BOYCOTT PRO-PAKATAN KUOK FIRMS’

By : K PRAGALATH

PETALING JAYA: The Muslim Consumers Association today called for a boycott of five businesses owned or partly owned by tycoon Robert Kuok, accusing him of racial discrimination.

Nadzim Johan, who heads the association, said the boycott would affect the Pappa Rich and Old Town White Coffee restaurant chain, Sri Murni oil, Marina fish products, Massimo bread and two flour brands produced by a Kuok company.

“It’s a selective boycott,” he said, adding that the action was endorsed by several other NGOs.

He accused Kuok of siding with Pakatan Rakyat in the recent general election and “contributing” to the deterioration of race relations.

“We have information from staff of certain companies that their companies have provided funds for Pakatan,” he said.

Nadzim appeared to be blaming Kuok and Pakatan for what he said was a souring of relations between the Malays and the Chinese.

“We spoke to former Malacca chief minister Mohd Ali Rustam who worked closely with the Chinese community. He said that during his election campaign they don’t even look at him,” he said.

He added that the boycott was also intended to prevent PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim from “further inciting the rakyat” and DAP from making use of Chinese Malaysians to “obtain power”.

Nadzim also accused the Kuok companies of practising racial discrimination and manufacturing products that are dangerous to health and not in full compliance with halal requirements.

“Papa Rich is certified halal, but it buys ingredients from suppliers who do not have the halal certification. Old Town discriminates by giving their franchises only to the Chinese,” he claimed.

He alleged that the flours produced by Kuok’s mills use the poisonous benzoil peroxide as a whitening agent. (FMT)