In the past, we would occasionally hear Prince Mateen’s voice during interactions with the crowd at events, as he rarely speaks in public. One of the most memorable moments for fans was when he recited the acceptance dialogue during his solemnisation ceremony earlier this year.
Yesterday (Tuesday, 9 October), the Brunei Prince delivered a Public Service Announcement (PSA) speech for the International Day Against Illegal Drugs Abuse and Distribution 2024. While the aim was to raise awareness about the dangers of substance abuse, netizens unfortunately found themselves distracted by his use of Malay, particularly his accent.
In a video reposted on TikTok by user @/anisha_mateen, Prince Mateen is seen sitting on a chair while delivering his speech. The video message was also broadcast at the Indera Samudra Grand Hall of The Empire Brunei for the special occasion. Malaysian netizens praised him for both his PSA and his looks, but those on Twitter mostly commented on His Royal Highness’s accent. Some noted that he sounded awkward speaking Malay, highlighting struggles with intonation and pauses.
Others compared his accent to that of Malaysian influencer King Coco, who previously made headlines for her divorce from Azrin Anas Abdul Shukor. Supporters of the Brunei Royal defended him, suggesting he should have delivered his speech in a language he felt more comfortable with, or at least in his native Kedayan, a variation of the Brunei-Malay language. Some even refrained from criticism, arguing that Prince Mateen spoke Malay better than Tengku Muhammad Ismail, the Prince of Terengganu, who went viral for his Merdeka speech in 2021.
Do you think Prince Mateen sounds similar to the aforementioned public figures? Watch the videos below for comparison:
@anisha_mateen HRH Prince Abdul Mateen speech for the International Day Against Illegal Drugs Abuse and Distribution 2024! ctto #couple #bruneiroyalfamily #brunei #bolkiah #mateen #mateenbolkiah #lovers #dayanganisharosnah #abdulmateenbolkiah #anisha #anishaik #anishaisakalebic #abdulmateen #royal #royalcouple #royalfamily #tmski #prince #paianisharosnah #princessanisha #princess #princemateen #pengiranmudaabdulmateen #pengirananakisterianisha
