A viral video sparked controversy recently, showing a popular street stall in Bandung, Indonesia, where the vendors wear Muslim-associated attire while selling ‘mie babi’ or pork noodles.
In the viral clip, reposted by Indonesian portal Detik, the stall appears crowded as a male vendor wearing the ‘peci’ (a Muslim cap which Malaysians call ‘kopiah’) and a female vendor wearing the hijab (or ‘tudung’ as Malaysians call it), prepare the dish.
Vendors wearing Muslim-affiliated attire while selling pork noodles in Bandung face backlash
According to Detik, following the video going viral, the stall came under public scrutiny. However, the vendors declined to comment on the controversy.
On social media, many netizens pointed out that wearing a kopiah or a tudung while selling non-Halal food is inappropriate and could confuse the public.
“How does it make sense to sell non-halal food while wearing a kopiah? What if a Muslim customer buys it?”
“Is the seller Muslim or not? If they are Muslim, why are they selling pork noodles? If they’re not, then why were they wearing Muslim-affiliated clothing or accessories like a kopiah and hijab? There’s no clear labelling indicating that the food is non-Halal, which seems like an attempt to mislead customers.”
“People like this are despicable for deliberately trying to deceive others. Selling pork is fine, but consumers, especially Muslims, have the right to know.”
The vendors have since added a non-Halal sticker and stopped wearing the kopiah and tudung
Mie Danau Toba, the viral pork noodle stall on Jalan Cibadak in Bandung, West Java, has been in operation for 22 years.
For context, while the stall is in Bandung, the name refers to Danau Toba in North Sumatra, home of the Batak people, the majority of whom are Protestant Christians. However, it was not revealed whether the vendors were Muslims or from North Sumatra.
After the public backlash, the vendors were no longer seen wearing a kopiah or hijab when Detik’s team visited the stall.
The report also noted that 4 vendors at the stall were busy at the time, with 3 preparing the noodles and 1 taking orders.
Moreover, a non-Halal sticker is now displayed on the front glass of the pork noodle stall, something that was not present before.
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