Malaysia-born comedian Ronny Chieng garnered mixed reactions when he posted an Instagram story flaming Singaporeans on Mar. 21, 2024.
In three short paragraphs, he called us out on our knowledge of worldly affairs, gave a shout-out to Lee Kuan Yew, and praised our chilli crab.
What he said
Chieng began his rant by disclaiming that it was not referencing any situation or incident in particular.
“It’s a mistake to listen to any Singaporean about current affairs other than Mr Lee Kuan Yew,” he wrote.
“They are just a country of small island Karens with main character syndrome who literally think they have all the answers despite having zero perspective on the world.”
For the uninitiated, “Karen” is a pejorative slang term used to describe people who are entitled, among other character flaws.
Chieng softened the blow by conceding that our chilli crab was “great”.
Image via Ronny Chieng’s Instagram
Chieng was born in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, but grew up in Singapore.
He is an alumnus of Pioneer Secondary School and Pioneer Junior College, according to Wikipedia.
“He’s not wrong though.” – Some “Karens”
Chieng’s post sparked a discussion between online people on the r/singapore subreddit.
Some took it as a joke and commented (as a joke, too) in true “Karen” fashion.
Image via Reddit
Some who took it more seriously said they agreed with Chieng’s assessment.
One such person remarked that Singaporeans were “too sheltered” and needed to travel more.
Comment on Reddit
Some who took it even more seriously argued that it was a love-hate relationship between Singaporeans and Malaysians. (The discussion ended with a debate on Bak Kut Teh)
Image via Reddit
Some people who took it even more seriously, letting out their anger and hate for their neighbours without veil, had their comments downvoted to oblivion.
However, the post seemed to have gone through heavy moderation, as it was locked so that new comments could no longer be posted.
The original poster, reddot4eva, also got suspended.
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Top images via Ronny Chieng’s Instagram
