A post on X by @vio_rkgk humorously captures the shift in SEAbling (Southeast Asian sibling) banter among users from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore on the platform.
The post started by saying old debates among the citizens of these countries were competitive and boastful. It listed Indonesians claiming dominance in some aspects, Malaysians feeling “more advanced” in other segments, and Singaporeans probably emphasising being richer than both.
However, we now see a new trend, with a change in the tone and perhaps a sense of reverse psychology. Instead of urging people to visit their countries, the users were having fun inviting visitors to neighbouring nations.
In the post, Malaysians urge tourists to skip Malaysia and go to Singapore instead. Singaporeans push for Indonesia’s beautiful landscapes, like Bali and other places in the vast nation.
The banter continues with Indonesians countering by recommending Malaysia. Today, Malaysia is rich and attracts many ASEAN visitors, particularly from Singapore, for many reasons.
Singapore is a fast-track financial and economic success story. Indonesia is also a rising star in the ASEAN grouping.
But in all seriousness, the comments are all about sarcastic deflection. And a user from the Philippines added to the fun by joining the discussion:
“Hey guys…. can we visit you?” one X user commented.
Overall, the replies resonate widely with the original post, although some used the thread as a place to show either their anger or disdain towards others.
There was also unity against overtourism by “white people” and expats. Some said the strong currencies of the foreign tourists allowed them to enjoy the luxuries of the ASEAN nations while locals struggle with the rising cost of living and ‘inequality.’
Another user wrote that, as an Indonesian, they see that one Malaysian user was right in saying to visit Singapore instead.
“They are cleaner, smarter, and more modern than most islands in my country. Yeah, sure, some of them can be kinda racist sometimes, but it’s still tolerable, so it’s okay.” It was said jokingly.
One added, “Coincidentally, I recommend people to visit Malaysia instead of Singapore yesterday.”
Instead of attacking each other, some users joked about redirecting visitors to Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, or even the Philippines.
This is what we call playful solidarity. If anyone is looking for ASEAN unity, they can find it on social media platforms.
This article (Malaysians, Singaporeans, Indonesians in lighthearted ‘Do Not Visit’ trend) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.
