Don’t be taken in: Chen Liping

SINGAPORE — Don’t be taken in by what you read online. That’s the advice MediaCorp artiste Chen Liping gave fans at a press conference held earlier today (Aug 26).

Recent rumours had caused a furore among fans when the 49-year-old actress MediaCorp Artiste was tagged in a Facebook post that said she achieved her weight loss success story by popping Garcinia Cambognia, a supplement from Indonesia that had allegedly been dubbed the “weight loss miracle” by A-list celebrities such as Jessica Simpson, Britney Spears, Mariah Carey and the Kardashians. It was also mentioned that Chen had been fired from her post as the long-running brand ambassador for Mary Chia Beauty & Slimming Specialist.

However, Wendy Ho, the CEO of Mary Chia, refuted those statements, saying that it was the success of Chen’s weight loss that prompted the people behind the Garcinia Cambognia scam to “claim the credit”. She also urged the public not to believe the online rumours, clarifying that Chen remained the face of Mary Chia’s 360 Degrees Complete Transformation Body programme - a weight loss solution targeted at water retention reduction and cellulite combustion.

“We’re currently talking to MediaCorp about the ongoing scandal, but we’re going to leave it to the lawyers to handle this.” Ho said. “It’s an unfortunate situation, but I think it’s important for us to make it clear that we don’t even sell slimming pills.”

“I achieved my weight loss solely through Mary Chia’s 360 Degrees Complete Transformation Body programme,” emphasised Chen, who lost 12kg over a period of two months. “I did not consume any slimming pills or any other forms of diet supplements during my weight loss journey with the company. I strongly beseech the public not to be taken in by these false messages.”

Company chairman Mary Chia affirmed that the renewal of Chen’s contract had already been in the books for the past few months, and that it was pretty much a done deal. Chen also said the rumours didn’t bother her much.

“Why should I be affected by the rumours?” she said. “I mean, have you seen my Instagram? Amidst the rumours, I was still heading to Mary Chia for my facials!

“Sure, I love to eat, but it’s all about teamwork. I have to do my part to and maintain my own weight. Personally, I don’t look at the numbers. It’s about how I feel about myself, and being healthy at my age.”