KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysians should never label or use derogatory words on fellow citizens of a different race as everyone should be treated with respect, PKR vice-president Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said.
He said the incident of a hawker selling steamed corn who would not serve Indian customers was not a reflection of Malaysian values.
“We live in a society of diverse races, religions and cultures. Every individual deserves to be treated with respect without any discrimination.
“Labelling a race with insulting words should not be done. Every word we use reflects on our own values and our community’s values,” Nik Nazmi said in a statement.
While what the corn seller did was wrong, Nik Nazmi, who is also Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister, said the man’s actions did not represent his entire race either.
“Only a few have extreme and racist behaviour. Don’t let the actions of a few individuals tarnished the good ties between the races that have been established. Islam teaches us to respect others and act out of love, not hate,” he said.
The corn seller had placed a sign openly at his stall which stated “Sorry, ini jagung tidak jual sama orang Keling”. It was captured in a video on TikTok and went viral, drawing condemnation from social media users.
The derogatory reference to ethnic Indians also drew anger from several quarters, including MIC’s deputy president Datuk Seri M. Saravanan, and religious affairs minister Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar.
Last night, the corn seller apologised to the Indian community represented by seven Indian Malaysians from Sepang, where he had his stall.
National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang in a post on X said the apology and meeting with the community was facilitated by the area’s Rukun Tetangga (neighbourhood watch) leaders in the presence of four police officers, local residents’ community leaders, and officers from the National Unity and Integration Department (JPNIN).
“The corn seller has apologised to all Malaysians, especially to the Indian community, for creating an incident that threatened national harmony.
“He has promised not to repeat the incident again,” Aaron said. – February 17, 2025