KUALA LUMPUR: An online feud between Malaysian and Indonesian netizens recently escalated after Indonesian actor Boy Hamzah commented on a Malaysian boycott of an Indonesian men's care brand.
His claim that Malaysia "would not exist without Indonesia" sparked widespread anger, with netizens slamming him for his ignorance of regional history.
As the "social media war" intensified, Boy Hamzah targeted popular Malaysian singer Stacy Anam, 36.
He uploaded an old photo of the former Akademi Fantasia winner, claiming she had copied the song and dance style of Indonesian pop star Agnez Mo.
Stacy quickly hit back at the actor, fiercely defending her artistic identity:
"I'm not Agnez and she's not me. I'm a Malaysian Sabahan and my style is my own. Agnez has much more experience than me, and has performed since she was a kid, unlike me," said Stacy.
She explained that she and her creative team carefully crafted her image over the years.
"I'm proud of my evolution as an entertainer. If you don't like it, that's up to you!"
To highlight how unfair it is to compare different artistes, Stacy suggested comparing Indonesian singer Lesti Kejora with Malaysia's Biduanita Negara, Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza.
"Tok Ti and Lesti came up around the same time. They did resemble each other back then. But then, the comparison stops there," said Stacy, adding that everybody in Malaysia and Indonesia knows about Siti.
Taking a direct swipe at regional issues, Stacy added that she was proud to be Malaysian, noting that her country has never caused massive forest fires that choke neighbouring nations with haze.
"I'm always against environmental destruction, especially the kind that spills over into neighbouring countries and endangers the health of millions. I stand in solidarity with Indonesians who are ashamed of what these companies are doing," she elaborated.
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