Content creator Simonboy unfazed by online criticism over initiative named after late daughter Megan Khung

SINGAPORE: Local content creator Simon Khung Wei Nan could have picked any other name for his new social initiative, but he ultimately decided to call it the Forever Megan Charity to honour the memory of his late daughter.

“My main motive is to honour my daughter, and I don’t think anything should stop me,” said the 38-year-old, better known by his online moniker Simonboy.

“It’s just the love, be it of her and for her.”

This was despite knowing that naming it after his daughter would invite “social media repercussions” and attract “unnecessary” comments online, he said.

Mr Khung did not specifically state what these comments were.

But recent events have once again thrust his daughter's tragic case into the limelight, which attracted social media comments that questioned his parental role in Megan's upbringing. Some also criticised him for using her name in his content to gain sympathy or publicity.

Megan died in February 2020. She was abused for months by her mother Foo Li Ping and the woman's then-boyfriend Brian Wong, before the latter inflicted a fatal punch on the girl.

“If I’m scared of repercussions and stop doing this, I’m just wasting away the given opportunity to help,” Mr Khung told CNA in a 24-minute phone interview on Nov 10 about the initiative.

This is not the first time Mr Khung has had to deal with negative online comments from the public.

Last month, Eighteen Chefs co-founder Benny Se Teo made remarks online about Megan’s death which he later apologised for, admitting it was wrong of him to “make assumptions and express such strong opinions before understanding the full situation”.

After Mr Khung posted about the new initiative on his social media on Nov 6, some netizens had also questioned his decision to donate to an organisation in Malaysia instead of Singapore.

“To me, children are children … The opportunity came in from Malaysia so I just went to serve,” he said, adding that he is looking to work with local organisations for the next project.

The Forever Megan Charity only has one project in its name so far after Mr Khung in August funded a visit to Good Samaritan Home, an orphanage in Klang, Malaysia.

During his visit, Mr Khung donated money, food, cleaning supplies and other basic necessities to the home, which currently houses about 50 children.

Mr Khung said he did not collect donations for the project and does not intend to source funds for future charitable pursuits.

“I did everything myself and I don’t owe anybody any reason, and I don’t intend to do any crowdfunding,” he said. “I have a very strict rule that I don’t want to take money from the public.”

DRUGS TEARING FAMILIES APART

During the orphanage visit, Mr Khung also spoke to the children about his past struggles with drug addiction. Some of them, he said, have parents who are facing similar challenges.

Mr Khung was previously jailed for drug offences and assault from 2015 to 2016 and 2017 to 2019. 

“Drugs are a really big issue that really tears families apart,” he said. “I cannot bring time back to the past, so I can only live with what I am left with.”

“So whatever that had happened, I can't change whatever that happened. Be it the drug addiction, the people I’ve let down, the opportunities I’ve lost.”

“What I can do now is hang on to whatever I have and continue to build something not just for myself, but for others.”

On how his past drug use strained his relationships, he said: “I take responsibility for all my relationships. As a drug addict, I failed people.”

Mr Khung declined to respond to questions about the specifics of Megan's case. 

Last month, a review panel identified several key lapses from various community and government agencies that handled the case. The review had also noted how Mr Khung and Megan's grandmother made separate police reports in 2020 about Megan's disappearance at the time. 

Restarting his life on the right track and giving back to vulnerable communities now is, for him, a way to seek redemption and honour the memory of his daughter.

"I just want to remind them, like, how to love and how to give."

Although he said he cannot always carry out such projects “with my own strength”, he intends to sell merchandise and donate 100 per cent of the profits to the next organisation he partners with.

“I would definitely hope to serve more children in the community first, maybe in the future, I’ll move to serving the elderly.”