If anything were to start a riot between our dear nation Malaysia, and Singapore, the uppity island nation across the Causeway, it would probably be food.
And let’s be fair, considering neither of us like being outside for longer than necessary, that riot was probably just going to happen online, where there is always A/C.
Malaysian burger chain myBurgerLab (four locations across the Klang Valley) sparked a near war after they tweeted that the company was developing a response to McDonald’s Singapore’s incredibly popular Nasi Lemak Burger. They added a sweet little “Dear Singapore, nice try, but…” just to get that Singapore ire flowing faster than a Fanta at the soda dispenser on Orchard Road during peak hours.
The themed sandwich was launched in celebration of the country’s National Day, 9 August. With our own Merdeka Day (national day) around the corner on 31 August, it seemed like the time was nigh to show that, while not entirely original in our thinking, we can probably do this better.
Yes, while many Malaysians, and Malaysian companies (hey, Grab, I’m talking about you) chose to move to Singapore the minute success is on the horizon, we are comforted only by one thing: in a world filled with uncertainties, we’re 99.9% sure we make better food. The 0.01% is a watery sambal aberration that hits every 1 in 10000 meals.
myBurgerLab spoke to Channel NewsAsia and said that the Nasi Lemak Ayam Rendang Burger they developed was more of a response of Malaysians asking for something to be made “because Malaysia’s McDonald’s didn’t have it.”
They went on to explain:
“We actually had this recipe three years ago, but we decided not to launch it because we felt it was a boring product. We thought: ‘Why would you eat a nasi lemak burger when you can have nasi lemak?’
Well, it seems times have changed and people want some form of fusion in their food nowadays.”
Chiiiiiild. That’s a lot of shade from under the bun, myBurgerLab.
Singaporean social media was not amused. While some threw their confidence behind the fact that no one could outdo McDonald’s (have you never eaten anywhere else?):
Others were angered by the fact that myBurgerLab would even joke about “gunning down the whole of Singapore” over a burger (you OK, bro?):
Oh please, if there is ever anything that Malaysia is ever accused of, let it be the take down of all Singaporeans over a burger. Not even real nasi lemak, but the knock-off of a McDonald’s burger.
Don’t let big-business tear us apart (again), Singapore. Remember the ties that bind us: a mutual appreciation of Mustafa Center, and cheaper hookers in JB.
