A 95-year-old kopitiam in Segamat, Johor, is mulling legal action against a Facebook page for spreading misinformation that it served pork.
Taking to Facebook, Nan Yang Coffee Shop today criticised the "Halal inquiry Company direktori" page for confusing "mee pok" with a pork dish.
Mee pok is a type of Chinese noodle commonly used in Teochew dishes in Singapore and Malaysia. It is commonly served tossed in a soy-based sauce or in soup.
The page issued an apology yesterday, stressing that it had deleted the post three minutes after publishing it after realising that there was a misunderstanding of its information.
According to screenshots attached to Nan Yang Coffee Shop's post, the accusation against it had lambasted Malays for eating at the kopitiam despite it serving "pok" - a Teowchew word meaning "thin" in reference to the texture of the egg noodles used.
Nevertheless, Nan Yang Coffee Shop said it is seeking help to pursue legal action against the page.
"The previously published content has caused serious misunderstandings and impacted our reputation, customer trust, and business," it claimed.
So far, the kopitiam said it has lodged a defamation report with platform owner Meta and kept evidence of the original post, including screenshots.
"The next step is to hand this matter over to a lawyer and consider issuing a letter of demand," it said.
It called on the public to contact the kopitiam if anyone has any information about the person behind the "Halal inquiry Company direktori" page, but cautioned against doxxing the individual concerned.
"We just want this matter resolved through legal channels," it added.
‘Give corrections due transparency’
In explaining its action, the business highlighted that the impact of the post did not disappear with the deletion.
While acknowledging that the page had publicly apologised, the kopitiam questioned why comment limitations were imposed on its apology, unlike with the original post containing the allegations.
"If you dare to bring an issue to the public, corrections should also be given due transparency," it said.
It further asked whether the post with the allegations had been intended to drive traffic using a controversial issue.
In another post, the kopitiam claimed that other businesses have taken legal action against the page, citing publicly shared information.
"Deleting a post does not mean that the matter never happened. Apologising also does not necessarily undo the damage that has been done.
"We respect freedom of speech and the right of the community to make remarks. But before making public accusations against any business, the facts should be checked first," it said.
The "Halal inquiry Company direktori" describes itself as a halal awareness page. It was created in January 2019 and classifies itself as a journalist page.
Supporters may purchase subscription packages ranging from RM9.90 to RM19.90 a month, unlocking access to "exclusive" content.
The issue of halal food is a perennial issue in Malaysia, where a majority of the population are Muslim.
Critics have pointed to the politicisation of such issues by those intending to stir up trouble through linking them to race and religion. - Mkini
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