SEGAMAT: A 34-year-old man, who gained unwanted fame after photos of his MyKad (pic) went viral on social media for purportedly having looks that did not match his name, is indeed a Malaysian.

Netizens had alleged that the man, Pang Chee Pin, was a Bangladeshi as he did not look Chinese.

A visit by The Star to the Segamat Baru address on the MyKad revealed that Pang was brought up by his adoptive Chinese family since he was born, but was no longer staying there.

His cousin, who only wished to be known as Susan, 50, said she used to live with him since he was a one-year-old.

Pang, she said, was adopted and brought up by her late uncle.

“He and I are cousins. But when my uncle died some 25 years ago, my parents took him in and cared for him. He left our home about six years ago.

“The last time we met was about three years ago in Kuala Lumpur Hospital where he was hospitalised due to a kidney problem,” she said when met at her house here yesterday.

She added that they have lost contact with each after that.

Susan said her uncle gave Pang a Chinese name after he adopted him from his biological Indian family in Simpang Renggam.

She added that Pang used to have an Indian name after he was born, adding that her uncle had asked permission from the relevant authorities to allow him to change it to a Chinese name.

Pang can speak fluent Mandarin, Hakka and Cantonese dialects and went to the same Chinese primary school as Susan.

“According to my mother, Pang was adopted by my uncle and his wife to help lessen the burden of his biological family,” she said, adding that her late uncle also had two daughters.

Susan said she was aware about the viral posting of her cousin’s MyKad, adding that the police had visited her house on Sunday to record her statement.

She said the man in the MyKad was indeed a Malaysian, and hoped that people would stop sharing the post on social media.