The now-infamous “Is it because I’m Chinese?” comment made by the female passenger in the Go-Jek incident reveals deeper sentiments among some Singaporeans, said Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing on Feb. 15.

Calling the remark a “classic statement”, Chan said: “We may laugh at it. But sometimes, whenever pressure comes to the crunch, people fall to certain markers of their identity which perhaps reveal certain things that we should be aware of.”

Chan made the comment in response to a question posed by a member of the audience after his speech at the Asia Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers Alumni Distinguished Speakers’ Lecture.