WP's Jackson Au calls out 'internet brigading' campaign to discredit Aljunied MP Kenneth Tiong : Mr Au wrote that Kenneth Tiong "faced intense scrutiny. Some of this has taken the form of civil and robust debate, but the majority has descended into unwarranted character attacks, fuelled by what I perceive to be a coordinated campaign to discredit him."
🔗 Read more: https://theindependent.sg/wp-s-jackson-au-calls-out-internet-brigading-campaign-to-discredit-aljunied-mp-kenneth-tiong/
Here's the full detailed account of the story:
Background: What Triggered the Controversy
- Aug 2026: Air India sought an additional US$1.5 billion (S$1.9b) in fresh equity from shareholders — Tata Sons (74.9%) and SIA (25.1%) — after posting record losses
- Aug 26: WP Aljunied MP Kenneth Tiong posted publicly:
- SIA is ~50% owned by Temasek, so any funding call affects Singapore’s national investment funds
- "No one, least of all Singaporeans, owes Air India a living"
- Opposed using Temasek funds to prop up Air India via SIA
- Filed parliamentary questions for Sep 8 sitting asking whether government would rule out future direct support and set funding limits
- Online backlash followed: Accusations that Tiong was dog-whistling / being xenophobic; questions raised about his qualifications to challenge SIA’s investment decisions
Jackson Au’s Statement — Sep 7, 2026
WP’s Jackson Au (Punggol GE2025 candidate) issued a Facebook defence of Tiong:
"For his trouble, he has faced intense scrutiny. Some of this has taken the form of civil and robust debate, but the majority has descended into unwarranted character attacks, fuelled by what I perceive to be a coordinated campaign to discredit him."
Specific Allegations — "Internet Brigading"
- AI-generated videos circulated depicting Tiong in false, demeaning scenarios:
- Assaulting airline staff
- Crashing a plane
- Shouting at wheelchair‑using passengers
- Au called the content "racist, vitriolic, and tasteless" — refused to share it but highlighted its depravity
- Urged authorities to identify and act against those responsible
Rebuttal of "Xenophobia" Claims
- Labelled accusations that Tiong is racist "politically nefarious"
- Stressed Tiong was simply asking hard questions on behalf of constituents — his concerns were commercial and fiduciary, not racial
Key Related Developments
Kenneth Tiong’s Own Clarification — Sep 5
- Reiterated his concerns were purely commercial, not racial
- Stated: "Singaporeans are best served when we can hold two things at once: zero tolerance for racism & hard questions about money"
- Senior Minister K. Shanmugam had earlier condemned racist/xenophobic online comments linked to the SIA–Air India discussion, warning against politicising Temasek investment decisions
Parliamentary Exchange — Sep 8
- Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow defended SIA’s investment, said losses weren’t threatening SIA’s core function
- Did not rule out future government backstop nor identify any funding cap when pressed by Tiong
Public Reaction
- Many backed Au’s call: debate the issues, not the person
- One comment: "Personal attacks and racist content have no place in the conversation… We need more constructive dialogue, not more hostility."
Summary Table
Aspect Detail
Actor Kenneth Tiong (WP, Aljunied GRC)
Action Question SIA/Air India funding; oppose Temasek exposure
Response faced Charges of xenophobia; AI‑generated smear videos; coordinated character attacks
Defended by Jackson Au (WP) — Sep 7 Facebook post
Key Au quote Majority criticism = "unwarranted character attacks… coordinated campaign to discredit him"
Parliament outcome Minister Siow declined to rule out future support / set limit
Core divide Tiong: protect public funds → Govt: don’t politicise commercial investment decisions