Malaysian actor apologizes for calling Singapore ‘man-made’ and ‘boring’

Malaysian actor and host Hero Tai . Photo from Tai’s Instagram

“I sincerely apologize to any Singaporeans whom I’ve upset,” he said in a Dec. 25 interview with Singaporean newspaper The New Paper.

The controversy stemmed from Tai’s appearance on an episode of the show “Student,” aired on Dec. 13, as reported by The Straits Times. This episode featured guests from Singapore and Malaysia and was designed for a humorous debate about their respective countries.

Tai, representing Malaysia, remarked that Singapore was “too boring” and suggested a short visit of two to three days for travelers. He also labeled popular Singaporean attractions like Gardens by the Bay as “man-made” and claimed that “all of Singapore’s delicacies are stolen from Malaysia.”

His comments sparked online debates, with opinions divided between those who saw it as typical entertainment show banter and others who criticized Tai for being an “attention seeker looking for his 10 minutes of fame,” according to Malaysian news site 8days.

Addressing the issue, Tai explained that the episode’s theme was “Singapore versus Malaysia,” and the format encouraged playful jibes between the countries for entertainment. He clarified that the episode was edited in a way that exaggerated his dissatisfaction with Singapore, which was not his true sentiment.

Tai also mentioned that he received many messages from Singaporean netizens following the broadcast of the show, among which some were to express dissatisfaction and some were to attack him. The Malaysian host thus emphasized his desire for a more peaceful and loving online and offline environment, and promised that he will be more careful in the future.

Additionally, Tai, along with his wife, a Ukrainian YouTube content creator, appeared on the Singaporean live-streaming platform Star Live to address the controversy.

Currently based in Taiwan, Tai, 37, is active as an actor and host.