If you didn’t hear the news, Chinese actress Fan Bingbing (范冰冰) was reportedly appointed the tourism ambassador for the state of Melaka. The move to choose the star was to use her popularity to attract tourists from the Asian, specifically Chinese, region. Many Malaysians have since reacted to the news, showing mixed responses.
Content creator Ceddy Ang recently took to Twitter to share his confusion over the news, bringing up the point that Fan Bingbing is no longer the icon in China she once was. Ceddy said this because the star is currently banned in China following her 2018 tax evasion scandal, meaning she no longer attracts fans from the country. However, the influencer did say that she could still pull in local tourists from other states or non-Chinese fans.
Many netizens have reacted to Ceddy’s post, agreeing that it was an odd choice to appoint the actress for the role, especially given her current status in China. Others questioned why the local government didn’t choose a Malaysian artist to promote the state. Some fans even suggested that Ceddy would make a better choice than Fan Bingbing, which the content creator humbly denied.
Another local public figure that netizens believed would be a better suit for Melaka’s tourism ambassador would be Micheal Ang. Many said that since the director is a Melaka native, he would fit the ambassador role better than a foreigner. The 48-year-old has responded to these comments, saying that Fan Bingbing’s appointment was after considering specific criteria, so he has no right to question the choice.
Michael also pointed out that despite her scandal, the star is undeniably more well-known on an international level and thus would attract more foreign fans to Melaka. He said that he and Fan Bingbing aren’t comparable in popularity but added that he is open to any offers from the state government to boost tourism and would even be open to collaborating with the actress for any promotional activities.
What are your thoughts on this? Would a local figure like Ceddy and Michael be a better option for Melaka’s ambassador than Fan Bingbing?
