"You Malay, Right?": Grab Rider Questions Racial Stereotypes After Lift Encounter

A TikTok video by user humanalgo has gone viral after he recounted an incident in which he was allegedly mistaken for being Malay while wearing his Grab delivery uniform.

In the video, he said he encountered a woman in her early to mid-40s in a lift, who asked if he was afraid of dogs.

She then allegedly asked: "You Malay, right? Malay usually don't like dogs"

The user said he was shocked by the interaction, questioning the "prejudice and so much preconceived notions" that he was Malay simply because he was working as a Grab delivery rider.

He ended the video by questioning why some Singaporeans still view certain professions through a racial lens or racial bias.

The incident comes amid broader evidence that racial stereotypes continue to shape perceptions in Singapore.

A 2024 IPS-OnePeople.sg survey found that 43.5% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they form assumptions about a person's behaviour based on their race, up from 35.2% in 2018.

There has also been research showing that racial stereotypes in Singapore can influence perceptions of people's competence and suitability in the workplace.

A 2019 study by James Cook University

researchers found that Chinese participants rated equally qualified Malay job applicants as less competent and less suitable for a position, while also recommending lower salaries for them.