Hong Kong singer Gin Lee and Ronny Chieng of Shang-Chi film recall childhood in Malaysia after praise from Sultan of Johor

The platinum-selling singer and The Daily Show comedian were held up as ‘two outstanding Johoreans’ by the sultan in a recent Facebook post

This Week in Asia caught up with Lee, who spoke of her pride in her Malaysian-Chinese heritage and how it prepared her for moving to Hong Kong

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Published: 12:30pm, 29 Sep 2021Updated: 5:51pm, 29 Sep 2021

A Hong Kong-based singer-songwriter and a Malaysia-born comedian who recently appeared in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings have spoken of their delight at being praised by the Sultan of Johor.

Sultan Ibrahim Ismail singled out Gin Lee and Ronny Chieng in a Facebook post earlier this month in which he said he was “very proud of two outstanding Johoreans striking success on the international entertainment scene” and thanked them for “bringing glory to Johor in their own way”.

The sultan, 62, urged artists in Johor to take inspiration from the pair and wished them continued success.

Both Lee, a platinum-selling artist who has starred in the Chinese reality TV talent shows The Voice of China and China’s Star, and Chieng, who also appeared in Crazy Rich Asians, were born in Johor, a Malaysian state bordering Singapore that has been ruled by Sultan Ibrahim Ismail since 2010.

The praise appeared to catch both stars by surprise.

Sultan Ibrahim Ismail of Johor. Photo: Facebook

“I found out about the sultan’s post from my family – they were very emotional and jumping with joy! As there is some kind of distance between the royal family and the common people, we never expected them to know of me or what I do,” Lee told This Week in Asia.