KUALA LUMPUR: The woman who was berated for promoting Carlsberg beer at the non-halal section of a hypermarket here is thankful for the encouraging words and support she has received, the brewery said today.
The promoter has, however, requested for privacy in the aftermath of the incident that has gone viral on social media, said Carlsberg Malaysia managing director Lars Lehmann.
“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,” said Lehmann in a statement, as reported by the Malay Mail today.
Carlsberg Malaysia, said Lehmann, was "very upset" by the treatment accorded to the woman who was carrying out her duties according to the stipulated rules and regulations.
The harassment she experienced, he added, was unacceptable.
“We are very proud of how she handled the difficult situation and immediately offered support to her when she reported the incident,” he said.
Lehmann also made it clear that Carlsberg’s sampling activities were strictly for non-Muslim of legal purchasing age.
In a video clip that has gone viral on social media, a man, who identifies himself as Edi Rejang, was seen harassing the promoter at a hypermarket said to be in Ampang.
He was recording a video of the salesgirl promoting an alcoholic beverage to customers at the hypermarket.
Edi, whose face could not be seen in the video, was heard asking the girl if she was giving out samples of the drink to everyone.
To this, the girl replied firmly in the negative, saying she only offered samples of the drink to non-Muslims.
The girl then spoke to Edi in English, after which he remarked that this is 'Bumi Melayu' and she should converse in Malay.
Unperturbed by his provocation, the girl merely smiled and asked if he was being racist to which he kept saying 'no, no, no.'
He then made a rude gesture to the girl, which was visible in the video.
It was reported that the police were investigating the case under Section 509 of the Penal Code, which deals with offences where words or gestures are used with the intention to insult the modesty of a person.
It carries a maximum five-year prison sentence, a fine, or both upon conviction.