Regionalism?

It's both amusing and annoying to read the fights in a YouTube video of Siti Nurhaliza. Seems like it was started by a Filipino poster saying that Siti Nurhaliza doesn't compare to Regine Velasquez at any level. Naturally the Malaysians stood united in defending Siti, then other Pinoys started bashing her and claimed that Regine's the truly Asian Songbird -- there goes a 500 something thread full of both praises and insults, back and forth.

Before you realize it, posters from the countries have gone further to equating each other's accomplishments. The Malays, of course, cite their economic performance, their Proton Saga, and their Petronas Tower. The Filipinos insist that their English is the best in Asia, their musical talents are the most internationally recognized, and you can find Filipino descents in American's entertainment industry. (In which one samples Lea Salonga and the two Vanessas: Minillo and Hudgens - anyone else have heard of these names?). Some Indonesians tried to sneak in by underlining the fact that Siti Nurhaliza in the video sings a song written by an Indonesian composer. (They failed. Nobody else paid attention to their post, it seems).

As usual, we ASEANs prefer to sweat the small stuff and we tend to live in our little bubble. I bet the Indians, the Hong Kongers and the Koreans are laughing their asses off when they read things like this.

So much for ASEAN solidarity.

Ahem. By the way, Indonesian's very own Anggun did get some international recognition. Though she sells record big time mostly in France and Francophone countries, her credit stretches beyond those. Sarah Brightman even does the cover-version of her "Snow in the Sahara". What do you think of that, my fellow ASEANs? *flaming mode on*