KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 21 ― The woman who was harassed for promoting Carlsberg beer in the non-halal section of a supermarket is thankful for the encouraging words and support that has poured in, the brewery said today.
Carlsberg Malaysia managing director Lars Lehmann said the beer promoter has, however, requested for privacy in the aftermath.
“We respect the promoter’s decision not to further pursue the matter. She appreciates the encouraging words and support received from all parties.
“Nonetheless, she urged all parties to respect her privacy by not circulating any images, videos and personal information of her,” he said in a statement today, which he said was made after consultation with the beer promoter and her family.
Lehmann said the company is very upset by the treatment accorded to the woman who was carrying out her job according to rules and regulations, adding that the “harassment she experienced is unacceptable”.
“We are very proud of how she handled the difficult situation and immediately offered support to her, when she reported the incident,” he added.
He stressed that Carlsberg’s sampling activities are strictly for non-Muslim of legal purchasing age.
A 45-second video of the supermarket incident was first posted on Facebook by a user under the name “Edi Rejang” and went viral earlier this week.
In the clip, a man was heard aggressively asking a woman beer promoter about her race, and if she was offering samples of the alcoholic beverage to everyone in the supermarket.
Despite his attempt to humiliate her, the woman remained composed and explained that she was only offering them to non-Muslims in the non-halal section and asked him if he was being racist, which he tried to deflect by insisting she speak Bahasa Malaysia and calling Malaysia the “land of the Malays”. He uttered a vulgar word and made an obscene hand gesture when he failed to rattle her.
The beer promoter’s calm demeanour and response have since been praised by many members of the public.
The man in the video has since apologised to the beer promoter and to Malaysians in general in another clip, after deactivating his Facebook and other social media accounts following the public backlash.
Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng reported the man to the police yesterday, prompting an investigation under Section 509 of the Penal Code for insult the modesty of a person, which carries a maximum five-year prison sentence, or a fine, or both upon conviction.
