Image widely shared online after being posted by Indian PR, whose employer, DBS Bank is also looking into it
By Ankita Varma, The Straits Times, 18 Aug 2018
The police are investigating a Facebook post showing a black T-shirt with a graphic of the Singapore flag being ripped apart by a pair of hands to reveal the Indian flag underneath.
The image, which is believed to have first surfaced on Aug 14, one day ahead of India's Independence Day, was widely shared online when it was posted onto the Singapore Indians and Expats page on Facebook by Singapore permanent resident Avijit Das Patnaik. The page has over 11,000 members.
Mr Patnaik, who has been living in Singapore for a decade, posted it alongside a caption in Hindi that said, "Phir bhi dil hai…", which roughly translates to "Still my heart is…" and alludes to a popular Hindi song that talks about always feeling love for the motherland, India.
But he told The Straits Times that he did not design the image. He had first seen it posted on various individual accounts on Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp.
Many netizens who saw the post deemed it offensive, with some complaining that the image is disrespectful to Singapore as it shows the Singapore flag being ripped to shreds.
The Singapore Arms and Flag and National Anthem Act states that no person shall treat the flag with disrespect. The penalty is a maximum fine of $1,000.
The image has since been taken down.
The police confirmed that a police report has been lodged and that they are looking into the matter.
DBS Bank, which is Mr Patnaik's employer, also commented in a Facebook post that it is looking into the matter.
When contacted, Mr Patnaik apologised and said that he did not mean to cause offence.
"I did not design the image and had already seen it being circulated widely... which is why I assumed it was okay for me to post the image. " he said.
"I love Singapore deeply and am always singing praises about this country, so my intention was never to cause so much grievance. I just felt that the image represented that deep inside, the heart also beats for our motherland," he added.
Secretary Tan Chor Bee, 52, who saw the post online, said that it should not be surprising that Singaporeans are angry.
"If you post an image which defaces a national flag, then you should expect this result," she said.
However, others like housewife Nadiya Ahmad felt that the situation was blown out of proportion. Ms Nadiya, 36, a Singaporean married to an Indian national, had received the image on WhatsApp on Aug 15. She said: "Perhaps it was not the best idea to show how you can still feel close to your homeland by tearing the flag of your host country, but the thought behind it is not malicious and that is the most important thing. There is no need for this to become a witch-hunt."
* DBS says employee who posted image of ripped Singapore flag on Facebook 'no longer with bank'
Disciplinary panel was called and employee counselled, says bank
By Ankita Varma, The Straits Times, 29 Aug 2018
A DBS employee who posted a picture on Facebook showing the Singapore flag being ripped apart to reveal India's flag underneath is no longer with the bank.
The image, which is believed to have first surfaced on Aug 14, one day ahead of India's Independence Day, was shared widely online after it was posted on the Singapore Indians and Expats page on Facebook by Singapore permanent resident Avijit Das Patnaik.
The page has more than 11,000 members.
DBS, in a Facebook post yesterday, said it strongly disapproved of Mr Patnaik's actions. Disclosing that he was counselled, the bank said he was given the benefit of due process.
"Since the incident, a disciplinary committee has been convened and as of 24 August, he is no longer with the bank," DBS said on Facebook.
The bank did not respond to queries on whether Mr Patnaik resigned or if he was dismissed. DBS also did not say what job Mr Patnaik had at the bank.
As of 9pm yesterday, DBS' post had 344 likes, 137 comments and 218 shares on Facebook, with the overall sentiment positive towards the bank's decision.
Ms May Tse, who was among those supporting the bank's move, said that she thought the picture was offensive, more so since it was posted just days after Singapore's National Day.
"Whether or not you designed the image is irrelevant. You should not be sharing something that so obviously defaces a national flag," the housewife said. "It is not surprising that so many Singaporeans were offended and given that DBS is a local bank, I support their decision to part ways with him.
Mr Patnaik, a permanent resident who has lived in Singapore for a decade, had told The Straits Times that he did not design the image. He also said that he had first seen it posted on various individual accounts on Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp and that it was circulated widely.
Mr Patnaik is not the first foreigner to have found himself in hot water online after what has been perceived to be an offending post.
In a similar case in 2015, an assistant nurse from the Philippines, Ed Mundsel Bello Ello, was sacked by Tan Tock Seng Hospital after he made disparaging comments about Singaporeans through his Facebook page.
By Ankita Varma, The Straits Times, 18 Aug 2018
The image, which is believed to have first surfaced on Aug 14, one day ahead of India's Independence Day, was widely shared online when it was posted onto the Singapore Indians and Expats page on Facebook by Singapore permanent resident Avijit Das Patnaik. The page has over 11,000 members.
Mr Patnaik, who has been living in Singapore for a decade, posted it alongside a caption in Hindi that said, "Phir bhi dil hai…", which roughly translates to "Still my heart is…" and alludes to a popular Hindi song that talks about always feeling love for the motherland, India.
But he told The Straits Times that he did not design the image. He had first seen it posted on various individual accounts on Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp.
Many netizens who saw the post deemed it offensive, with some complaining that the image is disrespectful to Singapore as it shows the Singapore flag being ripped to shreds.
The Singapore Arms and Flag and National Anthem Act states that no person shall treat the flag with disrespect. The penalty is a maximum fine of $1,000.
The image has since been taken down.
The police confirmed that a police report has been lodged and that they are looking into the matter.
DBS Bank, which is Mr Patnaik's employer, also commented in a Facebook post that it is looking into the matter.
When contacted, Mr Patnaik apologised and said that he did not mean to cause offence.
"I did not design the image and had already seen it being circulated widely... which is why I assumed it was okay for me to post the image. " he said.
"I love Singapore deeply and am always singing praises about this country, so my intention was never to cause so much grievance. I just felt that the image represented that deep inside, the heart also beats for our motherland," he added.
Secretary Tan Chor Bee, 52, who saw the post online, said that it should not be surprising that Singaporeans are angry.
"If you post an image which defaces a national flag, then you should expect this result," she said.
However, others like housewife Nadiya Ahmad felt that the situation was blown out of proportion. Ms Nadiya, 36, a Singaporean married to an Indian national, had received the image on WhatsApp on Aug 15. She said: "Perhaps it was not the best idea to show how you can still feel close to your homeland by tearing the flag of your host country, but the thought behind it is not malicious and that is the most important thing. There is no need for this to become a witch-hunt."
* DBS says employee who posted image of ripped Singapore flag on Facebook 'no longer with bank'
Disciplinary panel was called and employee counselled, says bank
By Ankita Varma, The Straits Times, 29 Aug 2018
A DBS employee who posted a picture on Facebook showing the Singapore flag being ripped apart to reveal India's flag underneath is no longer with the bank.
The image, which is believed to have first surfaced on Aug 14, one day ahead of India's Independence Day, was shared widely online after it was posted on the Singapore Indians and Expats page on Facebook by Singapore permanent resident Avijit Das Patnaik.
The page has more than 11,000 members.
DBS, in a Facebook post yesterday, said it strongly disapproved of Mr Patnaik's actions. Disclosing that he was counselled, the bank said he was given the benefit of due process.
"Since the incident, a disciplinary committee has been convened and as of 24 August, he is no longer with the bank," DBS said on Facebook.
The bank did not respond to queries on whether Mr Patnaik resigned or if he was dismissed. DBS also did not say what job Mr Patnaik had at the bank.
As of 9pm yesterday, DBS' post had 344 likes, 137 comments and 218 shares on Facebook, with the overall sentiment positive towards the bank's decision.
Ms May Tse, who was among those supporting the bank's move, said that she thought the picture was offensive, more so since it was posted just days after Singapore's National Day.
"Whether or not you designed the image is irrelevant. You should not be sharing something that so obviously defaces a national flag," the housewife said. "It is not surprising that so many Singaporeans were offended and given that DBS is a local bank, I support their decision to part ways with him.
Mr Patnaik, a permanent resident who has lived in Singapore for a decade, had told The Straits Times that he did not design the image. He also said that he had first seen it posted on various individual accounts on Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp and that it was circulated widely.
Mr Patnaik is not the first foreigner to have found himself in hot water online after what has been perceived to be an offending post.
In a similar case in 2015, an assistant nurse from the Philippines, Ed Mundsel Bello Ello, was sacked by Tan Tock Seng Hospital after he made disparaging comments about Singaporeans through his Facebook page.
Not everyone, though, agreed with DBS' decision, with some like 24-year-old student Nurul Ismail describing it as too drastic.
"In cases where mistakes are made, we should have some leeway for people to show remorse and learn from their errors," she said.
"Singaporeans are becoming more vicious online and these witch hunts make us look very bad - especially when people go to the extent of threatening families or employers."
Former Nominated Member of Parliament Calvin Cheng yesterday said he did not approve of the type of "nationalism" and "national pride that stirs up online mobs to anger whenever they feel a foreigner has insulted Singapore or Singaporeans online".
"The people of a strong, secure country are confident enough to laugh off these slights, and not be baited into an angry frenzy. Come on Singapore. We are better than this," Mr Cheng said in a Facebook post.
Former Nominated Member of Parliament Calvin Cheng yesterday said he did not approve of the type of "nationalism" and "national pride that stirs up online mobs to anger whenever they feel a foreigner has insulted Singapore or Singaporeans online".
"The people of a strong, secure country are confident enough to laugh off these slights, and not be baited into an angry frenzy. Come on Singapore. We are better than this," Mr Cheng said in a Facebook post.
DBS has really taken a laissez faire approach to this case, you don't even bother to put up a proper Facebook post or any official statement regarding your ass of a staff but simply post a comment buried among comments for who the fuck to see!!??
ReplyDeleteTo take this seriously would mean immediate dismissal, what bullcrap is "counselling" able to achieve in this case? The man must have the IQ or skills of a extraterrestrial to merit such apathy from the largest Southeast Asian bank.
Grow some balls DBS and sack the fucking moron!!!!
Finally, on 28 August 2018, DBS posted on Facebook that they have jettisoned Avijit Das Patnaik from the bank.
ReplyDeleteWell done, at least now they can celebrate being named the first Singaporean and Asian winner of Global Finance Magazine's Best Bank in the World Award 2018.