---
title: "S’porean TikToker gives ‘history lesson’ in response to comment which suggests ‘brown-skinned people are basically foreigners in S’pore’"
url: "/trending-now/sporean-tiktoker-gives-history-lesson-response-comment-which-suggests-brown-skinned-people-are"
published: "2026-10-30T03:12:17.000Z"
updated: "2026-10-30T03:20:49.000Z"
section: "Trending Now"
authors: ["Ivan Lim"]
tags: ["TNP News","racism","Singapore Indians","beauty","racist","TikTok"]
---

# S’porean TikToker gives ‘history lesson’ in response to comment which suggests ‘brown-skinned people are basically foreigners in S’pore’

*A Singaporean content creator has responded to a netizen who suggested that “brown-skinned people are basically foreigners in Singapore” with what she called a “history lesson”.*

A Singaporean content creator has responded to a netizen who suggested that “brown-skinned people are basically foreigners in Singapore” with what she called a “history lesson”.

TikToker @rohinislm, who lives in Toronto, posted a video addressing the comment, which was made under an earlier Instagram reel in which she questioned the lack of dark-skinned representation in Singapore’s beauty campaigns.

“Imagine Lithuania or Estonia with brown people advertisements. Singapore is not India,” the netizen wrote.

Responding in a video posted on Oct 20, Rohini says, while putting on makeup: “Brown-skinned people are basically foreigners in Singapore, is what this person was suggesting under my video. Some of you really need a history lesson.”

After explaining that Singapore is not part of China and that Malays are recognised as the country’s indigenous people, Rohini went on to address the presence of Indian Singaporeans, claiming that “some (people) think we just showed up yesterday”.

She then explains the role of Indians in shaping Singapore today.

“And let’s not forget one of Singapore’s founding leaders, S. Rajaratnam, he was the man who largely drafted our National Pledge, the very pledge where we all commit to being one united people regardless of race, language, or religion,” she adds.

“I’m not asking beauty brands to represent some random foreign population,” she says. “I’m literally just asking them to represent Singaporeans who exist,” she concludes.

## Netizens share experiences of feeling like foreigners in Singapore

Rohini’s post has since racked up 41,500 views, 4,200 reactions, and 155 comments.

Several netizens shared their own experience within the beauty industry.

“Was working in a beauty brand (not gonna say which) and dark/brown skin representation was not even considered,” said a TikToker.

“Once, a few years ago, I asked for a sample swatch from this one brand’s foundation, and the service staff said they only do it for light tones,” another said.

Some netizens were surprised that the person who posted the earlier comment did not seem to know about the Malay and Indian population in Singapore.

“The Malays are Indigenous to the land of Singapura/Singapore. Malays are Brown People who have dark to light skin tones. Why are foreigners this pressed and surprised? The National Language is Malay. Not English, not Mandarin, not Tamil. English is the uniting language!” said another TikToker.

Several netizens also shared their own experience about feeling like foreigners in Singapore.

“My sister works at a bakery. She looks Malay with big curly hair. This Chinese Singaporean lady came up to her and spoke Mandarin to her. My sister replied that she could not speak Mandarin. This Chinese Singaporean lady said, this is Singapore, everyone should know how to speak Chinese,” said a netizen.

“I tried asking the cashier something and the Chinese woman said she doesn’t know English and that I should learn (Mandarin),” said a Tamil TikToker.

Stomp has reached out to Rohini for more details.