BUTTERWORTH: The director of a popular nasi kandar chain is considering leaving the company after repeated attacks against him on social media.
Pelita Group director Datuk D. Ramesh said he was considering leaving after he was attacked on the social media recently for being ‘Hindu shareholder’ in a largely Muslim business.
“I have been thinking of leaving the company since these attacks began and now the attacks have intensified after we announced plans to open three outlets in Saudi Arabia,”
“However, my fellow director and adviser, Shamsuri Ahmad has asked me to stay.
“He told me it was not wrong to have non-Muslims as shareholders of a Muslim company,” he told reporters at a Press conference here yesterday.
A doctored picture of Ramesh, a 25 per cent shareholder of the famous nasi kandar chain, witnessing a Hindu rites ceremony at the front of of a Pelita restaurant had been making its round on social media sites recently.
The photo shows a group of men receiving blessings from a Hindu priest allegedly outside the Pelita’s restaurant at Jalan Ampang. The nasi kandar chain, which earned a spot in the Malaysia Book Of Records last year, is the largest in the country with 25 outlets nationwide.
Ramesh said the picture was that from a temple hall groundbreaking ceremony in Seberang Jaya in 2012, which he attended on the invitation of former MIC president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel.
Meanwhile, Pelita executive director Sihabutheen Kirudu Mohamed said Pelita had taken steps to ensure its offerings were 'halal' throughout, without much publicity.
He said Pelita has its own halal-certified chicken slaughtering company run by a Muslim scholar and Halal certification from Jakim.
“We also have suraus at all of its restaurants and close out outlets for an hour for Friday prayers,"
He also said that Ramesh was also very generous to Muslims, sending poor Muslims for their umrah every year from his own pocket.