Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Don’t point finger at mamak shops for health problems

We refer to the frontpage article “Food ‘fat-ish’” (Sunday Star, April 11). Presma or Persatuan Pengusaha Restoran Muslim Malaysia strongly objects to the way Indian Muslim restaurants (mamak shops) are being singularly targeted as the only shops operating 24-hour outlets and serving foods high in fat, calories and cholesterol.

This is a biased statement as other fast-food restaurants selling foods high in fat, calories and cholesterol are also operating 24 hours but they are not mentioned.

Is it more acceptable to eat burgers, fries and soda drinks at 24-hour Western fast food restaurants than eating in our restaurants?

We hope the Health Ministry will stop issuing this kind of statements that condemn food served by a particular race. Instead, it should address the root cause of the heath problem, which is lifestyle.

Such discrimination is against our Prime Minister’s 1Malaysia concept.

According to research done at a US leading institution, processed foods such as burgers, ice-cream, cigarettes, liquor and fries are more likely to cause health problems than unprocessed foods such as rice.

It seems the ministry does not have the correct nutritional details about Indian Muslim food.

It is similarly judgmental in only featuring graphics showing calorie content of foods served only in Indian Muslim restaurants.

Why not put burgers and fries and other similar foods available in other 24-hour restaurants alongside the same chart?

It is worth mentioning here that unlike fried chicken, fries and burgers which mainly use only oil and salt, Indian Muslim foods contain many spices such as chilli and turmeric, which have proven health benefits in combating flu and other diseases.

We hope the newspaper can give proper coverage on this issue and let the public make their own decision based on all the facts. We are worried that if this kind of reporting continues, it will be misleading the public.

Any food will be hazardous if not consumed in a proper and balanced way. Other more hazardous things such as liquor and cigarettes are widely available and were not mentioned in the report.

NOORUL HASAN SAUL HAMEED,

President, Persatuan Pengusaha Restoran Muslim Malaysia.


Response: Kentut busuk punya government. ni la penyakit diabetes kerajaan kita. Bangga sangat dengan restoran barat yahudi zionis laknatullah tu daripada our very own mamak. Boleh dah tu nak resign. Menjahanamkan negara sendiri nampak gayanya. Sakit, sakit

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