SINGAPORE: Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) candidate Gigene Wong issued two public apologies after using a racial slur to describe fellow candidate Ariffin Sha during a rally at Evergreen Primary School on Saturday night (26 April).
In a Facebook post that evening, Wong apologised for using the term “keling kia,” admitting she was unaware of its offensive nature towards the Indian community.
She wrote, “Tonight at the rally, I used a term that is offensive to our Indian community. I wasn’t aware of its real meaning. My sincere apologies!”
In a follow-up post on Sunday morning, Wong acknowledged that her remarks disrespected both Ariffin and the Indian community.
She explained that she had been counselled by party members and now understood the term was deeply offensive.
“My comments were very hurtful and unacceptable. I am fully responsible for them,” Wong wrote.
“My original vetted speech did not include the comment I made; it was said impromptu. There is no excuse for it, and I am sorry for all the pain and anger I caused.”
Wong also reiterated the SDP’s commitment to respect and equality, saying, “SDP is a party of respect and equality where everyone is included.”
She concluded by stating that she had learned an important lesson from the incident and would uphold these values in her future words and actions.
Controversial Remarks at the Rally
The controversy stemmed from Wong’s speech at the rally, where she spoke in a mix of Mandarin, English, and Hokkien, referring to Ariffin using the derogatory term “keling kia.”
Wong and Ariffin are part of SDP’s slate contesting the Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, alongside organising secretary Jufri Salim and theatre director Alec Tok.
During her speech, Wong also referred to Ariffin, 27, as the SDP’s “future Pritam Singh” for his ability to speak well. She said:
“Ariffin Sha, that elephant you know, that elephant? The Keling Kia, the one that talks very well. Our future Pritam Singh, I always say he is our future Pritam Singh. Elephant lah, hasn’t got married lah, 27 years old. Later he has no more deposit, his mother would kill him, ‘see lah, tell you don’t go GE already you still run,’ ‘now no more deposit.’ So I plead with you, our Marsiling-Yew Tee voters, please help us. Don’t let us lose too badly.”
Her comments quickly sparked widespread outrage on social media, with many expressing their disappointment and anger on platforms like Instagram and Reddit.
Public Reaction and Criticism
Netizens were swift to criticise Wong’s remarks. One user questioned, “How is this being tolerated?” while another expressed disbelief: “Keling kia?? What the hell… it’s 2025.”
Many users were frustrated by the use of such language at a public event, with one comment reading, “How hard is it not to use a racial slur during a public moment?”
Some users also questioned why Wong, a fellow party member, would use such language: “Why is she speaking like this about someone from her own party?”
One user further criticised Wong, pointing out that mispronouncing a minority’s name was already offensive enough.
They wrote, “Like mispronouncing a minority’s name wasn’t offensive enough (elephant, seriously?), she proceeds to use the slur ‘keling kia.’ The display of ignorance and casual racism is not a good look for their party at all.”
The severity of the slur was not lost on many, with one commenter writing, “This is absolutely unacceptable. To use the term at all in 2025, and so casually in a political rally speech, is deeply troubling.”
A Reddit user pointed out that politicians are held to higher standards due to their responsibility to represent all Singaporeans, regardless of race, language, or religion.
“Using a term with known racist connotations, even casually, shows a lack of cultural awareness and social responsibility,” they wrote.
One user expressed disbelief at Wong’s lack of awareness.
“She apologised saying she isn’t aware it’s a slur… lol. Wants to serve the community but isn’t aware of what upsets the community.”
The SDP has yet to issue an official statement on Wong’s remarks and her apology.
Historical Context of the Term
The word “Keling,” now considered an offensive term for the Indian community, originated from “Kalinga.”
According to World of Buzz, the term was first used in historical texts such as Sulalatus Salatin (The Malay Annals) to describe people from the Kalinga empire.
Initially a neutral descriptor, “keling” gradually developed a derogatory meaning over time and is now widely regarded as a slur against Indians.
This shift reportedly occurred around the 1920s, when Indian prisoners brought to Malaya and forced to work in chain gangs were referred to as “kling,” a word said to mimic the sound of their chains, according to the Singapore Free Press.
The term’s negative association was further reinforced in Malaysia following its use by former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2018.
During a speech, Mahathir remarked, “I want to use a ‘keling’ word. The ‘keling’ say ‘podah’ (get lost),” sparking widespread backlash.
The Malaysian Indian party Makkal Sakti later lodged a police report against him.
Initially, Mahathir defended his use of the term, saying he had used it since childhood and that it did not carry a derogatory meaning in Kedah, where he grew up.
“My ‘keling’ friends never scolded me, so why is the Malaysian Indian Congress angry?” he told reporters on 8 April 2018.
However, he later apologised to the Indian community, saying he was sorry if he had caused any offence.
He added that he “never meant to insult anybody” but acknowledged that the word is now considered derogatory, as reported by MalayMail on 10 April 2018.
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