> both lines were said in a slightly humorous, rather than provocative tone

I don't doubt you, but readers can't know that, and there have been flamewars in the past about this. Typically the "slightly humorous" gets lost and the provocation (e.g. "sharks") remains.

> It is a trope that any article on Singapore must automatically include

I assume most everyone knows this. But it doesn't seem fair to criticize others for "tropes" when you were the one bringing them up.