Revisiting Akka Nasi Lemak: Muslim foodies claim not racist, duty-bound to enquire stall's halal status
Viral fame has promoted humble stall operator Sangeetha Manimalar to re-locate her stall into a permanent food court in Taman Puncak Jalil where her food continues to whet appetites and delight tummies.
However, a feature on Facebook foodie site HeyFood Malaysia has descended into chaos over some misunderstandings over the halal status of Akka Nasi Lemak.
A simple and oft-heard enquiry led to all manner of unpleasantness when one non-Muslim commenter labelled such a question as 'stupid'.
This led to much name calling from offended Muslim commenters who quite rightly claimed that they are entitled to enquire. What is wrong with asking anyway, they queried, some rather indignantly.
One response surmised that the trader would know how to cater to the majority of her customers.
If they are mainly Muslim, then there should be an understanding that she has done the necessary to ensure her food is consistent with the dietary restrictions of her Muslim consumers.
This somewhat laissez faire attitude brought heated responses from various commenters who argued that such was not the right approach.
One commenter argued that the only time such reasoning was acceptable was during an emergency.
This was when one commenter responded that it was easy as the choice was with the consumer. If unsure, take your appetite and custom elsewhere. There's no reason to pour scorn on the trader who has done nothing wrong.
Another commenter sought to inject some perspective by suggesting that non-Muslims support Akka Nasi Lemak as the food did indeed look delicious.
However, he politely advised Muslim foodies to dine at places where they are certain of their halal status. He also pointed out that if the Muslim lady who took the video had bought the food for a non-Muslim to consume, it is fine but not otherwise.
Few things this episode highlights.
First and foremost, the issue of halal/haram is not to be taken lightly. It is of great significance to Muslims and goes beyond food needing to be porcine-free.
Secondly, any dining establishment looking to leverage on Muslim clientele will need to obtain the necessary certification. Or at the very least to put Muslim customers' minds at ease.
Last but not least, a modicum of respect for each other's beliefs is paramount in a multi-ethnic country like Malaysia. Otherwise, the future looks pretty gloomy. – Aug 12, 2025
Main image credit: HeyFood Malaysia/Facebook
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