The food fight is (probably) never-ending.
Recently, UK-based Malaysian comedian Nigel Ng, fondly known for his alter ego Uncle Roger in his orange t-shirt with the phrase “haiyaaa” expressed his take on the difference between Malaysian food and Singaporean food.
“You guys (Singaporeans) just do a weird, less good version of Malaysian food,” he told reporters from The Straits Times.
Bah Kut Teh in Singapore vs in Malaysia
To further explain his take on Singaporean food, Nigel then used 1 of the most popular dishes among the Chinese community as an example – Bah Kut Teh. He made it clear that he is not a fan of Singapore’s version of Bah Kut Teh.
“Your Bah Kut Teh is pale and transparent.”
For illustration purposes only
He then said that there are more similarities than differences in terms of the food but generally, Malaysian food is much better, especially the ones in Penang.
His Uncle Roger persona is well known for his thick Cantonese accent and the character spends the time mostly reviewing and criticising how Westerners prepare egg-fried rice. Over the years, some viewers have expressed their discontentment over the stereotyped ‘Asian’ character.
To Uncle Roger’s defence, Nigel said,
“Uncle Roger is not mocking his own people. He’s championing the food and mocking Western culture for getting it wrong.”
More research please, Nigel!
His take on Singaporean food has gained the attention of fellow netizens who have mixed reactions. Some people think that a comedian should not be taken seriously for his words, especially when it comes to the ratings of the food around the world.
In the meantime, some people actually agreed with what Nigel had in mind about the food in Malaysia and Singapore.
If you have tried the Bak Kut Teh in both Malaysia and Singapore, do you agree with Nigel’s take on this? Do you think a comedian’s take on food matters or we should just enjoy the food as long as it’s good – to each his own?
Also read: Uncle Roger Says The Ukraine Dates Joke Was Unfunny But He Will NOT Apologise For A Bad Joke
