A DAP MP has strongly condemned the sacking of an employee of a famous Chinese beef bun restaurant in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur for wearing a chain with a crucifix.
Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii said the move by the restaurant was highly discriminatory and against freedom of religion in the country.
According to reports in Borneo Post, he said non-Muslims should not be prevented from preparing halal food so long as strict requirements and standard operating procedures (SOPs) are followed.
“I am deeply concerned about the level of racial and religious tolerance in the country which could be a threat to national unity and harmony.
“The restaurant concerned should have just released a statement assuring the people that all guidelines on halal food preparations are being strictly followed.
“There was no need to sack an honest worker who was merely exercising his right to express his faith,” said Yii.
The restaurant is a Muslim-friendly outlet, and the furore began after a customer uploaded a video showing the employee wearing a chain with a crucifix, asking if the eatery was truly Muslim-friendly in its food preparation.
That video has since been removed.
What angered internet users the most was the management’s reaction. Instead of standing up for their employee, they dismissed him immediately.
Yii said racial and religious intolerance was dividing the country and this trend cannot be allowed to grow.
“Such a situation cannot be allowed to fester and spread to Sabah and Sarawak where we live in peace and harmony. Here, we respect each other and their beliefs in a multi-religious setting,” he said.
He urged the government to take decisive action to address this issue and send a clear message that discrimination and divisive fearmongering would not be tolerated. – The Vibes, November 21, 2023
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