It’s not every day you see a superstar strolling through the streets of your own country. Some may be here for work, while others choose Malaysia as a holiday destination. Either way, it’s always a thrill to encounter an international celebrity in public.
Although this man isn’t a performer, and the sighting didn’t happen in Malaysia, his contributions to the tech industry are undeniable. Billionaire Bill Gates was recently spotted dining in our neighbouring country, Singapore, enjoying local dishes and warmly interacting with fans. Here’s what happened:
Earlier this week, Bill Gates was seen at Newton Food Centre, one of Singapore’s most popular hawker centres, which gained further fame after appearing in the 2018 film “Crazy Rich Asians”. The businessman sat at one of the tables to sample a range of local dishes, including chicken rice, satay, fishball soup, carrot cake, roti prata, lime juice and sugarcane juice.
Of course, no trip to a Southeast Asian country would be complete without tasting the King of Fruits: durian. A video surfaced online showing the billionaire taking a whiff of the famously pungent fruit before having a bite, and based on his reaction, he appeared to enjoy it. Being the tech icon he is, the hawkers and other visitors instantly recognised him and took out their phones to capture the moment of the Microsoft co-founder touring the Newton Food Centre.
As for why Bill Gates was in the country, reports state that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation plans to establish an office in Singapore. According to The Straits Times, the new office will enable the foundation “to access the science, [and] to partner with the philanthropic community.” Singapore’s Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong, who met with the American philanthropist, wrote on Facebook: “Singapore looks forward to working closely with the Gates Foundation to advance innovation and improve lives — here in Asia and around the world.”
Maybe in the future, Bill Gates can consider visiting Malaysia as well, regardless of whether it’s for work or simply just to check out the popular tourist spots. We’re sure many of his fans here would give him a warm welcome.
Check out some of the viral videos of Bill Gates’ recent visit to Singapore:
@jeff_li88
@luckedward 美国企业家和慈善家比尔•盖茨(Bill Gates) 光顾新加坡小贩中心。看他吃的样子，应该是第一次吃榴莲😄😄 #Singapore #Billgates
Sources: Mothership, Xiaohongshu, TikTok, StraitsTimes
