M’sian Actress Under Fire After Using Blackface In TikTok Dance To Promote ‘Dayang Senandung’

We can’t believe this is still happening in this day and age.

Malaysian singer and actress, Wani Kayrie, recently came under fire from netizens after she ignorantly posted a video donning Blackface while she danced to a viral TikTok trend on the popular video-sharing platform. In the video, the public figure could be seen dancing out to “gun-like movements” with a full Blackface.

hi her @ is wani.kayri please PLEASE report her acc. Shes fucking vertified?! Blackface isn’t a fucking joke holy shit. After everything???? pic.twitter.com/lQiQjENSRk

— ｙａｎｇｉｒｅ (@literal1ystfu) June 18, 2020

This outrageous stunt was later discovered to be a publicity move to promote the release of her upcoming drama, ‘Dayang Senandung’. For those of you who don’t know the Malaysian folklore story, the plot of ‘Dayang Senandung’ tells the story of a princess who was born under the ‘curse’ of black skin. Her fate at the end of the story occurs when the curse is lifted and she is ‘restored’ to a fairer complexion.

As you can tell, the plot has quite a few racist connotations and sends a negative message to its audience about discrimination towards other individuals based on the colour of their skin. While the movie was first released in 1965, it is being re-produced and is set to release in 2020.

However, the production of this drama is extremely inconsiderate and insensitive during this time, when the global population are standing up against racial injustice for the rights of Black people through the #BlackLivesMatter movement.

Since the TikTok video blew up, netizens have voiced their concerns and anger at how such productions are still being allowed in our country.

Dayang Senandung is a Malaysian's folklore. However this kisah implied certain racism remarks in it , as we can see : black = hated and is bad, white = loved and is good, happened on where Dayang got her curse broken from being black to a white lady after marriage.

— syah is so done lol #BLM (@syahlolol) June 18, 2020

the story of ‘Dayang Senandung’ just DOES NOT sit right with me, the context behind the story is just WRONG.

“Dayang Senandung disumpah menjadi hitam dari kecil”… DISUMPAH?!

help to sign this, to HALT PRODUCTIONS for this drama! ?https://t.co/kTSeekYjFX

— – (she/they) (@fall0utjody) June 18, 2020

Bro. 1)The production team could have casted a dark skinned women.
2) why support a story that cakap black skin(dark skin) = cursed?
Also blackface is wronf for so many reasons. Please educate urself gurl! ? Don't be ignorant https://t.co/bXjxQ00VqN

— sukuna simp account ?? (@safaiaaaaaaaaaa) June 18, 2020

Many have even started their own petitions calling for the halt of this show. If you want to get involved, do take a look at the petitions below and sign them so this matter can be brought up to the relevant authorities.

• Stop the production of the Dayang Senandung Drama by signing the petition here.
• HALT Production of Dayang Senandung IMMEDIATELY by signing the petition here.

Racism should never be tolerated on or off the screen. Don’t advocate productions who support injustice! 

Also read: Your Favourite Darlie Toothpaste May Be Renamed Completely In Light of Its Racist Origins