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A few weeks ago, a GrabHitch driver got into trouble after it was revealed that he sent a female passenger some reprimanding messages over a profile photo banner in support of the Ready 4 Repeal movement.
The affected passenger had taken to Reddit on November 12 her brush with homophobia while booking a trip the day before under Grab’s carpooling social service.
She wrote that the driver accepted a transport request, but before reaching the pick-up point, he sent strong messages to the passenger who spoke out against the movement, which seeks to abolish Section 377A of the Singapore Penal. Code: pretty clear.
As a result, he was suspended from service, albeit for interacting directly with a passenger.
‘Please always keep the silent majority in mind’
In an interview with AsiaOne, the driver identified himself as Kenneth Ng and a company director in his 50s, who was driving under GrabHitch as a side job.
“I am not against the LGBTQ community. I respect their rights to live the life they want, ”he said.
“I am against activists imposing their ideals on us in public spaces.”
Seeing the banner, which he calls a “political slogan,” in the passenger’s profile photo on the app, Ng said he found it offensive that “advocating for gay rights” is being done on a public platform.
“I think it has to be both ways and Singapore-style. Do not discuss or display your activism on a public platform. Gay rights have their platform like Pink Dot, okay. We respect that. But, please, don’t take it into everyday public space, “he said.
Then he considered it appropriate to contact the passenger directly, sending her two messages.
The passenger’s response to Ng’s posts was posted on Reddit.
“My initial emotional response to [the driver’s] The message was funny, but it soon gave way to pain. As a queer Singaporean, we are forced to accept these microaggressions as we go about our daily lives, “he had written, adding that such acts of homophobia” have a way of happening when you least expect it. “
On this, Ng accused her of “trying to present herself as a helpless victim”, adding that she is an “experienced gay activist” and that her messages “were not abusive in any way.”
“It is purely my opinion piece. We all have the right to have an opinion like her when putting her motto in public space ”, he insisted.
He then went on to equate the Ready 4 Repeal banner with other “possible slogans” such as “Give back my CPF”, “One China” and even the Nazi swastika to further his point that no political slogans should be allowed in user photos. by Grab. .
‘Sweep statement’
After receiving the messages from Ng, the passenger canceled the trip before submitting a report about the incident to Grab.
“There was no way I was going to get in the car of a hostile driver, who would at least harass me; at worst, potentially putting myself in danger, “he had written on Reddit.
As a result, Ng’s account was temporarily suspended and he was summoned for a meeting with Grab staff on November 16. According to him, he was penalized for interacting with a passenger directly, something in which he admitted he was wrong.
“If I find your slogan offensive, I should [have notified] Grip and not directly to the cyclist, “he said.
Grab later agreed to reactivate his account, but Ng’s actions after the meeting earned him an indefinite suspension.
After their conversation that afternoon, Ng told AsiaOne that Grab “agreed that political slogans should not appear in any photos.”
This claim turned out to be false.
“That was a broad statement on my part,” he later admitted. “I shouldn’t have written that statement at all.”
In another meeting with Grab on November 17, Ng told AsiaOne that they “felt that he had hurt the company by making a radical statement” and subsequently continued to suspend his account. To date, there has been no word on whether it would be reinstated.
Now, Ng is doing jobs under Ryde in a similar capacity, he said, praising the ride-sharing service app for not highlighting profile photos of passengers.
When asked if he felt remorse for his actions, Ng said he regretted violating Grab’s policy, but not for making his views known.
“From another angle, it might be good for me to have contacted her directly. Maybe you’ve always felt that putting political slogans (in public space) squarely in the face of others is fine and people should accept it. It will be good if you can stop for a while to see from other perspectives. “
