With the constant famous faces seen around Malaysia, we’re not surprised to see public figures dining at a local restaurant anymore, like when Hong Kong actor Bosco Wong (黄宗泽) and Chinese idol singer Jackson Wang (王嘉尔/잭슨) were seen around Klang Valley. However, instead of celebrities, what if someone from the royal family decided to dine at a local eatery?
Known for their down-to-earth and humble personalities, videos showing Yang di-Pertuan Agong (YDPA) Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, fondly known as PMX, dining together went viral online. Posted on @/The Royal Johor’s official TikTok account, with over 677.3 thousand views (at the time of writing), both our country’s rulers were seen sharing a meal at a famous Chinese Asam Pedas restaurant located in Johor Bahru.
In the video, YDPA can be seen having a hearty lunch together with PMX, where they were also joined by Tunku Mahkota Johor (TMJ) Tunku Ismail Idris ibni Sultan Ibrahim. After the visit from our country’s rulers, the restaurant began receiving an immense amount of support from locals, attracting a much larger crowd than usual.
The restaurant even took to its TikTok page to showcase the number of people eating at the restaurant as well as the long queue outside, ranging with all races. Despite the restaurant flourishing and the luncheon being the talk of the town, some Malaysian netizens were dissatisfied with the location. Many took to the comment section, questioning whether or not the eatery is halal due to its predominantly Chinese staff and the Chinese decoration around the restaurant. They also condemned both the rulers and other Muslim customers who were seen eating at the eatery.
Despite receiving backlash, many also praised YDPA and PMX for showing an example of racial harmony towards the people and thanked them for helping boost restaurant’s popularity. Many also commented that the restaurant has been YDPA’s favourite since his younger days, which was why he chose the eatery for his lunch with PMX.
What is your opinion on this situation? Watch the full videos here:
@theroyaljohor YANG DI-PERTUAN AGONG SANTAP ASAM PEDAS BERSAMA PERDANA MENTERI #YDPAgong #AllahPeliharakanSultan #IstanaNegara
@asam_pedas_botak_jb
Tiana contributed to this article.
