COMMENTS attached to a short foodie video got very heated when the discussion centred around the halal status of the stall.
The clip on Simply Malayia’s Facebook page was highlighting the super-sized banana leaf meals that were being dished out at Sai Food Stall in Kepong at very competitive prices.
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Alas, aside from the many positive comments from hungry netizens, the discussion got heated as some questioned the “Muslim-friendly” status of the operator.
One netizen commented that others should not speak badly of the food operator as they have a right to earn a living which garnered some support.
However, there were a good many who disagreed with her comments, pointing out that Muslim diners must be extra cautious with regards to halal status of food consumed.
A few netizens lamented why this had even become an issue as the operator did not falsely claim it was halal certified and was not forcing anyone to eat there.
Inevitably, racism had to rear its ugly head which FocusM will not highlight here. Suffice to say that the heated debate underlines two main issues:
Firstly, most Muslims take the issue of halal very seriously. It is their belief and it is their right to question the status of a particular eatery.
Secondly, many small traders are very keen to attain official halal certification so they can assure Muslim diners that the food served meets JAKIM (Department of Islamic Development Malaysia) guidelines.
JAKIM really does need to find ways to make the process more accessible, especially for these small traders. This is not a suggestion for making the guidelines more lax but finding ways to make it attainable for small business owners, especially in relation to costs.
Meanwhile, those who like a spot of banana leaf gluttony, head over to: – March 22, 2024
Sai Food Stall
No 6, Jalan Kuang Bulan
Taman Kepong
52100 Kuala Lumpur.
