Nabil Luqman

0f9d2dd4f71434084e2b6094de1865e23abb37bb9f28ca51feeabee679ec9be2

Social

viral

tiktok

issue

apology

controversy

racism

indian

corn

hawker

sepang

tamil

A roadside corn seller in Sepang has publicly apologised after displaying a handwritten sign containing a racial slut against Indian Malaysians, stating that his corn was &ldquo;not for sale to Keling&rdquo;.
Recently, this offensive sign sparked immediate outrage after a video of it went viral on social media which drew criticism from the public eye and politicians alike. While the seller has since apologised, many believe that words alone are not enough, with calls for stronger action against acts of racial discrimination.
Public Apology Issued
<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@saralimal2/video/7472016838805802258" data-video-id="7472016838805802258">
<section><a title="@saralimal2" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@saralimal2?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@saralimal2</a>
*Part 1*- Isu Peniaga Jagung-Mengunakan Poster Perkataan "Keling". Pihak PDRM IPD Sepang, Jabatan Perpaduan, Persatuan Penduduk Kota Warisan serta rakan rakan kami dari BBST telah berkerjasama untuk memantau isu ini. Pakcik peniaga jagung telah menghadirkan diri hari ini. Beliau secara rendah diri telah meminta maaf dari seluruh kaum India di Malaysia serta seluruh rakyat Malaysia. Beliau menyesal menggunakan perkataan demikian dan memang bukan niat beliau untuk menjatuhkan atau menghina kaum India. Justeru itu, beliau memang menyesal diatas perkataan yang diujarkan. Beliau telah menyatakan bahawa, selepas ini, beliau tidak akan menggunakan poster tersebut dan meminta maaf serta menyeru semua rakyat jelata untuk menyokong perniagaan beliau. Justeru itu, kami selaku Kaum India daripada BBST menyeru semua rakyat kaum India di Malaysia untuk memaafkan Pakcik Abdul Aziz dan menamatkan Isu viral ini. Sekian Terima Kasih, Salam Satu Malaysia. "Kusut diselesaikan, Keruh diperjenih". "Bulat air kerana pembetung, Bulat manusia kerana muafakat".
<a title="♬ original sound - sara" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-sara-7472016984788585232?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ original sound - sara</a></section>
</blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>

Following the controversy, the corn seller, Abdul Aziz, issued a public apology in a video statement shared by National Unity Minister Aaron Ago Dagang on 17 February.
"I admit I was wrong. I apologise to all Malaysians, especially to the Indian community," Abdul Aziz said in the video, acknowledging the gravity of his mistake.
He further expressed regret for using the racial slur, claiming that he had no intention of insulting the Indian community.
"This incident happened unintentionally. There were no bad intentions on my part. I didn't realise that the term had negative connotations. Now that I've been made aware, I know what I did was wrong," he explained.
Abdul Aziz also promised not to repeat his actions and urged Malaysians to continue supporting his business despite the backlash.
The apology was delivered at a restaurant in Sepang on 16 February, where officials from the National Unity and Integration Department, representatives from the Indian community, and local residents were present to witness the statement.
Community Leaders Step In to Mediate
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/a3871f2752363bde12c58cd0c98088191b9eb6f6911fa387d8b4aa498b04d3e7" />
Minister Aaron Ago Dagang commended the efforts of neighbourhood watch leaders, Roseman and Syawal, for their role in mediating the situation and resolving tensions within the community.
"Their involvement has strengthened public confidence in the neighbourhood watch as an agent of unity and conflict resolution," the minister stated.
He further stressed the importance of cooperation between community leaders and government authorities in addressing racial disputes and ensuring a harmonious and peaceful society.
How the Incident Unfolded
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/79f9361ec51e98d09d3e5b7088ec0bcf5f876d65d2ff44e5c6e58e003208cd46" />
The controversy began when an Indian Malaysian woman spotted the sign while walking past the roadside corn stall. Shocked and angered by the message, she decided to confront the seller and demand that he remove the racist sign.
However, according to her account, Abdul Aziz&rsquo;s response was aggressive and confrontational.
"He responded by pointing his finger at me, even touching my nose, which I found very aggressive. I felt unsafe. I walked to a nearby restaurant, but he followed me and began filming me. I also recorded him," she recounted.
As she processed the situation, she noticed several other Indian Malaysians walking past the stall, but she was unsure if anyone else had confronted the seller or reported the matter to the authorities.
"I felt deeply saddened. So many in our community criticise racism online, but when blatant racism happens in real life, many just walk by and do nothing," she expressed.
Here&rsquo;s the original video:
<iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2F100045167830520%2Fvideos%2F1667817337139763%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=267&amp;t=0" width="267" height="476" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>&nbsp;
Public Outcry and Political Reactions
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/d9a965074861f7b25eeef6dd7b12be65a1a53c9625a5b2c9a37ff3c2b68ba65e" />
Despite Abdul Aziz&rsquo;s apology, several political leaders have demanded stronger action, stating that an apology alone is insufficient. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/m.akmalsaleh/posts/10162555653712904">UMNO Youth Chief Dr Akmal Saleh</a> insisted that individuals who make racist remarks should face legal repercussions to set a precedent.
"It doesn't matter who they are&mdash;legal action should be taken so that this serves as a lesson to all. If not, a culture of 'do first, apologise later' will continue, and people will assume they can get away with it," he argued in a Facebook post.
Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/limguaneng.malaysia/posts/pfbid0cFGiMtSBUuKd2UZLxFwrRHxYqZD94g3kGD4jipXVdcm4ZtczDkrV2vYfjS46nqKkl">DAP Chairperson Lim Guan Eng</a> stated that the incident demonstrates the urgent need for an anti-racial discrimination law to prevent and punish deliberate acts of racism.
"The unfortunate incident in Sepang, where a trader refused to sell corn to Indians and used a derogatory term, is extremely disturbing. This reflects how deeply ingrained racist sentiments have become in certain segments of society," Lim said in a statement on 16 February.
He further stressed that the lack of legal consequences for such actions allows racist attitudes to persist unchallenged.
Calls for Stricter Policies Against Racism
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/318e22dd48bdd4e24d0426d6151f8c3cc020f745a4defc9893f03ecd1377c101" />
The incident has reignited a national conversation about racism in Malaysia, with many Malaysians urging the government to take stricter measures to combat discrimination.
Social activists have pointed out that while this case involved a small roadside vendor, racism exists at multiple levels of society, from workplaces to schools and even government policies.
Some believe that the lack of clear legal frameworks addressing racism allows such behaviour to continue unchecked. While laws against hate speech and incitement of violence exist, there is no comprehensive anti-discrimination law that specifically targets racist behaviour in daily life.
&nbsp;
Beyond the Apology &ndash; What&rsquo;s Next?
Although Abdul Aziz has apologised, the larger question remains&mdash;what steps should Malaysia take to ensure that incidents like this do not happen again?
Will there be new laws introduced to curb racial discrimination? Will authorities start taking harsher action against those who promote racial hatred? And most importantly, how can Malaysia foster a culture of unity and respect among all races?
As this discussion continues, Malaysians are urged to stand against racism, report discriminatory behaviour, and push for systemic changes that promote genuine unity and inclusivity.
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments. 
&nbsp;
*Sources: Visual and Reference Credits to Social Media &amp; various cross-references for context.
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There is no place for racism in Malaysia.

c039d94c6ae4e4a568755c39334d4cb3bb9064bf66b56d08102b96263525246e

Corn-troversy: Viral Corn Seller Apologises For Racist Sign, But Calls For Stronger Action Grow

Corn-troversy: Viral Corn Seller Apologises For Racist Sign, But Calls For Stronger Action Grow

There is no place for racism in Malaysia.

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