Netizens Criticise M'sian Actor For Claiming That Singaporean Food Are Stolen From M'sia
The rivalry continues.
By Celine Low — 21 Dec 2023, 01:04 PM
Malaysian actor Hero Tai recently made some pretty controversial remarks about Singaporean food and its local attractions
In an episode of Taiwanese television programme Students, which aired on 13 December, guests from Singapore and Malaysia were invited to debate their experiences living in their respective countries.
As a representative on the Malaysian team, Tai approached Singaporean singer Huang Jinglun, and affixed a board to his shirt containing words like "no culture", "no attractions", and "super boring" to express his views on the island nation.
The Malaysian actor said that a three-day, two-night stay would be sufficient to visit all the country's attractions, claiming that there isn't much to do.
He referred to many of its attractions as "man-made" and "fake" while holding up printed photos of Singapore's beaches, Jewel Changi Airport's Rain Vortex, Gardens by the Bay's Cloud Forest, and other famous landmarks.
He doesn't stop there; he goes on to claim that all Singaporean foods were "stolen" from Malaysia
He said most dishes associated with Singapore, such as chicken rice, char kway teow, bak kut teh, and nyonya kuih, originated from Malaysia, sparking strong reactions from the Singaporean team.
Tai later invited the Taiwanese guests on the show to list dishes that they believed originated from Singapore.
They mentioned barley drink, crab dishes, and pandan cake, to which Tai responded that these also originated from Malaysia.
"All of these dishes already existed in Malaysia before Singapore gained its independence," he said.
In response, Singaporean actress Gina Lim argued that they were not "stealing" but helping to "promote" the dishes, labelling it a form of "cultural exchange".
Huang added that Malaysia had failed to promote its local dishes.
"This is an issue for (Malaysia's) tourism promotion board. If you cannot promote your own things and need Singapore to help popularise them, there is a big problem there."
He also used the analogy of cover songs, saying: "If a song's original version is not popular, but the cover version is, it is not the fault of the cover singer. We have never said we are the original singers. But I am saying our cover version is nicer than the original."
The Taiwanese guests on the show were later treated to both Singaporean and Malaysian versions of bak kut teh, and gave positive reviews, even though they differed in taste and appearance.
Tai's contentious remarks did not sit well with netizens
One netizen expressed the opinion that his remarks were irresponsible and did not represent the views of all Malaysians.
"Some artists make irresponsible remarks for the sake of effect, leaving the people of both countries to bear the responsibility for the mess they left behind. I think Singapore and Malaysia are originally one family. Although Singapore later became independent, the culture of the two countries is still the same.
"There is really no need to differentiate between you and me. Taste is subjective, some people like salty food and some people like sweet food. Just enjoy what you like and don't be upset by irresponsible comments," they said.
Meanwhile, others came to his defence, with one netizen saying, "What Zuxiong [Hero Tai] said makes sense. Almost all of Singapore's famous attractions are man-made. After listening to this, it seems like there is no need to visit Singapore."
However, the prevailing sentiment among netizens is that both countries have a shared history and culture, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages.
A netizen shared, "I am Malaysian and have lived in Singapore for several years. I can say that Singapore is a beautiful and advanced country, but the human touch is still not as strong as that of Malaysia. The food is still delicious in Malaysia. So everyone has their own merits! Let's not fight."
Similarly, another netizen said, "Malaysia and Singapore are basically a pair of brothers who love each other and compete with each other all day long. But once someone attacks any party, it will quickly become a team fight. To put it bluntly, I am the only one who can bully my brothers."
You can check out the full episode here:
