New citizen sparks uproar as he says his heart belongs to China while holding up Singapore passport

SINGAPORE: A recent post on the Chinese social media platform “Little Red Book” has ignited a wave of outrage among Singaporeans. A new citizen was seen holding up his Singapore passport while professing his love and loyalty towards his home country, China.

The new citizen, who goes by the username “Singapore – Little Dragon Brother,” stated in Chinese: “A villager from the farm! Successfully received Singapore citizenship after 4 years!” He added, along with an emoji of the Chinese flag, “Heart always belongs to China.”

The post quickly sparked uproar on social media as many Singaporeans found the new citizen’s sentiments disrespectful and offensive. Some questioned whether he had obtained Singaporean citizenship primarily for the advantages of the country’s powerful passport rather than out of any genuine attachment to the nation.

Numerous individuals took to social media platforms and online forums to express their displeasure. One netizen remarked, “If you take up Singapore citizenship, it is ridiculous to say that your heart is not here.”

The controversy has prompted calls for the Singapore Government to reconsider the individual’s citizenship status, arguing that his behavior undermines the integrity of the citizenship process and disrespects the nation’s identity.

Some netizens raised a hypothetical scenario: what if a Singaporean made similar remarks about China after obtaining Chinese citizenship? Critics contend that such an individual might face severe repercussions, including accusations of treason by the Chinese government. One netizen commented, “If the reverse happened, this would be seen as treason by the Chinese. They might even catch him and shoot him.”