Is it for money, ex-DJ Tan Yan Wei questions after being detained in Dubai mall for taking selfies

With a camera in hand, social media influencer Tan Yan Wei was ready to document his time in Dubai. 

But the Singaporean was allegedly detained by security for two hours after taking selfies outside a shopping mall.

The former radio DJ, who goes by the moniker Xiao Er, shared his experiences on TikTok last Sunday (Jun 18). 

"I didn't want to talk about this, but a lot of people have been asking me," Tan began, adding that the security personnel confronted him after his alleged "crime" outside The Dubai Mall.

"They told me [taking videos is] not allowed, but I said that it's only for my own social media… and everyone else is doing it [too].

"I [also told them] that I would delete [the footage in the camera]. They said, 'No, you're coming with me to the management office.'"

Tan said that the security guards repeatedly threatened to call the police, adding that his ordeal ended after the "higher management" clarified that he did not commit any crime.

He shared: "So I said, 'Why did the security say that he's going to call the police?' Then guess what? The security said 'No, I never said that'.

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@yanweixiaoer/video/7245992039475629314?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7246038907857634842[/embed]

"So why was I arrested [at the mall]? Is it for racial reasons? Is it for money? I don't know."

Tan's video has garnered more than 30,000 views on TikTok.

In the comments, one netizen expressed his surprise that taking selfies outside a mall is illegal in Dubai. 

Tan clarified that it isn't. "It was the security who might have a different agenda," he claimed. 

Speaking to AsiaOne on Monday, Tan shared that the mall management had told him that they would give him more clarification on why he was detained on April 27.

But he has yet to hear back from The Dubai Mall. 

"I can go back to Dubai for work. I probably won't for leisure purposes," Tan said. 

"To be fair, I didn't have a lot of problems at other parts of Dubai. I didn't feel discriminated against. But this experience did sour the whole experience." 

AsiaOne has contacted The Dubai Mall for more details.

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chingshijie@asiaone.com