For subscribers

'Brownface' controversy

Age-old issue of racism resurfaces in multiracial Singapore

Controversial ad, rap video shine spotlight on race relations here

Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox

ST ILLUSTRATION: CEL GULAPA

Adrian Lim

Follow topic:
When Lela was 10, she overheard a Chinese woman standing in line behind her in a bank telling somebody else: "Stop pushing, I can't move forward. This Indian girl in front of me is very smelly."
Almost three decades on, memories of that humiliating episode that left her crying resurfaced when she saw a recent e-payment advertisement featuring a local Chinese comedian in "brownface".
See more on