese neighbour used a derogatory term towards them in an HDB lift.

Another Malay commenter described an alleged disagreement with a Chinese woman at a café.

Some users also shared workplace experiences, including claims that they were repeatedly asked whether they could speak Mandarin despite being Singaporean.

Others alleged that some companies placed emphasis on Mandarin-speaking abilities even when such requirements were not directly related to the role.

Some commenters working in service sectors also described situations where they claimed Chinese-speaking customers criticised staff members for not speaking Mandarin.

Calls for caution against generalisation

While many supported discussions about racism and integration, some commenters warned against using individual allegations to judge entire communities.

Some said criticism should focus on discriminatory behaviour rather than nationality.

One commenter wrote that challenging discrimination should apply “whether it’s a local, a migrant worker or someone of another country”.

Others warned that discussions about alleged behaviour by some mainland Chinese individuals should not become hostility towards all mainland Chinese people.

Some commenters also noted that racism can exist across different communities and that Singaporeans should avoid framing discrimination as belonging only to one group.

The discussion highlighted broader questions about Singapore’s multicultural identity and how a diverse society manages differences in language, culture and expectations.

Many commenters argued that Singapore should continue to define itself as a multiracial nation where citizenship and shared social values come before ethnic background.