Organiser apologises for serving pork to Muslim journalists

© Provided by FMT Penganjur mohon maaf silap hidang wartawan Islam, Hindu daging babi

Some of the guests at the Agro Malaysia Excellence Award dinner last night.

PETALING JAYA: The organiser of the Agro Malaysia Excellence Award dinner in Melaka last night has apologised for accidentally serving pork to Muslim journalists on duty.

Secretary of the Association for Protection and Development of Agriculture, Chai Siong Siow said his staff made a mistake in failing to identify the journalists from other guests.

He said they prepared five halal food tables, five vegetarian food tables and the remaining 50 tables served non-halal food as 90% of the guests were non-Muslims and foreign investors.

“We’re sorry. We prepared additional five tables (which serve halal food), which included the VIP reception desk, and four others for Muslim guests.

“There were also journalists sitting at the table, but the problem is that my crew did not know who the reporters were, otherwise they would have brought them to the halal table,” he told FMT today.

Utusan Malaysia reported that several Muslim and Hindu journalists were upset after they were seated at a table which served pork during the dinner event at the Pay Fong School in Melaka last night.

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They were reportedly disappointed with the organisers for not being sensitive and failing to inform them that the food served was non-halal.

Among the reporters present were those from Utusan Malaysia, MelakaKini, RTM Melaka, The Star and Tamil Nesan Daily and several Chinese press journalists.

The event was also attended by Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Sim Tze Tzin and several distinguished guests.

Sim said he was present as a guest and the organiser had prepared tables serving halal food at the front of the hall as a sign of respect for Muslim guests.

“Tables that had non-halal food were placed behind for non-Muslims only,” he said in a WhatsApp message to FMT today.

Commenting further, Chai said he had invited media agencies to attend the event, but only the China Press, Nanyang Siang Pau and Sin Chew Daily had confirmed their attendance.

“So we prepared a table for journalists from those media companies.”

He hoped the issue would not distract from the original aim of attracting foreign investors to Malacca.