When something as simple as bread turns into national racial conflict
Gardenia bread has been a part of Malaysian morning routine for the past 26 years. Even though the older generation may still prefer unbranded freshly baked loaves, Gardenia is the equivalent to bread in our minds.
The company (mostly owned by Padi Beras Nasional Bhd or Bernas) is alleged to have boycotted its flour supplier Federal Flour Mills Bhd (FFM). The problem might be as simple as economic matter concerning supply and demand – but in desperation and financially hard times like this, it has been turned into something much bigger: racial issues.
Gardenia came up with an advertorial in a national newspaper stating this: We buy flour from Malayan Flour Mills Bhd and Prestasi Flour Mills Sdn Bhd purely due to commercial reasons. In fact, Bernas has a stake in Y flour mill and yet we have never been directed or coerced to buy flour from it. This speaks volumes on (sic) the professionalism of the Bernas management.” The advertorial was then demanded to be pulled back.
Bernas is owned by Tan Sri Syed Mohktar Al-Bukhary, while FFM is controlled by Hong Kong-based Malaysian tycoon Tan Sri Robert Kuok. With the nature of racially-sensitive Malaysian society, it was as easy as ABC to believe that Gardenia ditched FFM because it is a company of different race.
Soon after, an online boycott campaign against Gardenia spread through mass emails and Facebook posts. The campaign urges Malaysians to switch to Massimo, a bread brand by FFM that is priced lower than Gardenia. FFM has since clarified that it has never started any boycotting campaigns against Gardenia, as quoted by MY Sinchew. Until today, it is still unclear of who initiated the one-month-old boycott.
One part of the mass email thread is as quoted by Asia One: “Let’s support the new Massimo bread by Robert Kuok and boycott Gardenia bread owned by Umno crony, Syed Mokhtar Albukhary’s Tradewind group.”
The Malaysian Insider quoted the prices as such: Massimo currently offers a normal-sized wheat germ loaf and a longer white loaf at RM2.50 and RM3.40 while Gardenia’s equivalents are priced at RM3.20 and RM3.35 respectively. Both brands sell a normal white loaf at RM2.40.
On the other side, Gardenia denies any allegations by FFM, stating they stopped buying from FFM simply because of pricing reasons. Furthermore, they believed to have been ‘everything a good Malaysian company should be’ with its CSR and race-blind policy.
The campaign evidently has been gaining buzz, seeing from the active online discussion in Lowyat.net participated by many. This whole array of dispute shows how a country with an apparent scar (in Malaysian case, the scar is racial issues) is easily cut open and salted by irresponsible provocateurs.
Credits to:
Shannon Teoh and Yow Hong Chieh – The Malaysian Insider
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Never thought bread could cause racial conflicts http://t.co/oLXCO5tp
When sth as small as bread could trigger racial conflicts – it’s time to fix the nation http://t.co/S6Hz3Rkx
The Gardenia Bread Wars http://t.co/il39DU4c
The Gardenia Bread Wars – MUST READ! : http://t.co/pIixpSzS
LOL! RT @boonken: ninahidayat says Hootsuite is pro-Massimo for deleting her ‘Bread Wars’ article link http://t.co/gp3VXxL5
Bread wars turn into Malaysian National Racial Conflict http://t.co/qCUb39sD
@miezaArshad entahh ler.. suma nk racist pasal roti je kot .. http://t.co/C8QV8Kbu
“@AkramAlifAziz: @miezaArshad entahh ler.. suma nk racist pasal roti je kot .. http://t.co/jmPjFbza” haha rumah aku ada dua dua !
@ctnabilahuda @wannurfatnin http://t.co/XXZg34t2
they change the tag of the expiry date if the bread still looks fresh
what I’m talking about is gardenia
i just cant believe ppl buy on racial issue, it’s more than that, the flour use by the vendor contain pig protien which is haram, which non muslims and ignorant muslims won’t even care and aware these days. That’s why gardenia switches from FFM flour, racial was sparked as covert issue i believe
noname..so are you saying that the muslims have been consuming pig protein since the beginning of gardenia and no one actually bothered about it until recently?pls go to this site http://www.gardenia.com.my/halal.html.
this is really a joke or a really f**ked up cover up story..pls la…be more creative abit if you want to cover up..
Perkasa started this way back – politicizing food biz…?
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Perkasa wants KFC chain to stay in Malay hands
March 17, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 — Malay rights group Perkasa has urged the Najib administration to ensure that Kulim (M) Bhd, which controls the local franchise for the popular Kentucky Fried Chicken fast food outlets, remains in the hands of Malays.
At the same time, its president Datuk Ibrahim Ali also wants assurance that both Kulim and franchise holder, KFC Holdings Bhd, will not be sold off to a Malay-Bumiputera individual.
There was an earlier attempt at buying the majority stake in KFC Holdings recently but it came to naught.
“We heard stories that Kulim will supposedly be sold off to a non-Malay company, while some have also said that it will be bought over by a Malay-Bumiputera individual.
“However, the information is still unconfirmed… but whatever it is, we want it to stay in the hands of a Malay-Bumiputera company, even if it is sold to a Malay-Bumiputera individual we disapprove,” he told The Malaysian Insider.
The independent Pasir Mas MP added there was also talk that Kulim would be bought over by a politician from a non-Malay Barisan Nasional component party and a public-listed company.
“But this has not been endorsed, I have checked,” he said.
When asked if he planned to convey his views to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak or Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ghani Othman on the matter, Ibrahim said, “No”.
“Even if we wanted to meet them, it will likely be difficult because everyone’s too busy. Perkasa and other Bumiputera-based non-governmental organisations will wait for a confirmation first.
“Once we get answers in black and white, only then will we decide what to do next,” he said.
Ibrahim was commenting on a statement by Johor Corp (JCorp) former president and chief executive Tan Sri Muhammad Ali Hashim on Sunday that he was privy to information that the firm’s current management had plans to sell its subsidiary Kulim.
Muhammad, who has served in JCorp for over 30 years, said he had obtained the information from a reliable source and expressed disappointment if the plan materialised.
He also said he hoped the decision would be considered thoroughly as Kulim was the main asset of JCorp and the Malay community, and its sale would likely invite strong opposition from Malay rights groups.