KUALA LUMPUR, April 24 — American political commentator Bill O’Reilly has doubled down on his controversial remark that South-east Asia “has no money”, responding to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s criticism by claiming that Malaysians “can’t afford to buy a small hat without starving.”
In his latest YouTube video, the 75-year-old journalist countered Anwar’s criticism of him and maintained that Malaysians do not have the purchasing power to buy China-made products.
O’Reilly claimed that the Malaysian household per capita income stands at US$5,731 (RM25,110) a year, compared to the United States at US$42,220.
He suggested that this would make it hard for Malaysians to even buy a small hat from China as the US household per capita income is eight times as much as Malaysia.
“So, if you (Malaysians) wanna buy a little hat but you’re only making five grand a year, you’re not gonna buy it.
“You’re not getting Chinese take-out either in Kuala Lumpur. You’re barely eating. So, prime minister (Anwar), I wish you the best,” said O’Reilly in his You Tube video that was broadcasted today.
However, O’Reilly — an award-winning broadcast journalist — made a factual error during the same video, claiming that former US president Barack Obama was partially raised in Malaysia.
In fact, it is well-documented that Obama, who served as US president from 2009 to 2017, spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, not Malaysia.
Last Friday, it was reported that Anwar strongly rebuked O’Reilly for his recent remark on Malaysia and South-east Asia, calling his statement both arrogant and ignorant.
The prime minister, who is also Finance Minister, said the comment not only reflects O’Reilly’s lack of understanding of the current realities in South-east Asia, but also reveals a narrow worldview shaped by racial bias and colonialist ideology.
