Singapore’s COVID-19 “superheroes” removed after backlash from public

A few days ago, the Singaporean government introduced five “superheroes” as part of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The group, collectively known as the Virus Vanguard, consists of Dr Disinfector, Fake News Buster, Circuit Breaker, and Care-leh Dee. Perhaps the strangest one of the lot is MAWA Man, which stands for… yep, you’ve guessed it: Must Always Walk Alone Man.

The heroes were first introduced on the Singapore government’s official website and Facebook page on the 21st of April, and it appears that the public have not responded well. According to CNA, criticism stemmed from the fact that the cartoon characters draw attention away from the real-life heroes of today—namely, front-line personnel such as healthcare workers.

Additionally, the lighthearted nature of the “superheroes” have also come under fire, with the COVID-19 pandemic already affecting millions of people around the globe. MAWA Man, in particular, drew flak for its humorous take on Liverpool’s YNWA (You’ll Never Walk Alone) anthem.

MAWA man is supposedly a fan of Manchester United, a fierce rival of Liverpool FC in the English Premier League. To ensure that social distancing measures are adhered to, MAWA Man walks alone… always. Frankly, it’s a little ridiculous.

In fact, Liverpool fans have even started an online petition on Change.org to remove MAWA Man from the Vanguard, explaining that the character is “distasteful and extremely disrespectful” in the current climate.

“In a period when the global community should be showing care and concern for each other, it is baffling that one of the character in this campaign named MAWA Man ‘happens to hate Liverpool, and his hate for the club is so intense that it manifested as a special telekinetic power to push objects and people through his eyes’. “‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ also happens to be the official anthem of Liverpool FC. The Liverpool supporters in Singapore unanimously condemn the character MAWA Man and request for it to be withdrawn from this campaign.”

As such, the Singaporean government has taken down images of the Virus Vanguard, replacing the photo on its official Facebook page with one depicting dark silhouettes instead. The post explains that the characters are now under “review” due to the feedback from the public, along with an apology from the government.

The Virus Vanguard was created by the Singapore government in collaboration with Band of Doodlers, whose founder apologised for the “insensitive” nature of the cartoon characters. The superheroes were initially created as a way to show appreciation for front-line healthcare workers, although that has clearly backfired.

Perhaps we’ll see a more appropriate band of new superheroes appearing on Singaporean government sites soon—but I seriously doubt that.

[ VIA ]