HK's Kenny Bee, Eric Tsang distance themselves from Malaysia's Namewee after taking group photo
Namewee (in dark glasses) in a now-deleted photo of himself with Kenny Bee (first from right) and Eric Tsang (second from left).
Hong Kong singer Kenny Bee and Hong Kong actor Eric Tsang have swiftly distanced themselves from controversial Malaysian rapper-actor Namewee after a group photo of them was criticised by netizens.
Bee and Tsang, both 72, were recently in Malaysia as part of the line-up of Hong Kong stars performing at the Wow! Super! Happy 30 Years concert at Resorts World Genting on July 19.
Namewee, 42, took a photo with the pair before the show and posted it on social media on July 19, writing: 'Wishing you a successful performance tonight.'
The photo of the trio together made waves on social media, with several netizens slamming Bee and Tsang for being associated with Namewee, whose full name is Wee Meng Chee.
The hip-hop artiste has been blacklisted in China since the release of his satirical single Fragile in 2021. The track was said to be full of barbed references to Chinese President Xi Jinping and China-related issues, such as the political status of Taiwan and censorship in China.
Bee, the lead vocalist of pop group The Wynners, took to Chinese social media platform Weibo on July 20, sharing a photo of himself with a statement.
'As a Chinese, I have shown patriotism through my strong actions and firmly upheld the dignity of the country and national sentiment,' he wrote in Chinese. 'Recently, during an event in Genting, Malaysia, I took a photo with a certain person without noticing that it caused a misunderstanding.'
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore 2 workers stranded on gondola dangling outside Raffles City Tower rescued by SCDF
Business Why Singapore and its businesses stand to lose with US tariffs on the region
Business $1.1 billion allocated to three fund managers to boost Singapore stock market: MAS
Singapore Medallions with Singapore Botanic Gardens' iconic landmarks launched to mark milestone-filled year
Life WP chairwoman Sylvia Lim to publish memoir with Epigram Books in 2027
Singapore Proof & Company Spirits closes Singapore distribution business
Singapore Jail, caning for man who held metal rod to cashier's neck in failed robbery attempt
Singapore Fresh charge for woman who harassed nurse during pandemic, created ruckus at lion dance competition
Bee explained it was purely a courtesy interaction on a public occasion, and he was unaware of his background or past words and deeds.
Without naming Namewee in the post, Bee said: 'If I had known his position earlier, I would never have had any contact with him. This incident was an unintentional mistake and does not mean that I agree with his views.'
Tsang, the host of Hong Kong variety series Super Trio (1995 to present) also posted a similar statement on Weibo on July 21, adding: 'Once again, I express my deepest apologies to everyone.'
Namewee has deleted the photo with Bee and Tsang from his social media accounts.
In a now-deleted statement on Facebook, Namewee wrote in Chinese: 'In order not to affect the peace and stability of the 'motherland' as well as the safety of our comrades in Hong Kong in the Greater Bay Area, we have removed the previous post and photos.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Straits Times
24 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Facts and myths intersect at the National Museum's new glass rotunda installation
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox SINGAPORE – In one popular myth passed down in Malay folklore, tidal changes are explained by a massive crab that resides among the roots of a magical tree named pauh janggi. The tree is above pusat tasek – or 'navel of the ocean', in Malay – and the crab's daily forays in and out of this gaping hole in the ocean floor are said to cause the rise and fall of the seas. This myth will be one of the stories told with the use of animation at the National Museum of Singapore's (NMS) Shaw Foundation Glass Rotunda, which re-opens on Aug 8 after closing in October 2024 for a revamp. The glass rotunda's new permanent exhibition, Singapore Odyssea, traces about 700 years of Singapore's history, culminating in a transition zone between the rotunda and the Singapore History Gallery. In addition to pauh janggi, three other myths are presented in this zone: Sang Nila Utama, the Palembang prince who supposedly named Singapore; the swordfish attack that gave Bukit Merah its name; and Raja Chulan, a Chola king who is said to have explored the waters near Singapore in a diving bell. Multidisciplinary artist Brian Gothong Tan, Singapore Odyssea's creative director, said the display incorporates myths as they are the lifeblood of civilisations. Brian – whose experimental film Waking The Fluorescent Lion was screened in the rotunda as part of the NMS' opening festival in December 2006 – said Singapore Odyssey goes beyond the traditional colonial understanding of the city by mixing ancient maritime history with myths. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business No clarity yet on baseline or pharmaceutical tariffs with US: DPM Gan Singapore Grace Fu apologises for Tanjong Katong sinkhole, says road may stay closed for a few more days Singapore Terrorism threat in Singapore remains high, driven by events like Israeli-Palestinian conflict: ISD Singapore Liquidators score victory to recoup over $900 million from alleged scammer Ng Yu Zhi's associates Singapore Man on trial for raping woman who hired him to repair lights in her flat Sport IOC president Kirsty Coventry a 'huge supporter' of Singapore Singapore Child and firefighter among 7 taken to hospital after fire breaks out in Toa Payoh flat Singapore S'pore can and must meaningfully apply tech like AI in a way that creates jobs for locals: PM Wong It's 'an expansion of our collective consciousness,' he said. Ms Priscilla Chua, principal curator at the NMS, added: 'Myths have long existed even before history was recorded.' 'Before the written word, this was what communities and people held onto, and what enabled them to understand what's going around them within the region, and help them to understand who they are, in the past and present,' she said. A designer from local animation studio CraveFX working on the designs for pauh janggi, a mythical tree. ST PHOTO: LUTHER LAU Ms Chua said that Singapore Odyssea is designed to be an immersive multimedia experience that creates a 'visually inspiring depiction of Singapore's history', with an emphasis on visuals. 'It's meant to be experiential, rather than artifacts,' said Ms Chua. 'We wanted visitors to have a 30-minute teaser of Singapore's history, before they enter the Singapore History Gallery to see the actual objects that depict the country's history.' The glass rotunda's coming re-opening marks the completion of the first phase of an ongoing overhaul of the NMS' permanent galleries . The Singapore History Gallery will admit its last visitors on Nov 16 before undergoing a year-long revamp, while the five level two galleries closed in September 2023 for a refresh. These galleries are slated to re-open in 2026. Ms Melissa Chan, Singapore Odyssea's art and design director, said the display begins by showcasing Singapore's maritime connections with the world through a new LED-covered sphere that represents the globe. An artist's impression of the new LED sphere in the National Museum of Singapore's glass rotunda. PHOTO: CRAVEFX, GSM PROJECT, KIN PRODUCTIONS AND NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SINGAPORE Referencing the glass rotunda's previous exhibit Story Of The Forest – designed by Japanese firm teamLab and displayed from 2016 to 2024 – Ms Chan said the only major physical change is Singapore Odyssea's new sphere, which helps to highlight the geometry and structure of the rotunda. After passing under the sphere, visitors will make their way down a sloping ramp, alongside projections that depict Singapore's history in reverse chronology. Mr Joshua Tan, the new exhibit's multimedia director, said this gives visitors a sense that they are digging deeper into the past, while their walk downwards on the ramp brings across the idea of excavation. In conceptualising the narrative for this section's projection, creative director Brian said the team looked at 'trauma points' in Singapore's history, such as separation from Malaysia and colonisation. He said that the design of projections here was inspired by temple reliefs in places such as Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The team that worked on Singapore Odyssea includes (from left to right) National Museum of Singapore principal curator Priscilla Chua, creative director Brian Gothong Tan, art and design director Melissa Chan and multimedia director Joshua Tan. ST PHOTO: LUTHER LAU At the end of the ramp, visitors enter a space within the rotunda where they can view vignettes of Singapore's history, before moving into the transition zone where the four myths are showcased. Multimedia director Joshua said that while the visuals displayed in the zone are animated, artists drew inspiration for them from real-life examples. For instance, he said, the team went on intertidal walks to conceptualise the animations for the transition zone, where the team presented pauh janggi as a mangrove tree, and also incorporated locally-found species into their designs, such as hawksbill turtles, ribbon jellyfishes and gold-spotted mudskippers. This, he said, makes the display a mix of myths and reality, while Brian said that the depiction of wildlife nudges visitors to consider humans' relationship with the natural world, especially as Singapore has lost much of its natural landscape during the colonial era. An original soundtrack that incorporates sound recordings from around Singapore was composed for Singapore Odyssea. Mr Zahin Anwari, the display's lead sound designer, said the soundtrack also includes singers from as far away as Bulgaria and Egypt, who were sought for the tonality and exoticism of their voices. Ms Chua hopes the 'travel back in time' experience that the rotunda offers will pique visitors' curiosity about Singapore's history. 'The concept of time travel has always had the allure of mystery, excitement and adventure and that's precisely the kind of experience we want to create for visitors,' she said.

Straits Times
9 hours ago
- Straits Times
K-actor Ahn Hyo-seop says working with his idol Lee Min-ho on Omniscient Reader movie was ‘surreal'
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox K-drama stars Ahn Hyo-seop (left) and Lee Min-ho at a press conference for the movie Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy at MBS on July 29. SINGAPORE – Rising star Ahn Hyo-seop had always viewed K-drama idol Lee Min-ho as a massive celebrity. 'I grew up watching all his shows – I'm a big fan. It's surreal to be on set with him,' Ahn tells The Straits Times in Korean through a translator in an interview at Marina Bay Sands. The 30-year-old Canadian actor was in town on July 29 with Lee, 38, and South Korean director Kim Byung-woo to promote their new fantasy action thriller movie Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy, which is based on the popular South Korean web novel Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint created by duo singNsong. Office worker Kim Dok-ja (Ahn) suddenly finds himself in the apocalyptic world of his favourite web novel, Three Ways To Survive The Apocalypse. In a world where monsters are hunting humans, he has to bank on his knowledge of its storyline to fight for survival. Along the way, he teams up with the novel's characters, including the hero Yu Jung-hyeok (Lee). The movie, which opens in Singapore cinemas on July 31, also stars Chae Soo-bin, Shin Seung-ho, singer Nana, child actor Kwon Eun-seong and K-pop girl group Blackpink's Jisoo. After getting over being starstruck, Ahn says it was easy to get into character, as Dok-ja is a big admirer of Jung-hyeok. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Grace Fu apologises for Tanjong Katong sinkhole, says road may stay closed for a few more days Singapore Terrorism threat in Singapore remains high, driven by events like Israeli-Palestinian conflict: ISD Singapore S'pore can and must meaningfully apply tech like AI in a way that creates jobs for locals: PM Wong Singapore 7, including child and firefighter, taken to hospital after fire breaks out in Toa Payoh flat Sport IOC president Kirsty Coventry a 'huge supporter' of Singapore Singapore Man on trial for raping woman who hired him to repair lights in her flat Singapore Doctor who forged certificates for aesthetic procedures gets 4 months' jail Singapore ICA inspector obtained bribes in the form of sex acts from 6 foreign men in exchange for his help 'Like Dok-ja, I look up to Min-ho hyung (elder brother in Korean). There are many similarities,' says Ahn. During The Straits Times' interview with the pair, one can sense the respect Ahn has for his South Korean senior, whose career began in 2006. Lee became a household name through hit K-dramas such as Boys Over Flowers (2009), The Heirs (2013) and The King: Eternal Monarch (2020). He also starred in the US series Pachinko (2022 to 2024). Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy is Ahn's feature film debut, even though he first found fame through K-dramas such as Doctor Romantic 2 and 3 (2020 to 2023), Lovers Of The Red Sky (2021) and Business Proposal (2022). His popularity received an international boost, thanks to the hit Netflix animated film KPop Demon Hunters, in which he voices demon boy band leader Jinu. Ahn modestly downplays the attention he is receiving for that English-language role, explaining he signed up for the Sony Pictures Animation project because he thought it was 'very interesting'. Canadian actor Ahn Hyo-seop plays office worker Kim Dok-ja in Omniscent Reader: The Prophecy. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO He says: 'I never expected to get so much love and attention around the world, which makes me really happy and grateful.' The fact that KPop Demon Hunters highlights Korean culture makes him 'super proud' too. Following in Lee's footsteps to further his career in Hollywood may also be on the cards if the project interests him and the timing is right. Ahn Hyo-seop as Kim Dok-ja in Omniscent Reader: The Prophecy. PHOTO: GOLDEN VILLAGE 'I don't think it is an issue of language or country. As long as I'm attracted to the work, be it a drama or something else, whether it's in English or Korean, I would do it,' says Ahn. 'To me, the message is most important.' For most of the filming of Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy, Lee did not mingle with his co-stars, as Jung-hyeok is primarily a lone ranger. South Korean actor Lee Min-ho plays lone warrior Yu Jung-hyeok in Omniscent Reader: The Prophecy. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO 'I'm not only alone and lonely on set, but this is also the first time I'm the oldest among the cast,' he says in Korean. Emotions ran high when Lee had the opportunity to watch them film their scenes. 'Like an older brother, I felt responsible for them, so I needed to do my best. They did a great job and I felt so proud of them.' Lee Min-ho as Yu Jung-hyeok in Omniscent Reader: The Prophecy. PHOTO: GOLDEN VILLAGE Standing at 1.87m tall worked in Lee's favour, as he needed to 'look cool and strong' on-screen . But for Ahn, his height of 1.88m became a hindrance of sorts. 'The director wanted me to look ordinary and not stand out in the crowd,' Ahn explains, adding that he frequently needed to learn to 'act smaller than I am'. Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy plays out like a video game, where humans need to 'level up' different skill sets in their fight against monstrous creatures. K-drama stars Ahn Hyo-seop (left) and Lee Min-ho at a press conference for the movie Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO When asked what abilities they wished to improve on to make themselves better, Ahn chooses wisdom, saying: 'I believe wisdom is essential for achieving happiness, which is one of the main purposes of living.' Adds Lee with a laugh: 'I want a God-given voice so that I can be an R&B singer.'

Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Straits Times
Come face to face with your future self at SG60 exhibition
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The linchpin of the exhibition is Windows in the Sky, a segment where visitors can watch a personalised 25-second trailer of themselves in a future Singapore. SINGAPORE - Visitors to an upcoming exhibition will be able to see themselves living, working and playing in an envisioned future Singapore. They can also hold a conversation with their future selves in the immersive showcase, which starts on Aug 26. The SG60 Heart&Soul Experience at Orchard Library will be able to work this magic through a data set that took in future plans for the city state from more than 110 partners, such as the Forward Singapore blueprint and the SG Green Plan 2030. A human team then created 125 character archetypes and 2,500 'scenes' from the data, which generative artificial intelligence (AI) will help turn into a unique narrative for each visitor, based on the individual's background and interests. For instance, someone keen on the outdoors may see a future of himself doing something related to sustainability or solar panels. The linchpin of the exhibition is Windows in the Sky, a segment where visitors can watch a personalised 25-second trailer of themselves in a future Singapore on a wraparound, floor-to-ceiling screen. The national exhibition – which marks Singapore's 60th year of independence – is jointly developed by the Ministry of Digital Development and Information and National Library Board (NLB), and created by the team behind The Bicentennial Experience in 2019 and the SG50 Future of Us exhibition in 2015. Booking of tickets to the exhibition opens on July 29. Executive creative director Gene Tan, who is also NLB's chief librarian and chief innovation officer, said that while the past two exhibitions were more about telling overarching stories, this latest one seeks to create a tailored experience for every visitor. Mr Tan admitted that he was 'terrified' at the uncertainty and unpredictability of this highly personalised approach, with some 3.5 million permutations that the AI could generate. 'How do we have the audacity to tell people what the future is? So in the end, we came up with the idea of it as a sensation of the future... What it could feel like, rather than what it will be,' he said in an interview on July 25. At the exhibition, visitors will be able to chat with a lifelike digital librarian about their lives and interests, with their answers used to generate the personalised trailers. Visitors will be able to chat with a lifelike digital librarian about their lives and interests, with their answers used to generate the personalised trailers. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG Another segment will chronicle pivotal moments in Singapore's history as narrated by eyewitnesses, while a quirky emporium will showcase possible products from the future, such as cricket protein bars and okara soya cream soup. A quirky emporium will showcase possible products from the future, such as cricket protein bars and okara soy cream soup. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG A magazine stand inspired by the iconic Holland Village Thambi Magazine Store , and in support of SPH Media and The Straits Times' 180th anniversary, will feature some 60 newspaper front pages that spotlight key global and local events since 1965. A magazine stand will feature some 60 newspaper front pages that spotlight key global and local events since 1965. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG Using augmented reality, visitors will also be able to see how Singapore's landscape has transformed and will continue to change in a segment called Curiocity. Visitors will be able to see how Singapore's landscape has transformed and will continue to change in a segment called Curiocity. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG At the end of the exhibition, which will take about 60 to 90 minutes, each visitor will be able to take home a bookmark with a QR code that links to their personalised 25-second trailer. The organisers said that visitor data collected will be accessible only to NLB and assigned partners. Each visitor's image will be deleted after 24 hours, and each personalised trailer will be kept for only seven days. Selected elements of the exhibition will be repurposed to be part of the new Orchard Library when it reopens in 2026. Besides the ticketed experience at Orchard Library, there is also a non-ticketed installation series at the ground-floor atrium of Orchard Central and Orchard Gateway. This will be a visual tribute to SG60, tracing the nation's journey through time . Visitors will be able to walk alongside historical figures in colourised archival videos from the National Archives of Singapore from the 1900s to 2025. There will also be a generative AI-powered station, where visitors can take home personalised postcards of themselves in the past. In addition, the Tote Board and Singapore Pools have collaborated with Heart&Soul on a photo booth where for every photo taken, they will pledge $1 to support four mental wellness charities, capped at $500,000. Creative director Beatrice Chia-Richmond said building a national showcase that can resonate with Singaporeans from all walks of life was extremely challenging, as the creative team had never done a show where the visitor was the star. She hopes every visitor will leave the exhibition excited and optimistic, and will want to call Singapore home 'fiercely, over and over again'. Fellow creative director Michael Chiang said it will be a one-of-a-kind experience for all, and that Heart&Soul is probably the first time that anyone in the world has attempted a personalised exhibition of this scale. (From left) Creative directors Michael Chiang and Beatrice-Chia Richmond and executive creative director Gene Tan. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG NLB chief executive officer Ng Cher Pong said the exhibition aims to deepen visitors' connections with one another – as Singaporeans, and as a nation. 'Our hope is that this experience inspires optimism and confidence in Singaporeans as we look ahead to the next 60 years and beyond,' he added.