'If there's no China, there won't be Singapore': Queue-cutting dispute at USS goes viral

A family day out took a dramatic turn when two visitors at Universal Studios Singapore (USS) got into a heated exchange over one visitor's alleged queue-cutting behaviour.

A TikTok video, posted by lunachloe0573 at around 2pm on Aug 18, captured the interaction between a woman, apparently a Chinese national, with the man behind the camera.

The subtitle reads: "Cutting queue at Universal Studios…", suggesting the family had jumped the line.

The woman, seen holding a young child in one arm, is accompanied by a teenage boy and a younger girl. A man later joins the family, whipping out his phone to film the confrontation as well.

As both parties record each other, the woman challenges the man in Mandarin: "You think only you can film me?"

Muttering insults under her breath, she says: "You're not ashamed to be Chinese?"

The man responds sarcastically, also in Mandarin: "That's great. A mother who cuts the queue."

Even as the queue inches forward, the argument escalates, with the man insisting the woman had cut the line while she denies it vehemently.

The woman then says: "This idiot says Chinese are a disgrace to Chinese people. Are you not Chinese?"

The man responds to the insults with sarcasm, brushing off her accusations.

At one point, she says: "Do China people embarrass you? We eat and drink your things? If there's no China, there won't be Singapore."

Respect the law, netizens say

A repost of the video on TikTok account sgwhatsup had amassed over 2,830,000 views and 5000 likes at press time.

Netizens had much to say about the unpleasant interaction, with some blaming the woman for being "entitled" and "aggressive".

One netizen remarked: "Some Chinese tourists can come across as ill-mannered and snobbish, often prioritizing their own financial power without considering the feelings of others."

Others cautioned against generalising, noted that such instances are not representative of the entire tourist population.

Some took a more objective stance: "Nothing to do with race. It's basic courtesy. Respect the law."

Another echoed the sentiment: "Singaporeans also cut queues. It's manners, not based on race or nationality."

In response to queries from The New Paper, a Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) spokesperson said: "At RWS, we uphold the values of courtesy, respect and queuing etiquette, and expect our guests to treat fellow visitors with consideration to ensure everyone can have an enjoyable visit.

"We are thankful this matter was resolved."

Editor's note: This story has been updated to include a statement from RWS.