Man blasted online for wearing Nazi SS uniform defends his outfit choice
- 7 months ago
A man blasted for wearing a Nazi SS uniform online has defended his outfit - saying he wears it to educate others.
Rosihan Haqqiy, 21, who goes by Vinnie, has been cosplaying - dressing up - for the last five years.
One of his outfits is a controversial Allgemeine SS uniform - which he says he wears to "teach people about its history".
The uniform was worn by members of Adolf Hitler's murderous paramilitary force.
Vinnie creates short videos while wearing the outfit where he shows what the officer would have done, in an attempt to "tell stories and educate."
He even wears his SS uniform - which costs £400 - to public cosplaying events, where he says people are "curious" as to why he wears it.
But for Vinnie - who has always been "fascinated" by WW2 - his passion hasn't come without backlash.
His online videos have been met with "hate and controversy" which he says he can be "hurtful".
Vinnie, a photographer from Kuala Lumpur, said: "I wear it with a sense of pride and joy - not because I'm displaying hate - but to let the public know about the history.
"If you just show history on paper or TV it might get boring. But if you're immersed in it and you show it, it provides more curiosity and interest.
"A common comment is people say 'do you know what the Germans did?' and they list all the heinous things the Germans did.
"I'm very aware of what they did, so I'm cautious of the outfit as well, but if you want to explain something you need to show it.
"Even though the comments can be hurtful, I just accept that they don't know.
"If they actually have a curiosity they would have asked me first without judging me straight away. It allows me to express myself."
After being introduced to cosplay by his older brother, Vinnie combined it with his interest for World War Two.
He said: "Ever since I was a kid, I've always been fascinated by World War Two and especially the German side.
"The more I read about it, it provided with me insight and I do think that Germany history provided a lot.
"But you have to admit their uniforms strike you as imposing and in Malaysia we are not very educated in World War Two history on the European side."
Vinnie says people are politer in person - but things can get vile online.
He said: "Online, there's more hate and controversy and I don't mind.
"But in terms of wearing it to events, I do get people coming up to me but it's mostly with curiosity and I explain my story and why I do it.
"I do get some looks from Western people, but there are some that are still open about it.
"When you're at an event, you're safer and people understand it more.
"But I don't recommend going out actually in public and not to events wearing it, I try to avoid that."
Vinnie believes his passion has been the subject of "misconception" simply by him wearing the outfit.
He said: "In Malaysia, it's not something you see often.
Rosihan Haqqiy, 21, who goes by Vinnie, has been cosplaying - dressing up - for the last five years.
One of his outfits is a controversial Allgemeine SS uniform - which he says he wears to "teach people about its history".
The uniform was worn by members of Adolf Hitler's murderous paramilitary force.
Vinnie creates short videos while wearing the outfit where he shows what the officer would have done, in an attempt to "tell stories and educate."
He even wears his SS uniform - which costs £400 - to public cosplaying events, where he says people are "curious" as to why he wears it.
But for Vinnie - who has always been "fascinated" by WW2 - his passion hasn't come without backlash.
His online videos have been met with "hate and controversy" which he says he can be "hurtful".
Vinnie, a photographer from Kuala Lumpur, said: "I wear it with a sense of pride and joy - not because I'm displaying hate - but to let the public know about the history.
"If you just show history on paper or TV it might get boring. But if you're immersed in it and you show it, it provides more curiosity and interest.
"A common comment is people say 'do you know what the Germans did?' and they list all the heinous things the Germans did.
"I'm very aware of what they did, so I'm cautious of the outfit as well, but if you want to explain something you need to show it.
"Even though the comments can be hurtful, I just accept that they don't know.
"If they actually have a curiosity they would have asked me first without judging me straight away. It allows me to express myself."
After being introduced to cosplay by his older brother, Vinnie combined it with his interest for World War Two.
He said: "Ever since I was a kid, I've always been fascinated by World War Two and especially the German side.
"The more I read about it, it provided with me insight and I do think that Germany history provided a lot.
"But you have to admit their uniforms strike you as imposing and in Malaysia we are not very educated in World War Two history on the European side."
Vinnie says people are politer in person - but things can get vile online.
He said: "Online, there's more hate and controversy and I don't mind.
"But in terms of wearing it to events, I do get people coming up to me but it's mostly with curiosity and I explain my story and why I do it.
"I do get some looks from Western people, but there are some that are still open about it.
"When you're at an event, you're safer and people understand it more.
"But I don't recommend going out actually in public and not to events wearing it, I try to avoid that."
Vinnie believes his passion has been the subject of "misconception" simply by him wearing the outfit.
He said: "In Malaysia, it's not something you see often.