FUYOH, it’s Uncle Roger!

The well-known comic and food critic set the internet abuzz not with news of more restaurants opening but of his nuptials.

The YouTuber popularly known as Uncle Roger – real name Nigel Ng – was reported to have tied the knot with his best friend, Miami-born lawyer of Bangladeshi Arab descent Sabrina Ahmed in a lavish three-day wedding celebration in Sintra, Portugal.

According to Vogue, the Malaysian-born comedian and restaurateur marked the occasion with a fusion of Chinese, Bengali and Western traditions.

But what seemed to get tongues wagging here in his land of birth was whether the restaurateur had converted to Islam given his spouse bore a Muslim name.

Orang expect nigel ni masuk islam. Tapi, wedding depa kat portugal, the couple pakai western suit and gown. Come on be real yo. https://t.co/7F7DfSYpJc

— Manja (@taqiyuddinbakir) September 14, 2025

One such post was by Manja (@taqiyyudinbakir) on X which asked local denizens to temper expectations given the wedding ceremony was in Portugal with the couple in Western garb. “Come on, be real” was his declaration.

The post has generated 892.4K views at time of writing, underlining the Kuala Lumpur-born comedian’s immense popularity. There were also plenty of comments on the issue of Ng’s alleged conversion.

For starters, there were plenty who took exception to the post which was seen as raining on one’s parade.

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Some commenters asked just why were some people are so concerned about the issue of conversion. One even criticised this thinking that the Malaysian version of Islam was practiced elsewhere and asked the poster if he was to be an enforcer for the rest of the world?

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Another chided many Malaysians for having that assumption that a person must convert to Islam upon marrying a Muslim given “outside Malaysia, religion is a choice”.

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It was also noted by a number of commenters that compulsory conversion to Islam for nuptials only applies in Malaysia.

“It’s a different world outside of Malaysia where religion is a choice, not constitutional,” noted one Muslim observer while another chided those who were transfixed with whether Ng had been circumcised.

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It was also asked just why this is anyone’s business apart from the couple in question. Don’t be busybodies about other people’s faith was the advice proffered.

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It was also surmised that though the newly minted Mrs Ng may have a Muslim name, it does necessarily mean she is Muslim – “just like non-Muslim Sarawakians who are named Yahyta, Musa, Kadir, etc”.

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Some sought to justify the queries as mere curiosity.

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One commenter summed up the situation quite neatly when it was pointed out that it is Uncle Roger who got married but Malaysians are getting all worked up and upset.

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The best advice was succinctly offered by one commenter who simply stated that people should “mind your own business”.

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A few things this episode highlights.

Firstly, too many Malaysians are operating under the assumption that local laws apply everywhere. Some find it difficult to accept the notion that there be “no compulsion in religion” and that beyond Malaysia, citizens are free to choose their faith.

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Secondly, it would appear – as usual in the age of the keyboard warrior – that some are too quick to judge.

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Last but not least, the idea of mutual respect and freedom of choice is what is important here – not whether the couple are subject to Malaysia’s Syariah laws.

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Congrats to the happy couple! – Sept 17, 2025

Editor’s Note: Perhaps this view from a social media commenter of any post on the same subject makes valid sense – till of course until or unless Uncle Rogers issues an official statement on his faith.

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The post So is Uncle Roger now Uncle Abdullah after tying the knot with American best friend Sabrina Ahmed? first appeared on Focus Malaysia.