‘Malays only’ policy at Japanese shop

Curious: Passers-by gathering around the sign at the shop in Larkin Perdana, Johor.

Compiled by THO XIN YI and LOH FOON HONG 

A SHOP that sells Japanese healthcare and home products in Larkin Perdana, Johor Baru, has raised eyebrows with its “Malays only” notice.

China Press reported that the outlet displayed a notice informing patrons that Bahasa Malaysia would be used to conduct all promotion sessions.

The notice, in both Malay and Chinese, requested Chinese customers to patronise its other outlets, catering for their community.

The outlet manager told the daily that the company was trying to expand its market base to include more Malays and Indians, so it has set up outlets in Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur and Johor that use Malay only.

The company has one outlet in Klang, Selangor, that uses Chinese as the medium, the manager added.

She said initially, the company had mostly Chinese customers as its products were not certified halal.

But some of them have since obtained the certification.

Having different premises for different races is only a marketing strategy, she said.

> The Negri Sembilan Wine and Spirit Dealers Association urged boards of directors, parent-teacher associations and alumni associations of Chinese primary schools to continue the sale of booze at fund-raising events in schools, according to Sin Chew Daily.

Its chairman Gan Chee Din said alcohol producers and dealers had always been supportive of the development of Chinese schools and fund-raising dinners.

“School infrastructure like halls, classrooms and sports facilities could be built partly due to contributions from alcohol dealers.

“Beer companies have also sponsored charity concerts that helped to raise hundreds of millions of ringgit for Chinese schools,” he said.

Gan was responding to the purported alcohol ban at the 70th anniversary dinner of SJK(C) Chung Pin at Linggi, Port Dickson last Saturday.

It was earlier reported that the state Education Department visited the school to remind the management not to sell booze at the event.

Drinking alcohol was also not permitted.

The school has adhered to the department’s advice.

The above article is compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.