Malaysian-born actor and comedian Ronny Chieng has received mixed reactions over his incendiary comments aimed at Singaporeans.
In a recent Instagram Story, Chieng, 38, said it is a "mistake" to listen to any Singaporean about current affairs aside from former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.
The entertainer, who is based in the United States, also characterised Singaporeans as "Karens" – a slang used to describe people who are highly entitled and overly demanding.
In his Instagram Story, Chieng wrote: "This is apropos of nothing but it's a mistake to listen to any Singaporean about current affairs other than Mr Lee Kuan Yew."
The Johor-born continued: "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."
To soften the blow, Chieng concluded his remarks by giving a nod to a particular Singaporean dish: "Great chilli crab though."
His statement was subsequently shared to the r/Singapore subreddit (forums dedicated to a specific topic on Reddit), where it unsurprisingly ignited a flurry of discussions among Singaporeans.
While some were offended by Chieng's comments, labelling him as a "sour grape" and expressing confusion over his apparent disdain for Singapore, others defended his right to share his opinions about the country given his upbringing there.
The Crazy Rich Asians star studied in Singapore, where his mother is based.
Meanwhile, some netizens have advised everyone not to take Chieng's words to heart as making controversial jokes is nothing unusual for a comedian.
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