The man who nearly married Malaysia’s sensational entrepreneur today apologized for stepping on piles of what looked like RM50-notes, which he later revealed to be fake.
Ahmad Iqbal Zulkefli, 27, who recently broke off his engagement with Dato’ Seri Vida, apologized to those offended by his purported display of wealth in a video where he was seen gliding his feet over dozens of paper money. He claimed that he was not aware that he was filmed even though a voice from behind the camera could be heard talking to him.
“I wasn’t the one who threw the money everywhere, and they were fake notes we used as props for filming,” the skincare business owner said in a five-minute-long Instagram video. He officially split up with Vida, his former boss, on Oct. 8.
“I did not notice that I was being recorded, but my behavior seems awful, and I don’t blame people for judging me. I would not step on [real] money, even ten cents,” he said.
“Other people were doing it too,” he added.
The clip caught the attention of nearly two million people after it was uploaded to TikTok by local musician Ariff Bahran yesterday. It showed Iqbal stepping about after a voice behind the camera said, “pick up your cash.”
TikTok users quickly called Iqbal out for his behavior.
“Why would you step on money? So many people have it hard. So sad to see money being stepped on like that,” one TikTok user said, while others said his recent brush with fame has made him “too rich.”
“Cristiano Ronaldo is way richer than you and we’ve never seen him step on money,” another chimed in.
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