Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg
The Sultan of Johor has praised actor-comedian Ronny Chieng and songwriter Gin Lee for making the state proud.
In a Facebook post highlighting the achievements of the two Johor-born natives on Sep. 18, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar said, "I’d like to thank them for bringing glory to Johor in their own way and wish them continued success."
He further expressed his hope for both Chieng and Lee to serve as an inspiration for Johor's own arts and culture scene, adding:
"I believe Johor has many talents who have yet to be found and nurtured. Let them be an example and inspiration of what Johor can achieve, and also spur our own local arts and entertainment scene to greater heights."
Sultan praises Chieng for not forgetting his roots in Malaysia
The sultan also praised 35-year-old Chieng for not forgetting his roots in Malaysia, highlighting his promotional video for Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, in which Chieng showed off his Malaysian passport, along with his ability to speak Malay, and order coffee at the kopitiam "like a pro".
He highlighted Chieng's achievements such as being cast in Crazy Rich Asians with fellow Malaysian Henry Goulding, his career as a standup comedian since his university days, performing with Trevor Noah in 2013 and eventually becoming a senior correspondent on The Daily Show.
Other achievements include being the co-writer and star of the sitcom Ronny Chieng: International Student in 2016, based on his own experience as a Malaysian student at Australia's University of Melbourne, being named one of "10 Comics to Watch" by Variety in the same year and the streaming of his stand-up special, Asian Comedian Destroys America, since 2019 on Netflix.
In response, Chieng thanked the sultan in a comment on the post, adding that he held a lot of affection for Johor and its various places and restaurants, and wished the sultan and fellow Malaysians well.
Chieng also shared on his own page an image of his parents meeting the sultan at the Rotary Club of Johor Bahru in the 1980s, and congratulated Lee on her success as a singer and songwriter.
Sultan also highlights Lee's multiple achievements in music
Similarly, the sultan also highlighted 34-year-old Lee's multiple achievements in music, noting that she had emerged as champion at Malaysia's Universal Music songwriting competition when she was 18, and released her debut Mandarin album ONE & ONLY on Dec. 29, 2009.
Lee then moved to Hong Kong in 2011 where she made her debut as a Cantopop singer after self-learning Cantonese and released several chart-topping songs, including an album ‘beGin’ which won Best Female Singer at the 2020 AIM Chinese Music Awards presented by the Malaysian Recording Industry Association.
Lee also recently sang a duet, "Let the Street Lights Rest When the Sun Rises" with one of Hong Kong’s Four Heavenly Kings, Jacky Cheung, at the Miss Hong Kong 2021 pageant.
Lee subsequently thanked the sultan as well for his message, in both the comments and on her Facebook page, adding that she was "truly honoured and humbled."
In thanking her family, friends and fans, along with wishing Chieng success, she said:
"Daulat Tuanku, the Royal Family, and Johor - the beautiful nurturing home that I dearly miss, love and will always hold dear to my heart.
I am so proud to be an anak Johor. Allah peliharakan Sultan (God protects the Sultan)"
Follow and listen to our podcast here
Top collage via Sultan Iskandar Sultan Ibrahim's Facebook