Looks like color loads and white loads are not the only things getting separated at a Johor laundromat.
The owners of a self-service laundry operation on Jalan Junid, in Muar, have caused waves on social media after they posted a signboard saying: “For Muslim customers only. Muslim-friendly. Leave your shoes outside.”
Another case of religion being used to divide a country, or is there merit in the banishment of non-Muslims.
The images were originally posted to the Facebook group Persatuan Gaya Hidup Sihat Pelabuhan Klang. One user, commenting on the service, is not on board.
Zachary Arshad wrote, “I’m Muslim, and this is completely overrated and unacceptable. Islam does not teach this. Islam is for all, Islam is to unite the people, not divide. This will only cause further divide among the people.”
However, others saw it less nefariously.
One user, Suresh Pandian, said, “if the owner is Muslim and wants to run it in Muslim way, I don’t think anything wrong. It’s his right.”
Johor Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Abd Mutalip Abd Rahim told New Straits Times that there was nothing wrong with the owner of the laundromat excluding non-Muslims as it was his right as a business owner.
“Non-Muslims should not worry because there have options to patronise other laundromats elsewhere.”
He added that while there were no plans for the Johor government to implement these types of laws throughout the state, he urged non-Muslims to understand the concerns of najis mughallazah (severe impurities).
And while yes, everyone is entitled to patronize an establishment that abides by their religious concerns, when you start excluding groups based of religion, you find yourself heading down a slippery slope.
Today it’s laundry, tomorrow it’s a restaurant, and pretty soon those the idea that at one point, we all just did this stuff together becomes quaint memory.
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