“Not even ancient Chinese food” – M’sian Responds to Preacher Who Said Yee Sang is Haram for Muslims

In case you are not aware, Yee Sang is made with raw fish, pickled vegetables, and an assortment of colorful condiments and special sauces. The dish is tossed around and as high as possible with chopsticks while those celebrating wish for health and prosperity.

Malaysian Chinese-Muslim filmmaker Michael Ang recently addressed the claims that having Yee Sang is haram for Muslims. In his Instagram post @michaelang38, Michael said he was about to have Yee Sang when his 13-year-old nephew said something about the tradition.

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“He told me an Ustaz from TikTok said that Yee Sang is Haram for the Muslims, and my nephew asked me not to eat.”

Michael put down his chopsticks and googled to verify the claims that Yee Sang is indeed haram for Muslims, and here’s what Michael found online.

“Yee Sang is not even a traditional or ancient Chinese food existed since the Imperial China. I am not sure if it’s created by Singaporeans or Malaysians, but it became widespread in Asia after it was created in Malaysia or Singapore.”

Michael was not happy with the unnamed preacher’s wild claims about the halal status of having Yee Sang.

Previously, transport minister Anthony Loke said the Yee Sang dish was made popular by his grandfather when it was first brought to Seremban. Anthony, however, could not confirm if his late grandfather was the first to do so in Malaysia.

To Michael, Yee Sang is more of a “gimmick food,” and he said that the preacher’s claims affected his mood in tossing the Yee Sang.

“Everything is Haram today for some people.”

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