Malaysian influencer faces criticism for promoting Singapore tourism

The Kelantan-born content creator, who has more than one million Instagram followers, released the clip on Nov. 29 as part of a collaboration with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

The video shows him hopping between iconic attractions such as Jewel Changi Airport and Gardens by the Bay, and sampling food around the city-state.

The production quickly drew attention online, amassing over 21,000 reactions.

Singaporean viewers thanked him for showcasing the city in a fresh, engaging way.

"Thank you for showcasing the beautiful places in our country. I hope you continue to succeed," a netizen wrote.

Another added, "As a Singaporean from the bottom of my heart, thank you for making this video to show Singapore is not boring."

But the clip has drawn criticism from some viewers.

Back in Malaysia where Sofyank is known as a top visual effects content creator and recognized for his viral illusion videos, winning Zach King's VFX challenge and working with global stars, some netizens questioned why he was promoting a neighbouring country instead of his own.

"Should promote Malaysia bro," one user remarked, while another criticised him: "After all this time, he got awards here and there, didn’t he bring the Malaysian name? What’s wrong with you? What are you doing to make Malaysia proud? Weak."

The Singaporean government in recent years actively invites and collaborates with local and international influencers to create content, run campaigns, and host familiarization trips to promote Singapore's reputation.