“NOT the brightest bulb”. “As dumb as a rock”. “Not the sharpest tool in the shed”.
Take your pick. These idioms and similes describing someone who is not very intelligent or who struggles to understand simple things could all describe an anonymous suggestion that Malay-Muslims should refrain from using chopsticks.
The post by Meingl (@meinmokthar) on X of an anonymous thought sent to him further contended that the use of chopsticks was created to worship deities of Chinese emperors.
This historian of questionable authority also saw fit to declare their use as haram as they were not part of Malay-Muslim culture, thus prompting Meingl to wonder if one should be fearful of a pair of chopsticks.
Takkan dengan chopstick pun takut kot pic.twitter.com/f2JMjZvrwV
— 🔺meingl🔻 (@meinmokhtar) July 16, 2026
This little piece of xenophobia elicited plenty of responses that range from the surprise, confusion and downright derision at this glaring example of narrow-mindedness.
Not holding back, a few commenters pointed out that the Chinese Muslim population was not only larger but also older, than the Malays, that there is no need to flaunt one’s Islamic credentials here is the clear retort.
Some more well-travelled netizens used GIFs to reflect the sentiments of Hui and Ugyhur Muslims in China upon seeing this comment that sought to equate chopstick use as un-Islamic practice.
The sense of disbelief was evident in the number of comments ridiculing the nonsensical suggestion that dining utensils represented a threat to Malay identity. One commenter surmised that the anonymous poster was a “waste of oxygen”.
Reflecting the absurdity of the suggestion, many netizens bombarded the post with similarly ridiculous analogies.
One countered that forks, knives and spoons be similarly distanced as they were tools for spreading the Christian faith, sarcastically positing that the utensils were once placed in the shape of a cross while the diners said grace.
Another hilarious comment came from @abuhndhlh who asked if Malay-Muslims could consume chicken chop or was it only permissible if it had been served with pulut kuning (yellow glutinous rice) during Parameswara’s reign in ancient Melaka.
A budding stand-up comic even suggested giving up eating altogether as it followed the behaviour of animals, highlighting the nonsensical logic of the anonymous messenger.
It was also recommended that people with such shallow thinking refrain from making their ignorance public knowledge. It was further pointed out that the chopstick-fearing messenger had confused different Chinese traditions that led to his ill-informed pronouncement.
Few things to note from this slice of social media bombast.
Firstly, there is a concerted effort to push a narrative that seeks to demonise virtually everything to do with Chinese culture.
Be it the Unified Examination Certificate or harmless eating utensils, the campaign is in full swing as demonstrated by this message. Nothing is too trivial for cybertroopers to rage-bait to inflame communal ill-feeling.
Secondly, it is worth noting that enough citizens see it for what it is, a shameless ploy to keep minds closed and as insular as possible with everything and anything used to stoke fears of cultural identity erosion.
The question that needs asking though is how many are falling for this shtick? – July 19, 2026
Main image: CGTN
