After being called out by the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister, popular restaurant chain OldTown White Coffee has reasserted the halal status of all the food and beverages it serves to customers.
The Ipoh-based restaurant chain also insisted that it was not affiliated with any politician or political party.
“We understand how important the halal certification is to our Muslim friends,” said OldTown chairperson Dr Ahmed Tasir in a statement yesterday, as reported by The Star Online.
“Old Town White Coffee does not serve any non-halal food products or alcohol, and all our food and beverage are prepared in a halal manner.”
OldTown White Coffee was singled out as an example of local businesses who serve non-halal food by Minister for Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ismail Sabri Yaakob in a Facebook post on his personal account.
The minister also called for a boycott of local Chinese-owned businesses to ensure they lower their prices, a statement that caused many netizens to erupt in outrage and accusations of racism.
