The Mon Chinese Beef Roti Restaurant recently made headlines after a viral video showed one of its staff donning a songkok while wearing a cross necklace, which led social media users to question its halal-credibility.
To mitigate the matter, the restaurant has fired the worker and issued an apology.
Sofia, the 27-year-old manager of the restaurant, candidly admitted that the issue was an oversight on the part of the management, leading to the termination of the employee in question. She expressed apologies to those offended or made uncomfortable by the incident and pledged to be more vigilant in the future.
“I admit it was a mistake on the part of the management for not thoroughly checking the background of our former employee. He was terminated by the management before I even found out about the viral video, and I sincerely apologize for that mistake,” Sofia explained in an exclusive interview with Harian Metro.
The video, which circulated on TikTok, initially showcased the immense popularity of the restaurant, drawing long queues of eager customers wanting to savor the Chinese-style beef-filled buns, recognized for their halal ingredients sourced locally.
Sofia emphasized the restaurant’s commitment to maintaining its halal status, a top priority given the majority of its patrons are Muslims. Despite facing challenges in obtaining the halal certificate from the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim), Sofia reassured the public of her dedication to completing the certification process.
“Even before we opened the restaurant here, we have been in contact with our appointed agent to help us with getting the halal certificate from Jakim. However, the process takes a lot of time as there are many documents needed, and I am still new in business, but I will try my best,” she affirmed.
The incident has sparked discussions among netizens, with some questioning the restaurant’s intentions in having a non-Muslim staff member wear a songkok. Sofia, however, emphasized that the majority of the current staff are Chinese Muslims, and the management is committed to respecting and understanding the sensitivities of the local Muslim community.
