Woman explains why 'Chinese privilege in Singapore is real’ - Singapore News

SINGAPORE: A video of a woman explaining how and why “Chinese privilege is real” in Singapore has received a lot of attention online, with some commenters praising her for shining a light on issues some people face every day, while others said she should just be grateful for what she and other Singaporeans have.

The young digital creator, who goes by @ahlianlia on Instagram, referred to another viral video where a woman named Olivia had said it had taken leaving Singapore for her to understand what being a minority felt like.

“You don’t have to move to Switzerland to understand Chinese privilege,” said @ahlianlia, going on to list how racism in Singapore is present in everyday occurrences, such as malls setting up Christmas decorations even before Deepavali is over, Southeast Asians being called “maids” and racist jokes abounding in classrooms, where Indians are called a number of slurs.

“This racism is never casual,” she added, claiming that it shows up even in the education system, where SAP schools that were meant to “preserve Chinese culture have evolved into some of Singapore‘s most prestigious schools,” but there is no equivalent for preserving Malay and Indian culture.

As for the workplace, @ahlianlia cited job listings asking for Chinese language skills or requiring photos of applicants. She added that one in five minority race employees in Singapore experienced unfair workplace treatment due to their race, according to an Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) study and surveys from AWARE-Milieu insight.

The post author pointed out that Singapore Democratic Party candidate Ariffin Sha had been subjected to a racial slur during a rally for GE2025.

She then went on to explain how racism is present in dating and beauty standards and housing, and traced the roots of racial prejudice to colonial times

At the end, she added, “The greatest Chinese privilege is the privilege of ignorance. I grew up protected, never questioning my belonging in Singapore or feeling undesirable because of my race. There is a lot I remain blind to and have had to learn….

Chinese Singaporeans should give minorities the space to share without centring ourselves and listen even when it feels uncomfortable.”

Her post has since received hundreds of comments and over 3,700 shares, and many people thanked her for talking about an uncomfortable subject.

“Thank you for this video, as a Singaporean Indian, it heartens me to see more folks like you speaking out, gives me hope!” one wrote.

“At your age, you are already a strong ally of minority Singaporeans. You are and will always be a reason why I remain a proud Singaporean,” another added.

“Every year, we gotta be reminded of what Chinese Privilege in Singapore is. Thank you for doing your part!” a commenter wrote.

However, some underlined how good the situation is in Singapore in comparison to other countries, with one telling her to be thankful and not complain. But others stood up for the content creator and backed up the point she made. /TISG

Read also: Influencer’s claim that ‘Southeast Asia hates Singapore’ triggers online discussion

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