Passenger Sees 'Chinese Please Speak Mandarin' Sign in Ride; Singaporean Driver Sparks Controversy
A Grab driver in Singapore sparked controversy by posting a sign demanding Chinese passengers speak Mandarin. Grab suspended the driver, citing a zero-tolerance policy against discrimination.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 10, 2026 at 21:48
- 🔍 Collected: April 11, 2026 at 00:17 (2h 29m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 20, 2026 at 08:14 (223h 56m after Collected)
According to Lianhe Zaobao, a 31-year-old passenger named Shen Xianyi uploaded a video of her ride-hailing experience to the social media platform TikTok, sparking a debate. Many netizens were dissatisfied with the driver's behavior, while some felt the driver was merely expressing a personal stance and that Chinese people should naturally be able to speak Mandarin.
On the afternoon of the 5th of this month, Shen Xianyi and her husband used the ride-hailing platform Grab. After getting into the car, they saw a sign posted on the back of the driver's seat that read: "Chinese please speak Mandarin, I do not speak English to Chinese people, sorry!"
Shen Xianyi told Lianhe Zaobao that she usually greets the driver proactively when taking Grab, but when she got into this car and greeted the driver, he did not respond. Furthermore, upon hearing her and her family conversing in English, he deliberately turned up the volume of the radio, which made her very angry.
The report noted that Shen Xianyi's father is Thai and her mother is Chinese. She stated that she can speak Mandarin, and although her husband is Peranakan Chinese, he has used English and Cantonese as his main communication languages since childhood and cannot read Chinese characters.
Shen Xianyi emphasized that learning Mandarin helps to understand one's culture and roots, but it should be encouraged rather than mocked; otherwise, it will only make those who are trying hard to learn feel offended. She has already reported the matter to Grab.
Grab replied to Lianhe Zaobao today, stating that it adopts a zero-tolerance attitude toward any form of discriminatory behavior. The platform has suspended the driver's eligibility to take orders until he removes the relevant signs and undergoes mandatory counseling to ensure his behavior complies with company guidelines before considering reinstating his eligibility. (Editor: Chen Yanjun) 1150410
On the afternoon of the 5th of this month, Shen Xianyi and her husband used the ride-hailing platform Grab. After getting into the car, they saw a sign posted on the back of the driver's seat that read: "Chinese please speak Mandarin, I do not speak English to Chinese people, sorry!"
Shen Xianyi told Lianhe Zaobao that she usually greets the driver proactively when taking Grab, but when she got into this car and greeted the driver, he did not respond. Furthermore, upon hearing her and her family conversing in English, he deliberately turned up the volume of the radio, which made her very angry.
The report noted that Shen Xianyi's father is Thai and her mother is Chinese. She stated that she can speak Mandarin, and although her husband is Peranakan Chinese, he has used English and Cantonese as his main communication languages since childhood and cannot read Chinese characters.
Shen Xianyi emphasized that learning Mandarin helps to understand one's culture and roots, but it should be encouraged rather than mocked; otherwise, it will only make those who are trying hard to learn feel offended. She has already reported the matter to Grab.
Grab replied to Lianhe Zaobao today, stating that it adopts a zero-tolerance attitude toward any form of discriminatory behavior. The platform has suspended the driver's eligibility to take orders until he removes the relevant signs and undergoes mandatory counseling to ensure his behavior complies with company guidelines before considering reinstating his eligibility. (Editor: Chen Yanjun) 1150410