Kenneth Ma becomes a meme by accident

Compiled by SIM LEOI LEOI and C. ARUNO

ACTOR Kenneth Ma has turned into a popular meme in both Malaysia and Hong Kong following a newspaper headline with double meaning that was published, China Press reported.

The headline, which reads “Malaysia deploys army to ensure order tomorrow”, not only sounds the same but the characters could also be read as “Ma Kwok-ming (Ma’s real name) deploys army to ensure order”.

The headline is the source behind the memes circulating on social media, one of which features a stern-looking Ma saying “Duduk dalam rumah!” (Stay at home!) accompanied by the same headline.

Netizens have turned to sharing the meme on social media as a form of comic relief, with many jokingly saying: “Everyone must be obedient and listen to Kenneth Ma! Stay at home!”

The meme had actually started in 2016 with the headline “Malaysia announces holiday tomorrow”, which could also mean “Ma Kwok-ming announces holiday tomorrow”.It resurfaced when Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that the army would move in to assist the police in the enforcement of the movement control order (MCO).

> Four days into the MCO, Hong Kong singer Charlene Choi is making the best of her time stuck indoors by experimenting with hairdressing, reported China Press.

The 37-year-old singer and actress, who was filming the TV series Female Forensic Doctor JD in Kuala Lumpur, had to stop work when the MCO was announced.

Instead of remaining idle at home, Choi started cutting and styling the hair of two of her employees, with their permission, she revealed.She posted a video of herself cutting the hair of her personal assistant on Instagram on Friday along with the caption: “I’m one step closer to being an expert hairdresser.”

Choi told Singapore daily Ming Pao that most of the series’ actors have chosen to remain in Malaysia and would be at their respective hotel rooms until filming resumes in April.

The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.