We’ve been hearing a lot of racism in Malaysia lately. Previously, a job-seeker called out a tea brand outlet after being rejected due to her race. As if the locals here haven’t faced enough racism, recently, a writer came forward with his experience in Malaysia where he was apparently denied entry to a certain state.
Nigerian writer Suleiman or @suleiman_toks on TikTok posted a video on his channel detailing his unfortunate experience in Malaysia when he was still a student. The incident took place back in 2016 when he wanted to visit his friends who were studying here as he hasn’t seen them in years. Apparently, his own father even warned him to avoid the place.
https://www.tiktok.com/@suleiman_toks/video/7229054666858941701
At the time, the writer did not listen and proceeded to visit his friends in Kuala Lumpur. For the first few days, everything was fine as he and his friends were having the time of their lives. That is until they decided to go island hopping in Sabah. One of the first problems the TikToker and his friends faced was the judgemental looks from other passengers when they boarded the plane.
Upon arrival, he and his Uganda friend had to go through immigration despite it being a domestic flight. “My Ugandan friend and I, the only two black people in the line, were taken to a separate room,” he said. That’s when he discovered that he was not allowed to enter the state. Puzzled, the content creator asked for clarification and the immigration officers told him, “We do not allow your kind (Nigerians) here!”
The Nigerian man was then told that he had to pay for his deportation which he could not afford. Immigration then agreed to cover the expenses. Unfortunately, his troubles did not end there. Back in KL, he was faced with all kinds of racism as waiters in restaurants apparently refused to take his orders, and taxi drivers refused to stop for him when he required their services.
The experience had left Suleiman traumatised that he vowed to never step foot in Malaysia ever again. After the TikTok post went viral, many netizens including Malaysians showed overwhelming support for the writer. Malaysians apologised for his horrific experience while foreigners sympathised with the writer as they also share similar experiences.
Speaking to local media, Suleiman said he would never recommend any of his friends to visit the country. “I would like for Malaysians to know, at least the ones who haven’t been exposed to people from different racial backgrounds, that black/African/Nigerian people are not inherently bad. We are human beings and are entitled to respect,” he said.
Source: TikTok
