SINGAPORE: Ride-hailing app TADA is investigating an incident involving one of its drivers making allegedly racist remarks to a passenger.
Videos of their exchange made the rounds on social media from Saturday (Sep 23), after the passenger first wrote on Facebook about her experience.
Posting as "Jan Hoeden", she described how it started with the driver wrongly accusing her of giving him an incorrect route for her trip, before their interaction escalated to what she called "racial abuse".
In the videos, the driver can be heard shouting and at one point saying: "You are India, I am a Chinese. You are the very worst."
Ms Hoeden, who was with her daughter during the trip, said on Facebook that she was Singaporean Eurasian.
TADA on Sunday left a comment on Instagram, saying it did not "tolerate racism, discrimination, or abuse of any kind".
In response to CNA's queries on Sunday, TADA added that it had "initiated an internal investigation to fully understand the circumstances and will take all necessary actions based on our findings".
"Remarks or comments that insinuate racial differences are in direct violation of TADA’s community guidelines and are not representative of our company's values," said the company.
"Our aim has always been to create a community built on mutual respect and understanding for both riders and drivers. We do not condone racial comments or remarks under any circumstances.
"We're committed to resolving this issue promptly and fairly to ensure that TADA remains a trusted platform for all."
CNA has also asked TADA how it will deal with the driver and the passenger respectively.
In December 2021, a driver with another ride-sharing company, Ryde, was suspended after he allegedly told a Muslim woman that she could not listen to prayers as it would change the "energy" in the car.
A string of racially charged incidents played out in Singapore that same year, including a former polytechnic lecturer telling a couple that it was “such a disgrace, Indian man with a Chinese girl”.
During his National Day Rally speech in 2021, Prime 'Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced plans to introduce a new racial harmony law.
The Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act will include “softer” measures that can order someone who has caused offence to stop doing it, and to make amends by learning more about the other race and mending ties with them, Mr Lee said then.
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Videos of their exchange made the rounds on social media from Saturday (Sep 23), after the passenger first wrote on Facebook about her experience.
Posting as "Jan Hoeden", she described how it started with the driver wrongly accusing her of giving him an incorrect route for her trip, before their interaction escalated to what she called "racial abuse".
In the videos, the driver can be heard shouting and at one point saying: "You are India, I am a Chinese. You are the very worst."
Ms Hoeden, who was with her daughter during the trip, said on Facebook that she was Singaporean Eurasian.
TADA on Sunday left a comment on Instagram, saying it did not "tolerate racism, discrimination, or abuse of any kind".
In response to CNA's queries on Sunday, TADA added that it had "initiated an internal investigation to fully understand the circumstances and will take all necessary actions based on our findings".
"Remarks or comments that insinuate racial differences are in direct violation of TADA’s community guidelines and are not representative of our company's values," said the company.
"Our aim has always been to create a community built on mutual respect and understanding for both riders and drivers. We do not condone racial comments or remarks under any circumstances.
"We're committed to resolving this issue promptly and fairly to ensure that TADA remains a trusted platform for all."
CNA has also asked TADA how it will deal with the driver and the passenger respectively.
In December 2021, a driver with another ride-sharing company, Ryde, was suspended after he allegedly told a Muslim woman that she could not listen to prayers as it would change the "energy" in the car.
A string of racially charged incidents played out in Singapore that same year, including a former polytechnic lecturer telling a couple that it was “such a disgrace, Indian man with a Chinese girl”.
During his National Day Rally speech in 2021, Prime 'Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced plans to introduce a new racial harmony law.
The Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act will include “softer” measures that can order someone who has caused offence to stop doing it, and to make amends by learning more about the other race and mending ties with them, Mr Lee said then.
Continue reading...