An Indian national flag briefly displayed next to the Singapore flag at a condominium in Sengkang has triggered online backlash and reignited discussion around the public display of foreign national emblems in Singapore.
The flag was spotted at The Topiary condo on Fernvale Lane during Singapore’s National Day period and was photographed by a resident on August 15. The Indian flag was hung side by side with the Singapore flag over the balcony railing of a high-floor unit. By August 21, it had been taken down, as per reports.
The image was shared with STOMP, a citizen journalism platform run by Singapore’s SPH Media. The platform, known for crowd-sourced stories and local breaking news, published the report after being contacted by the resident.
“This is Singapore. Period.”
The resident, who submitted the photo, expressed clear displeasure over the act, saying: “My feeling on this is simple: THIS IS SINGAPORE. Period.” That sentiment echoed widely across online platforms, where the photo sparked strong reactions.
Indian flag displayed next to Singapore flag at Sengkang condo
byu/uandurfader insingaporehappenings
One comment made on Facebook read: “India’s Indians are another group of race that’s always creating troubles overseas… However between India and China, the latter is better than the former.”
Another user posted, “Should take back his PR or citizenship status if he was and give his slot to someone else instead who can genuinely pledge his loyalty and commitment to Singapore and fly Singapore flag only!”
Others took a more humorous or empathetic tone. “Send him to our Changi resorts and let him enjoy our free curry rice,” said one.
Another speculated: “Maybe the unit has been blessed out to an Indian engineer working in MNCs in Singapore. This Indian felt grateful to be able to work in Singapore… So this Indian uses his national flag to pay homage to Singapore.”
The law on foreign flags
Under Singapore’s National Emblems (Control of Display) Act, it is an offence to publicly display a foreign national flag or emblem without proper authorisation. The law considers an emblem publicly displayed if it is visible to members of the public.
Breaching this law can lead to a fine of up to SGD 500, imprisonment for up to six months, or both. Only certain exceptions are allowed, such as display by diplomatic missions or authorised ships and aircraft.
