A video of the recent spat between a Gojek driver and his passenger was widely followed by Singaporeans, many of whom laughed at it, but Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing sees it as a reminder of the potential faultlines in Singapore society.

Referring to the viral video of the January incident, which ended with the passenger questioning “Is it because I’m Chinese?”, Mr Chan said:”Where did that come from?”

“People sometimes fall back on certain markers of their identity, which perhaps reveals certain things that we should be aware of,” he said on Friday (Feb 15).

He was speaking at the Asia Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO) Alumni Distinguished Speakers’ Lecture, at InterContinental Singapore.

“Our multi-ethnic and multi-cultural ancestries mean that we will always be subjected to attempts to influence and control our domestic agenda,” he said in a speech.