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Rapper Subhas Nair to be charged over 2019 video, 3 other instances of allegedly promoting ill-will between religious, racial groups

SINGAPORE — Rapper Subhas Nair will be charged next Monday (Nov 1) with allegedly promoting feelings of ill-will between different religious and racial groups, after he was said to have breached the conditions of a previous police warning over a 2019 rap video he made with his sister Preeti Nair, also known as Preetipls.

Rapper Subhas Nair at the State Courts on March 21, 2023.

Rapper Subhas Nair at the State Courts on March 21, 2023.

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SINGAPORE — Rapper Subhas Nair will be charged next Monday (Nov 1) with allegedly promoting feelings of ill-will between different religious and racial groups, after he was said to have breached the conditions of a previous police warning over a 2019 rap video he made with his sister Preeti Nair, also known as Preetipls.

In a statement on Thursday, the police said that Nair, 29, had allegedly made racial comments and social media posts in three new instances last year and this year.

This meant that he had breached a 24-month conditional warning that the police had issued to him and his sister on Aug 14, 2019 over the rap video they made in response to a “brownface” controversy that involved Mediacorp artiste Dennis Chew.

The police listed three new offences allegedly committed by Subhas:

  • On July 25, 2020, Nair posted comments on social media responding to a video of Chinese Christians who had made hateful comments against another community. He allegedly said that Malay Muslims who make the same hateful comments would be treated differently by the authorities
  • On Oct 15, 2020, Nair was said to have tried to promote feelings of ill-will between Chinese and Indians after he commented on the Orchard Towers murder case on July 2. He allegedly claimed that one of the Chinese accused persons involved in the murder of an Indian man received lenient treatment by the authorities due to his race
  • On March 11, 2021, Nair allegedly tried to promote feelings of ill-will between Chinese and Indians by showing a cartoon drawing of his Oct 15 social media post during an indoor stage performance, while he was being investigated by the police for the same post

The police said: “Allegations that the law or law enforcement agencies accord differential treatment based on religion or race are baseless and have the potential to damage religious and racial harmony in Singapore and erode public trust in our law enforcement agencies.”

Nair will be charged because his 2019 police warning stipulated that he may be prosecuted for the “brownface” rap video if he reoffended, on top of the alleged new offences, the police added.

Under Section 298A(a) of the Penal Code, those convicted of attempting to promote feelings of ill-will between different groups on grounds of religion or race may be jailed up to three years or fined, or both. 

Related topics

crime court police Subhas Nair race religion social media rap video

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