A 61-year-old man will be charged on May 17, 2022, for making racist remarks and insensitive comments about religion, as well as for possessing obscene films. The man, identified by The Straits Times as former Ngee Ann Polytechnic senior lecturer Tan Boon Lee, was dismissed for serious misconduct following the release of a video in June 2021 showing him making racist comments toward an interracial couple in Orchard Road.
According to the police, Tan allegedly directed racist comments at a 26-year-old man near Angullia Park on June 5, 2021. Additionally, he is accused of making inappropriate remarks about religion during a lecture at Ngee Ann Polytechnic on July 28, 2017, and providing insensitive responses about religion on an online forum between August and September 2020.
Tan faces four charges in total, including two for violating the Sedition Act. If convicted of inciting racial animosity or disrupting religious harmony, he could face up to three years in prison, a fine, or both. He also faces charges related to the possession of obscene films, which could lead to a jail term of up to 12 months and a fine of up to $40,000.
The police emphasized their zero-tolerance policy toward actions that threaten racial and religious harmony in Singapore, underscoring that any behavior that fosters hostility will be met with swift legal action.