Student nurse in Singapore under scrutiny for alleged racist and islamophobic remarks online
A student nurse in Singapore is under scrutiny after allegedly making racist and Islamophobic remarks online. The issue, flagged by podcaster Hanafi Mohd Sam, has sparked strong public backlash and many calls for disciplinary action.
SINGAPORE: A student nurse has come under scrutiny after allegedly making openly racist and Islamophobic remarks on social media. Screenshots of her posts showed the student claiming that “nobody wants Islam” in countries such as China and Singapore, while also describing the religion as false and misleading, preventing individuals from attaining “true salvation.” The matter was highlighted in an Instagram post on 19 September by podcaster and co-founder of The Golden Nuggets Podcast, Hanafi Mohd Sam. The initial post, which was later deleted, was re-uploaded on 22 September. In his post, Hanafi expressed concern that the individual, currently training to enter the healthcare profession, had made public remarks that undermined the values of compassion, inclusivity and respect that form the foundation of medical care. The social media account, the_real_silu, has since been deleted. Hanafi said he had reported the case to Ngee Ann Polytechnic but stressed that the content initially flagged represented only a fraction of the issue. He claimed to have video evidence showing a series of remarks that were “more radical and disturbing” than the single post that had already been taken down. “These go beyond casual insensitivity and demonstrate a consistent pattern of racist and Islamophobic behaviour,” Hanafi said. He added that such conduct, if left unaddressed, could pose risks to patient safety, trust and inclusivity within Singapore’s healthcare system. “It is not simply a matter of a single offensive comment, but an attitude that could directly compromise the quality of care provided to vulnerable patients,” he warned, questioning whether patients could feel secure under the care of someone who had publicly expressed hate towards certain communities. Hanafi urged the student’s training institution, affiliated hospital and the relevant authorities to take firm and transparent disciplinary action. “As a society, we cannot condone or stay silent about this. Racism and Islamophobia don’t belong in our hospitals, our schools or even in our communities,” he said. He stressed that addressing the matter was necessary to safeguard the integrity of the healthcare profession and reassure the wider community that such behaviour would not be tolerated. In the caption of his reuploaded video, Hanafi added that the authorities had already been alerted.
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Netizens Call for Action
The post sparked strong reactions online, with many netizens condemning the alleged behaviour and tagging Health Minister Ong Ye Kung to intervene. Several users suggested escalating the case to the Singapore Nursing Board, with calls for the student to be suspended or removed altogether from joining the Ministry of Health.
One commenter said that “religious radicalism has no place in Singapore, even more so in hospitals,” while another reminded that citizens had pledged themselves as “one united people regardless of race or religion.”
Others emphasised accountability, saying the student should be held responsible to remind everyone that such behaviour cannot and should not be tolerated.
“Freedom of speech doesn’t mean freedom from accountability. Bigotry has consequences, full stop. If you can’t respect people of all faiths, you have no business in nursing or claiming to represent what it means to be a Singapore citizen,” one user wrote.
Alleged Student’s Apology
Amid the backlash, an account under the username spam_silu, believed to belong to the student, posted an apology in the comments. “Firstly, I think I’m very sorry for the things I’ve said online, without checking the consequences of my actions. Secondly, through this experience, I firmly understood the racial harmony relationship between each religion in Singapore, and I will take this seriously and will not make such offensive message once again,” the statement read. She further apologised directly to the Muslim community, attributing her earlier remarks to “bad views” influenced by content seen on the Threads app. “Being as a teenager, I often do things or say things that might lead me to not even think twice before I speak… and I do note that this time it’s not something funny to say. So I’m sorry for all the discomfort that I’ve caused to everyone, and I will respect all the religions in Singapore,” she added.
Despite the apology, many commenters remained unconvinced, arguing that the statement was made only because the individual had been exposed.
One user suggested that a public apology would have been more appropriate, rather than deleting the previous account and reappearing with a new one.
Others urged the student to reflect seriously on Singapore’s diversity.
“Please learn from this. Singapore is a country full of diversity and culture. People believe in different things, and while we wouldn’t share the same beliefs like our religion or culture, it doesn’t warrant disrespecting others. It’s okay to be a strong believer in your religion, but I don’t think any religion allows hating on others,” one comment read.
