By C C Pung
The writer is a Sabah Justice of Peace and Tokoh Wartawan Sabah and Labuan.
This is one (pix above) very popular eatery in Kota Kinabalu selling everything pork.
Like others, this has cabinets displaying its tempting roast ducks, pork belly, char siew etc.
During a recent debate between some Malayan politicians about halal certification, one of them suggested that non halal restaurant (like this one) should be required to display signs to tell that they are non halal and therefore don’t welcome Muslim customers.
Some colourful exchanges ensued.
The suggestion died probably because, in Malaya, Muslims stay clear of eateries not operated by their kind.
Such polarisation is not so bad in Sabah.
Muslims don’t eat pork but they showed a remarkable tolerance, and are widely seen patronising Chinese-run coffeeshops/restaurants drinking coffee within smelling distance of the food display and customers at nearby tables chomping away.
Therefore, the price board in Chinese and Malay may cause you to wonder:
if Malays (muslims) aren’t customers, why Malay and not English on the sign?
Arguing based on this sign, the non-halal cert display suggestion has merit.
But one must re orient one’s attempt at rationalising when doing so from a Sabah perspective.
Sabah has a large population of non Muslim pork eating natives whose lingua franca is Malay.
Could this bi-lingual sign be targeted at them?
Of course, some guy by the name of Akmal and his likes may be offended (oh, they are so often and easily angered …)
And, by the way, all the workers in this place speak Malay.
They may or may not be Muslims.
Herein lies another unique Sabah phenomenon – most of the workers in non halal eateries of all sizes comprise Muslims.
This is paradox is widely known and should set the Akmal kind aflame.
But I’m yet to see a single study on the trend.
I kinda like it because it screams “Kami Sabah bah!”
Editor: The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of talantang.com
