Media Statement By YB Kelvin Yii:
The act by the Chinese Muslim Eatery, Mon Chinese Beef Roti Restaurant who “sacked” an employee just for wearing a “necklace with a cross” is highly discriminatory, against the law and a challenge to freedom of religion in our country.
There is no law to prevent non muslims to prepare halal food, as long as all strict requirements and SOPs in food prepararion are adhered to.
The restaurant should have just released a statement assuring all these requirements are strictly adhered to without the need to sack an honest worker who working within his rights.
So the act by restaurant to give into unreasonable pressure from irresponsible quarters outside is irresponsible and discriminatory based on race and the employee’s constitutional right to express his faith in his daily life.
What is unfortunate is the racial/religious intolerance is not only dividing out country, but in this case cause a honest man to lose his job. This cannot be allowed to be a growing trend.
We want to live in a harmonious society when our diversity is respected and celebrated. Such situation should not be allowed to fester and spread to even places like Sabah &, Sarawak where we have lived in harmony and respects each and others believe even in a multi-religious setting.
That is why the government must step in to address this and show an example to stem against such discrimination and divisive fear-mongering from growing further. Action should also be taken against those that instigated such intolerance in our multi-cultural & multi-religious country of ours.
A comprehensive Anti-Discriminatory Act should be formulated in order to standardise understanding of discrimination and address such cases especially in the work place. The Unity Ministry and Education should also intensify more education and awareness to deal with the growing intolerance in our plural country.
