A coffee shop in Segamat has issued an official statement after a social media post accused it of serving pork noodles to Muslim customers, sparking public confusion.
The eatery, Nan Yang Coffee Shop, clarified that it does not sell pork and does not use pork fat in preparing its food.
Mee Pok is not Pork
According to the establishment, the controversy stemmed from the term “Mee Pok” appearing on its menu. The shop explained that “Mee Pok” refers to a type of flat noodle traditionally known in the Teochew dialect (潮州) and is not a reference to pork.
The shop stressed that “Mee Pok is NOT equivalent to pork”, urging the public not to misinterpret the name of the noodle as an indication that pork is used in the dish.
Nan Yang Coffee Shop also clarified that it has never claimed to possess a Malaysian Halal Certification. The business said it respects customers of all races and religions and welcomes anyone with questions about its menu or ingredients to contact the establishment directly for clarification.
The statement was issued in response to a viral post about Muslim patrons dining at the Segamat outlet. The original poster appeared to interpret the phrase “Mee Pok” as referring to pork noodles, prompting widespread concern online.
According to the founders, the individual behind the post had never actually set foot in the outlet.
“The person in question had never even visited our coffee shop, and we do not know him at all. We do not understand why he would make such defamatory allegations against us.
“We feel completely wronged. We believe he was simply trying to gain traffic and attention by using our business as a means to generate publicity.”
The owners noted that after a police report was lodged, the individual issued an apology on Facebook before the coffee shop even had the opportunity to release its official statement.
They further stressed that they hold complete documentation showing that all their food suppliers are halal-certified.
Years of serving a diverse community
In a report by China Press, the founders highlighted that the coffee shop has served customers from all three major ethnic communities in Malaysia for many years, with Malay patrons typically accounting for 30% to 40% of its clientele.
However, they noted that the rapid spread of misinformation online had caused a noticeable decline in Malay customers over the past two days, severely impacting the business’s reputation and customer trust.
Following the incident, several regular Malay customers approached them to ask about the situation, with some suggesting that the coffee shop formally apply for Malaysian halal certification.
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Also read: Port Dickson Woman Outraged to Find Her Halal Daging Salai Eatery Falsely Listed as “Best Pork Shop”
