‘Leave innocent people alone’: OK Chicken Rice founder in Singapore weighs in on Ed Sheeran’s troubles

SINGAPORE: In recent Facebook posts, Daniel Tan Boon Huat has commented on the controversy last week involving Ed Sheeran, expressing sympathy for the British singer.

Mr Tan, who is well known in Singapore for OK Chicken Rice, Ah Huat Hokkien Prawn Mee, and other successful F&B ventures, wrote in a Sept 20 post, “I don’t know you, but I do enjoy your songs when (they are) played; from what I read you don’t seem to have done anything wrong except refuse to take a public stand.”

Mr Sheeran’s troubles are in the context of the Gaza war and the humanitarian crisis that has resulted, highly polarising topics that people all across the globe have strong feelings about.

Last week, it was announced that the US rapper Macklemore had been dropped from performing with Mr Sheeran after he had said “Free Palestine” during one such concert, adding, “I believe that every human being walking on this earth deserves exactly the same freedom.”

Shortly afterwards, the other acts who had been scheduled to perform with Mr Sheeran backed out of his concert tour. 

Macklemore has long been a champion of the cause of Palestinians. He has since announced that he will be donating US$1million (S$1.27 million), his net earnings from the tour, to several organisations that support Palestinian people.

Meanwhile, there has been considerable backlash toward Mr Sheeran, which Mr Tan appeared to address in his social media posts.

Although he has underlined that he is not taking any sides, a position Mr Sheeran has also adopted, Mr Tan noted how the war in Gaza has claimed over 73,000 lives, and that around 1,200 Israelis were killed on Oct 7, 2023, during an attack led by Hamas.

“Every innocent life lost matters,” he wrote on Sep 17, adding with alarm that this has stoked hatred toward both Jews and Muslims in different parts of the world.

“We cannot allow a war in the Middle East to become an excuse to collectively punish ordinary people around the world because of their race, religion or identity. Criticise governments. Debate policies. Protest wars. But leave innocent people alone. History has already taught humanity where collective hatred can lead,” he added. /TISG

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