A Young People's Action Party (YP) member has quit the party following an uproar online over a racially inflammatory photo post he made on Facebook.
Jason Neo had, in February, posted a picture of young Malay schoolchildren on a religious preschool bus with a caption saying, “"Bus filled with young t*******t trainees?”. The posting was made before he joined YP in June.
The post was brought to people’s attention after another Facebook user 27-year-old Noor Firdaus, saw the picture on Wednesday and immediately highlighted its racially offensive content.
The post triggered over 350 comments in about 30 hours, with many unhappy and shocked with the caption that accompanied the picture.
Facebook user Shatrughan Yadav, for instance, commented that Neo's actions were "too much" and he should "feel the full force of the law".
Another user Mohd Alfie said, "The authority should have this person make a public apology especially to every one of those kids parents for saying what he (said)."
Firdaus tagged various politicians when he reposted the picture, including PAP Members of Parliament (MP) Zaqy Mohamad, who is also YP vice-chairman, and Intan Azura as well as Workers’ Party MP Muhamad Faisal Manap and NSP Party member Syafarin Sarif.
He also contacted new PAP MP for Sembawang GRC Ong Teng Koon to request he get Neo to remove the picture.
Firdaus, a volunteer with opposition National Solidarity Party (NSP), said he added Neo on Facebook after seeing Neo's online ad to sell his bike.
"I browsed through his photos saw the photo with the insensitive caption yesterday around 12 noon," said Firdaus, who then cautioned Neo to be more careful with his comments.
Firdaus also stressed that his actions were not politically motivated. “The problem is actually what’s right and what’s wrong. … If he were my NSP comrade, I will advise him firmly because I do not tolerate racist sentiments,” said Firdaus.
Firdaus confirmed his friend as well as Huda Kindergarten's principal have lodged a police report regarding Neo’s comments.
YP, Neo react to uproar
At about 3pm on Thursday, Neo, a volunteer at the Sembawang Meet-the-People sessions, issued an apology on Facebook, saying he did not intend to sow racial discord.
"The act was done out of my own moment of folly and in no way represent any stand or view of the PAP or the YP which I have recently joined and way after the original photograph was posted online," Neo wrote, pledging not to commit such acts in the future.
"I hereby offer those within our Muslim Community and anyone else offended my most sincere and unreserved apology," he added. “Out of my own goodwill and as a form of my repentance, I hereby immediately resign my membership and any affiliation with the PAP and YP.”
About half an hour later, YP vice chairman Zaqy, who had replied to Firdaus the night before, also posted an update on his Facebook page, saying that Neo had given an explanation to the party.
“Understandably, many in the Malay/Muslim community took offence,” he added. “As a minority and from a race and belief targeted in the post, I found it very offensive and I am certainly disappointed that it came from one of our activists.”
However, he stressed that “YP’s and PAP’s position is clear. Racism has no place in Singapore and certainly not in the ranks of the PAP.”
Members are regularly updated on the party’s informal guidelines, with one "fundamental prohibition” being that the party “does not condone malicious racists remarks,” he said. Members should also ensure their comments are "judiciously self-censored to meet basic guidelines”.
Zaqy told Yahoo! Singapore that he was “not at liberty to discuss that” Neo's explanations of his actions.
When asked if Neo will face any penalties, Zaqy said Jason has resigned from the party "but anything beyond that, we will leave it to the law and work with the relevant authorities closely."
Under the Sedition Act, a first-time offender could be fined up to $5,000 and/or jailed for up to 3 years.
A religious leader Yahoo! Singapore spoke to said Neo had crossed the line and was quick to diffuse the situation.
Tan Thiam Lye, president of Singapore Taoist Federation, told Yahoo! Singapore, "He probably made the comment in his personal capacity and that what he said cannot represent what all Taoists or Chinese feel towards the Muslims".
"Similarly, we cannot equate terrorism to Islam because that is untrue," he added.
Neo’s apology appears to have calmed sentiments, at least among some people.
As of 9pm on Thursday, his apology note had received about 11 comments.
Facebook user Julie Chin said that while people make mistakes, his apology showed that he had at least taken responsibility.
“The fact that you owned up to it and not try to hide from it, is a true testament of your sincerity and remorse,” she said.
Another user Sheena Yang, who said she learnt from Neo’s experience to be careful with her words, pointed out, “What’s done cannot be undone…sincere apology already made in public, (the) rest are all up to individual."
Others also urged him to move on from this incident.
