Calls to boycott a Malaysian Chinese-owned coffee-shop chain over its omission of Malay text from its menu have reignited arguments over race and national identity, as political parties jostle to court the country’s majority ethnic group ahead of the next general election.
The Oriental Kopi boycott marks the latest saga fuelling ethnic grievances that politicians have been seen to capitalise on by portraying themselves as defenders of Malay identity.
It comes ahead of the November 14 election in Melaka, where Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s multiracial alliance Pakatan Harapan (PH) will face off federal partner Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.
The Umno-led coalition won sweeping victories in Johor and Negeri Sembilan earlier this year, contesting alone in the former and cooperating with the Islamist party, Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), and its allies in the latter. BN has agreed in principle to cooperate again with PAS for the Melaka state poll.