UPDATE (11 May, 10.05am): MUIS responded to Stomp‘s queries, saying that there were no halal claims made when they visited the pasar malam stall in Woodlands. The council also reiterated that Muslims should exercise due diligence before patronising eateries. You may read their full statement below.
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In the absence of a halal certificate, some Muslim consumers might assume that a stall does not serve prohibited ingredients like pork and alcohol if they see a hijabi or someone wearing a tudung or headscarf working there.
We can thus understand the uproar when a pasar malam stall in Woodlands, which allegedly displayed pork on its menu, was recently spotted with a staff member wearing a tudung behind the counter.
Source: Facebook
After speaking to the stall’s boss, a concerned netizen shared that the menu containing pork dishes was apparently an old one. However, he pointed out that it’s still unclear what the stall was selling in the first place.
On Tuesday (9 May), Facebook user Shafeeq decided to visit a Thai stall at the pasar malam outside Vista Point in Woodlands.
He shared that he made the visit after coming across claims on social media that the stall in question was misleading, allegedly selling pork even though one of its employees was a hijabi.
In a video lasting nearly eight minutes, Shafeeq documented his visit, including his interactions with the employees. At that time, a woman wearing a tudung and a younger man were manning the stall.
At the start of the clip, he was heard asking the male employee if the stall was using halal ingredients and if they were serving pork, pointing to a poster advertising Thai grilled pork or moo ping.
Source: Facebook
The male employee denied selling pork and subsequently removed the poster.
Source: Facebook
Shafeeq then enquired if the food on display contained pork and if the stall was halal. The male employee did not respond to the first question, but maintained that the stall was halal.
When the OP asked why there was pork on the menu, the male staff appeared to be at a loss for words.
He then called his boss before passing the phone to Shafeeq.
Shafeeq directed the same queries to the female boss over the phone, exclaiming that issues pertaining to religion are extremely sensitive.
He also stressed that it wasn’t right to include pork dishes in the menu and hire a hijabi to man the stall.
While we were not privy to the phone conversation, it seems she explained that the menu on display was an old one.
After a prolonged conversation, Shafeeq handed the phone over to the male employee who took down another poster that also included pork dishes.
Source: Facebook
The male staff then rolled out a new poster that allegedly did not contain pork.
Source: Facebook
In his Facebook post, however, Shafeeq pointed out that it remains unclear what meat the stall sold. Afraid that this could be a case of misrepresentation, he hoped to raise awareness of the matter. He also urged the authorities to intervene if need be.
If there’s indeed cause for concern, we hope that the relevant parties will be able to address the situation.
Speaking to Stomp, an Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) spokesperson said that they visited the pasar malam stall after receiving some queries.
They apparently encountered no halal claims from the stall, unlike what the viral video showcased. MUIS, unfortunately, didn’t explain this disparity.
However, they emphasised that “the religion of the person serving or preparing the food does not determine its Halal status”.
The council also pointed out that Muslims must be discerning of any eatery they decide to patronise.
Should there be no Halal certificate, Muslims should browse the menu and enquire about the constituent ingredients. They can then choose to consume if they believe the food is safe for eating, or avoid if unsure.
Addressing the viral video where a passer-by reprimanded the stall workers and owner for “misrepresentation”, MUIS encouraged Muslims “to be mindful of their (our) words, even when we are being honest and true”.
They emphasised the importance of being polite to make others feel comfortable, so they can accept advice more easily.
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Featured image adapted from Facebook.
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