Worst discrimination against me has come from Malays - Yuna

“I WILL show my appreciation whether it's a handshake, or a hug, to my friends, this is me,” said Yuna through her Instagram account yesterday, in her latest response after a video of her hugging duet partner Usher on stage, went viral on social media.

“They call me 'perempuan sampah' and tell me to 'might as well go naked'. The worst, hurtful & sexist things I've ever had thrown to me, were from the lips of the Malays,” Yuna added.

In her posting, Yuna also shared her firm decision to preserve her identity and being her own self, not to please others.

MUST READ: Yuna shares her Hari Raya with 'Vogue'

“I have some Americans telling me to take my hijab off, and I tell them no. I have some Malays tell me to take my hijab off because 'from wearing a turban might as well take off your hijab', I tell them no too,” explained the nine-time Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM) winner.

"Crush" (Acoustic version)

The hugging incident happened spontaneously while they were singing their hit song, Crush, at The Roots Picnic 2016 in Philadelphia, USA, last month.

The video was posted on Instagram and Twitter by Yuna on June 5th, and her act was criticised by some bloggers.

However, netizens defended Yuna by saying Usher is not familiar with the etiquette of Malaysian culture.

Throwback from when I was on Barney's campaign 2014 celebrating cultural differences, shot by Bruce Weber. I remember when this first came out I was so scared of posting it because I knew the extremely rude conservative Malays (mind you I'm conservative too) would attack me for revealing my neck. Honestly. At this moment I was comfortable. The stylists from Barney's were kind and respectful of my beliefs and let me wear this beautiful shirt dress. I get to pose with this lovely Punjabi couple along with a fellow half Malaysian model who later became my friend. People ask me what ethnicity I am I tell them I am Malay. Why can't you wear a short dress? I tell them I am Muslim. Someone once told me my experience is mine. No one else is living it. No one has lived it. Outsiders have the illusion that they can tell you how to live your life because- they have lived theirs letting OTHER people tell them how to live. My father always told me 'You make your own decision. You can think. Why do you have to listen to other people?' Isn't it weird, the biggest racism and discrimination that I've ever faced, was never from the Americans- it was from my own race. There I've said it. They call me 'perempuan sampah' and tell me to ''might as well go naked'. The worst, hurtful & sexist things I've ever had thrown to me, were from the lips of the Malays. All I can do is be patient. Allah is great. And Alhamdulillah for everything. So this is me. I will wear whatever I want. I will show my appreciation whether it's a handshake, or a hug, to my friends, this is me. Save your mediocre downgrading religious preach to yourself, they have no meaning to me. I have some Americans telling me to take my hijab off, and I tell them no. I have some Malays tell me to take my hijab off because 'from wearing a turban might as well take off your hijab', I tell them no too. I am me. Tada! Expect more candidness from your fun, happy, Yuna. May it inspire you to be yourself too without letting the toxic people around you define you or how you should be. No regrets, no hard feelings I will continue to empower women and men everywhere as long as I live inshaAllah. Lepas ni.. no filter! Yay!!

A photo posted by Yuna (@yunamusic) on
Jul 20, 2016 at 8:30am PDT

"I do not want to speak English"