On 22 March 2022, many Instagram users directed our attention to what Sherri Ashlee, an actor with more than 33,000 followers on Instagram, posted on her Instagram stories. Sherri, who is also the co-founder of Plugged Studios, shared an incident involving a cab driver that left her unimpressed.
The Incident
On the evening of 22 March 2022, Sherri entered a cab. She then informed her driver that she was headed to Aliwal Arts Centre. Aliwal Arts Centre is located in Kampong Glam, and it is a 4-minute walk from Sultan Mosque.
Upon hearing her destination, her driver asked her:
“You Malay ah?”
The taxi driver’s logical leap was premised on the fact that Sherri was heading to Aliwal Arts Centre. In his own words:
“Down there (Aliwal Arts Centre) all Malays”
Sherri’s Instagram Story
Sherri, who took a short video of herself in the backseat of the taxi and posted the video in her Instragram stories, was visibly upset.
In her Instagram story, she recounted the incident. She asked if, based on this driver’s logic, only Malays could go to place that was, to the driver’s mind, populated by Malays”.
She ended her Instagram story with the words “Wake up SG”.
Sherri’s Response
Sherri shared with Wake Up Singapore that she tried reasoning with, and educating, the driver. She told him that “It’s an arts centre you know? People actually have events and shows there.”
She told Wake Up Singapore that:
“I really feel that ignorance just can’t be an excuse for racist behaviour. It doesn’t matter how young or old you are. Singaporeans need to wake up and not hide behind ignorance.
At this point, I’ve almost given up because I’ve tried so many times to argue a point to these taxi uncles and it always comes to no conclusion. But it’s just so sad. It shouldn’t be like this.”
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