Dato Redzuawan Ismail or better known by his stage name Chef Wan is one of the most popular celebrity chefs in Malaysia. Since his cooking show debuted in the 1990s, the owner of De. Wan 1958 restaurant has played a significant role in shining light on Malaysian cuisines in the West.
Just recently, the celebrity chef uploaded a 10-second video to his Instagram page, of his surroundings. Angry at the sight, the chef had written a long message about Malaysians and their inconsiderateness when it comes to maintaining the cleanliness of public spaces.
In the footage, it can be seen that the culinary ambassador was in a public transportation hub. The video then showed the seats that were littered with garbage, and it appears that the wrongdoer had left the mess for others to take care of. Despite being silent in the video, viewers can ‘hear’ his disappointment through the long caption of his post.
“Sad and pathetic to see our Malaysians just leaving their garbage and expect others to clean for them,” the restaurant owner said. “I was like a policeman – waiting for a long time – seeing all of this happening before my eyes. And most people don’t even seem to care,” he added.
“We can’t just turn a blind eye and pretend this isn’t happening,” the “East Bites West” television show host said. He ended his message by saying that people should treat the community as how they should treat their own house – as tidy and clean as possible.
Scrolling through the Instagram comments, most internet users are supportive of his message. Many even took the time to share their own shocking stories; from throwing garbage from the driver’s car window to throwing used dirty diapers by a tree. Some also say that it’s difficult to educate Malaysians, especially over something as “trivial” as this.
Just as Chef Wan said, as Malaysians, we should be civic-minded, especially in public areas. We should be more mindful and take care of our own messes. Always pick up after yourselves and take care of our community. Together, #KitaJagaKita.
Puteri Teja contributed to this article.
