Michelle Yeoh Condemned For Supporting Malaysian Prime Minister

Michelle Yeoh recently came under fire for supporting Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.

The Malaysian-born actress was forced to defend her decision after announcing that she would attend a banquet for Najib in Selangor.

A Facebook page set up by the Malaysian opposition was soon flooded with comments that criticized Michelle Yeoh for supporting Prime Minister Najib. Many people referred to the actress as a “traitor” and a “stooge.” Others urged her not to “become a traitor.”

The Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon star described the prime minister as a man “who has done so many good things and will do more.”

She added, “I hope from the bottom of my heart that he will remain as the prime minister and I ask all of you to give him a strong mandate.”

Although she has been condemned for supporting Najib and Barisan Nasional, Yeoh has spoken out in defense of her decision. She recently talked to Channel News Asia about the backlash, and asked everyone to respect her choice to back Najib.

“This is a democratic country. We’re all free to voice our opinions. I think people shouldn’t be personal. I think all of us want to do good for our own country. And I believe they want to do the same thing,” Yeoh explained during her interview.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Michelle Yeoh recently attended the launch of a cosmetics line in Hong Kong. While she didn’t offer anything else in regards to her support of the Malaysian Prime Minister, she did appear be a little defensive.

“[I am] a straight-talking person, and I will speak out if I have something to say,” she told reporters.

Previously known as Parti Perikatan, Barisan Nasional has ruled uninterrupted in the country since 1957. However, political scandals have caused many in the country to oppose the political coalition.

What do you think about Michelle Yeoh’s decision to support the Malaysian Prime Minister?

[Image via imagemaker / Shutterstock.com]