KUALA LUMPUR – Mamak restaurant operators are on the defensive against a TikTok video which has maligned local Indian Muslim eateries by making outrageous claims, including one alleging that ‘toyol’ urine is found in curries.
Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Owners Association (Presma) president Datuk Jawahar Ali Taib Khan said the clip by user @dyamohamad90, under the moniker Kak Dya, has made false and malicious claims about certain eateries.
“Presma is convinced that Kak Dya’s action by uploading the video is malicious, and will cause a negative perception of mamak restaurants in Malaysia and affect their businesses,” Jawahar said in a statement.
He denied Kak Dya’s claims, adding that they were not supported by any evidence.
The TikTok video, which has over a million views and 34,000 likes as of press time, pushes claims that biryani rice is wrapped in white male underwear, and that a creature in Malay folklore called ‘toyol’ was seen urinating into a curry pot.
Other claims involve used bathwater in gravy, and dhaal curry that allegedly contains faeces.
No restaurant is named in the video, but Kak Dya is heard saying that these incidents were sighted at certain mamak restaurants.
However, she does provide a disclaimer at the beginning of the video, saying that these claims do not reflect all mamak restaurants.
Nevertheless, Jawahar said Kak Dya, whose account appears to show a penchant for mystical subjects and conspiracy theories, should remove her video from TikTok, and immediately threatened legal action.
“In case of failure (to remove the video), Presma reserves all legal rights to take action against any slander and allegation that spread,” he added. – January 12, 2024