Connect with us

Social Stories

“It’s just content” – Influencer Sam Lim Responds to Intense Backlash Over His ‘Tea Thambi’ Videos

Published

My Post 4 60
Source: Sam Lim | TikTok

Follow us on Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest stories and updates daily.

Social media influencer Sam Lim recently found himself in hot water after videos of him interacting with local entrepreneur Kavievanan Subramaniam went viral for the wrong reasons.

In a two-part video, Sam spoke to Kavievanan and one of Kavievanan’s staff members about their business and Kavievanan’s alleged RM100,000 income and asked them about their race and nationality.

“Are you type B or type I?”

sam 3
Source: Sam Lim

Kavievanan clarified that he was Malaysian and that he didn’t know what “type B” was, Sam told him to look around, as there were some foreigners in the area. Kavievanan then said he wasn’t Bangladeshi.

Sam also asked Kavievanan’s staff what “type” he was, and the staff said he was Malaysian.

sam 4
Source: Sam Lim

sam 5
Source: Sam Lim

“Do you have your passport?” Sam asked the staff member and then jokingly told the camera, “He doesn’t have an IC. He’s scared. He’s type B. (But he’s saying he’s) Malaysian. Later, DBKL might come and get them.”

Sam then took the opportunity to teach Kavievanan and his staff how ‘type I’ sells tea in India.

sam 7
Source: Sam Lim

Sam went on to speak about Kavievanan’s tea business, the price, and the portion of his RM1 masala tea. He asked if he had a license for his bicycle stall outlet. When Kavievanan said he did, Sam said there was no need for a license.

sam 8
Source: Sam Lim

“(He’s doing) business by the roadside, not paying for a license, RM100,000 income is possible. Everything, no need to pay. Tax, I don’t know if he pays,” Sam told the camera after telling his followers to support Tea Thambi should they like tea.

In a second video, Sam takes over Kavievanan’s bicycle stall outlet and later asks him how he managed to go viral without a TikTok account, to which Kavievanan responds that he relies on word of mouth.

As he ended the second video, Sam jokingly told Kavievanan’s staff member to run should DBKL appear.

Malaysians believe Sam’s approach is problematic

Many have since taken to Sam’s video and social media to call him out for insistently asking about their race, calling it rude and disrespectful.

From TikTok:

sam lim 1
Source: TikTok

sam lim 2
Source: TikTok

sam lim 3
Source: TikTok

sam lim 4
Source: TikTok

From X (formerly Twitter): 

sam lim 6
Source: X

sam lim 5
Source: X

“This is plain rude! Constantly saying ‘type B type B’, when they’ve already answered that they are Malaysians. No manners whatsoever.”

sam lim 7
Source: X

“This can be considered racist.”

Sam speaks to WORLD OF BUZZ

Speaking to WORLD OF BUZZ, Sam clarified that he had contacted Kavievanan and gotten consent before shooting the video, sent the videos to him, and received no feedback on the content.

He then shared his belief that there is nothing wrong with the videos as “It’s just content”, and that things were blown out of proportion by media portals labelling him a racist.

“So, now, after 2 months (of posting the videos), these media platforms, I don’t know which company, one is (censored), they started this fireback. They posted my content; I believe this is a new start-up company or some company that doesn’t get any engagement. They want to ride on the coattails of my name,”

“Use my name, take my content to increase their engagement.”

Sam added that these media platforms did not reach out to him for consent and called him ‘a racist influencer’.

We must acknowledge our many races

Additionally, Sam said that while we are Malaysians, we must acknowledge our many races, hence the “types.”

“In Malaysia, we have a lot of races. If I go to a hospital, the hospital will ask me to fill up a form, even on the form it’s written ‘What is your race? What is your religion?‘. Then should I say that the hospital is racist, ah?” he explained.

“I admit I am type C. If, let’s say, the other guy is Malay, admit lah type M. If you are Indian, you are type I. Of course, we are Malaysian, but as Malaysians, there are a lot of races that make us Malaysians. Don’t try to seem ‘atas‘ by saying you don’t race, that you’re Malaysian. Come on, don’t simply try to link this to 3R issues,” he added.

sam 9
Source: Sam Lim

Sam said he doesn’t mind media platforms using his content but will not accept it when it is used to mislead the community.

“When I ask people, ‘What is your type‘, I don’t think that’s racist. If people ask me, ‘Are you Sam Lim or Samad Lim?‘ I’m not going to say they are racist. I did this content, I asked Tea Thambi if ‘you’re type I or type B?‘, just for confirmation. I don’t think that’s racist. And that’s content. And people are using this to mislead society now.”

“I feel like this is defamation on me. Because they (media portals) are using my content to say I’m a racist. And this issue is quite serious in Malaysia,” he said.

Sam went on to explain that his team would reach out to the media portals that labeled him a racist to take down their posts and issue an apology or face letters of demand from him.

“Because I didn’t mean to be racist. If I meant to be racist ah, hello, I won’t be doing social media anymore lah. So stupid meh? Racist people going and doing social media?”

You can check out the videos in question here

Watch on TikTok

 

What do you think about this? Do feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.

 

Also read: “Pork waste everywhere, how will Muslims visit?” – Vendor Uncle Allegedly Kicked Out of Market for Calling it Dirty

My Post 1 2024 11 27T162857.271

Follow us on Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest stories and updates daily.



Just In

collage 108 collage 108
News15 hours ago

Driver & Motorcyclist Stop to Assist Fallen Rider in Johor, Leading to Chain Collision That Ends in Rider’s Death

A chain collision took place this morning in Johor Bahru, resulting in the death of a motorcyclist who was receiving...

collage 107 collage 107
News16 hours ago

PAS Members Respond After S’pore PM Accuses Them of Interfering with Country’s Elections, Blocks Their Posts

Singapore’s Prime Minister, in a press conference, mentioned that “three foreign actors” through social media posts had interfered with the...

chloe FT 25 chloe FT 25
News17 hours ago

M’sian Singer Serving Life Sentence for Cannabis Charges Released & Sent Back to Hospital Bahagia

Earlier, composer and singer Muhammad Yasin Sulaiman was charged with distributing cannabis at a condominium in Kota Damansara on March...

collage 106 collage 106
News19 hours ago

Chinese Man Kills Transwoman in Thailand After She Refuses Sex & Cuts Her Body Open “For Fun”

A 25-year-old transwoman in Pattaya, Thailand was brutally murdered by a Chinese man who claimed that she refused to have...

chloe FT 23 chloe FT 23
News20 hours ago

55yo Diner Killed While Having Breakfast in Kedah Coffee Shop After M’sian Driver Crashes Into Store

A 55-year-old woman, who was having her breakfast, tragically lost her life after a car came crashing into the Kedah...

chloe FT 20 chloe FT 20
News22 hours ago

PDRM: Woman & Nephew Found Dead from Suffocation in Semenyih Home, No Signs of Break-In or Theft

On April 25, police found 2 bodies at a house in Semenyih after a 48-year-old man reported a strange odour...

anwarft 2 anwarft 2
News2 days ago

PMX: M’sia to Take Balanced Approach to Trump’s Tariffs to Avoid Major Issues

Malaysia is taking a balanced approach to the US tariffs announced by President Trump earlier this month. Prime Minister Datuk...

fightft fightft
News2 days ago

WATCH: Fight Breaks Out Between JDT & Sri Pahang FC Fans Outside of Bukit Jalil Stadium

Just yesterday (April 26), chaos erupted outside Bukit Jalil National Stadium as Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) and Sri Pahang FC...

Announcement

Latest Videos



TRENDING TODAY