Singaporean minister raps ‘offensive’ expat S’pore govt

SINGAPORE (Jan 23, 2014): A British wealth manager's Facebook posts deriding public transport commuters as poor are "deeply offensive, wrong, and unacceptable", Singapore's foreign minister said today.
Furious internet users lashed out at sports car-driving Anton Casey, who is married to a former Singapore beauty queen, after he referred to public transport users as "poor people" in a post on the social network.
The 39-year-old, a Singapore permanent resident, had also referred to washing "the stench of public transport off me" in another post.
"Like many Singaporeans, I am terribly upset and offended by what he (Casey) has posted. Deeply offensive, wrong, and unacceptable," Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam, who is also law minister, said on Facebook.
"Those who have done well in life should always be looking out for others – especially the less well-off or needy. It is basic human decency. Instead Mr Casey showed contempt."
Casey on Wednesday apologised for his remarks in a statement issued through a public relations firm, but many internet users remain unsatisfied.
"Some feel that the manner of his apology showed a lack of sincerity. And I think there is some basis for thinking that," Shanmugam said.
However, he appealed to Singaporeans to spare Casey's family from online abuse.
"We, Singaporeans, can be bigger than that." – AFP