The domestic helper insurance ad for Malaysia’s Hong Leong Bank shows a Chinese actor wearing dark orange make-up and a curly wig as he plays a clumsy Filipina maid ‘Maria.’
“The ad—which is aimed at the employers of Hong Kong’s 300,000 maids, who mainly hail from the Philippines and Indonesia—has drawn outrage on social media in Hong Kong, with groups representing the city’s legions of domestic helpers calling for an apology,” reports Agence France-Presse on Inquirer.net.
The report said that while “Hong Leong did not immediately respond to requests for comment, the bank appeared to have removed the link to the advertisement from its website on Wednesday, June 18.”
Meanwhile, Eni Lestari, spokeswoman for the Asian Migrants’ Coordinating Body, said, “I think they should make a public apology.”
Other netizens also criticized the bank’s ad. Kahlil Stultz wrote on the bank’s Facebook page: “You guys should really take down that ad and apologize for it… It’s really not appropriate for a professional representation of your financial services.”
Stultz’s opinion was echoed by other netizens.
Screengrab from the video
Reader Interactions