Will racist “No Israeli, No Indian” sign at Thai stores become normalised in Malaysia?

 

Letter to Editor

BASKING in the triumph of winning a boxing gold at the 1960 Rome Olympics, a certain Cassius Clay (later known to the world as Muhammad Ali) was denied service at a local store in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.

Disgusted by the “No Blacks allowed” sign, legend has it that the American pugilist flung his medal into the Ohio River.

Fast forward to 2026, it would appear not much has changed if a photo of a sign purportedly outside a store in Thailand proclaiming “No Israeli, No Indians allowed” is indeed genuine.

Posted by Threader fendi_oilandgas, what is shocking is that such blatant form of racism is accepted and even justified based on the behaviour of some bad apple tourists.

A quick scroll through the comments will reveal divided opinions with some even proffering empathy with the Thai shopkeeper.

This is just wrong on so many levels. Imagine travelling abroad and being confronted by a ‘No Malaysians allowed’ sign. How would you react? Would you be so kind and understanding then?

Racist posturing unacceptable

It would also appear that many Malaysians (or even Singaporeans) of Indian descent were more concerned that they have to brandish their passports to differentiate themselves from their subcontinent brethren.

Some were even confident that a Malaysian passport would lead to better service, insinuating that they were fine with such discrimination so long as it did not affect them.

This leads me to the pertinent question – when will such signs pop up in Malaysia? Not just aimed at foreign visitors but directly at our own citizens as well? Doesn’t that constitute blatant 3R (racer, religion, royalty) breaches?

Malaysians have become comfortably numb and used to all manner of racism whether it is politicians openly calling citizens “pendatang” (aliens) or cybertroopers playing mischief with racially-charged social media postings. Rather, we have seemingly grown accustomed to it.

So will it be that huge a shock if Malaysian businesses start displaying similar signage? After all, the “Buy Malay First” campaign is not too far off from this with its not-so-subtle “don’t buy from non-Malays” message.

Ironically, I cannot recall having come across any “Buy Chinese First” or Buy Indian First” marketing slogans.

We already had precedence when a laundry owner in Muar, Johor was reprimanded by the state ruler for only accepting Muslim customers. That was in 2017 with the state of race relations in Malaysia having plummeted somewhat since then.

Could  business owners in other Malaysian states get away with such openly racist acts? I would contend “yes”.

Some are already suggesting that signs barring Mainland Chinese from entering be placed outside business premises.

The fact that Chinese tourists require no visas for short visits to our wonderful country is also being treated as a bane rather than an economic boon by some short-sighted Malaysians.

This isn’t about the effects of over-tourism. That’s another debate for another day. This is about racism, our own attitudes towards this prickly subject and what it says about us as Malaysians.

Again, I reiterate, how would one feel if confronted with a huge sign declaring you persona non grata, especially in your own backyard?

Would you just take it on the chin or even think it is the right of the shop keeper to determine who he serves based on ethnicity?

If the answer is “yes”, then Malaysia is in danger of being stuck in the same place as the great Muhammad Ali was in 1960 – in a racist sh*thole. 

World Weary Traveller
Ampang, Kuala Lumpur

The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of  MMKtT.

- Focus Malaysia