Many Southeast Asians can agree that it is common to be mistaken for a different ethnic group in the region due to similarities in facial features.
However, a Filipino American man recently took to Threads to voice out his frustration after being mistaken for a Malaysian at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
In a now-deleted Threads post, the original poster (OP) wrote that this happens to him whenever he lands at the airport.
Source: Threads
According to WeirdKaya, his post read:
I’m Filipino-American but I also speak conversational Mandarin Chinese. Whenever I land at KL airport, people automatically assume I’m Malaysian. WTF.
Source: Google Maps
The disbelief in his statement rubbed many Malaysian netizens the wrong way, as they took offence at his OP’s reaction.
Netizens believe it’s understandable for people to assume him as Malaysian, as both Malaysians and Filipinos have Austronesian roots.
Source: Facebook
Due to his reaction, some even accused the OP of wanting to be mistaken for an American.
Source: Facebook
Some Malaysians shared that they have also been mistaken for Filipinos, but they do not mind this, knowing the similarities.
“I do not think mistaking me as a citizen from another country is a demeaning statement,” one Malaysian netizen wrote.
Source: Facebook
Filipino netizens also echoed the sentiment, with one user saying they are proud of their heritage as Southeast Asians and of their similarities with other ethnicities in the region.
Source: Facebook
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Featured image adapted from Threads, Google Maps.