Support pours in for
eatery owner following
boycott threats for feeding
dogs
Restoran Salai Star in Johor Bahru has been doing brisk business after a video of its proprietor helping strays went viral.
Fifty-year-old Masha told FMT that her eatery, Restoran Salai Star, had only been open for four months. “Business was good for the first two months, before dropping significantly in the third month,” she recalled.
“I didn’t know why, and I felt discouraged as I had already spent money to pay my workers’ salaries. I thought perhaps someone was trying to sabotage me.”
The reason for this drop in business became clear while Masha was out filming a video of her feeding strays: she was approached by two individuals who threatened to boycott her restaurant.
“They scolded me, saying, ‘You’re Malay, right? Muslim? Why do you want to feed dogs? Dogs are haram, people look at them and are disgusted!’
“They then threatened to spread photos of me feeding the dogs, so that residents here would boycott my shop.”
Masha subsequently posted a video on TikTok, in which she can be seen feeding dogs and commenting on the behaviour of those who threatened to boycott her establishment.
“If there are leftovers, why not feed them? Why throw it away into the rubbish bin?” she says in the clip.
“Allah grants blessings and rewards, so really think about it. Animals are Allah’s creations who want to live on this earth, too.”
This video quickly went viral, with netizens quick to praise her efforts in the comments, and customers flocking to her restaurant. In fact, business picked up so unexpectedly that Masha was caught off-guard.
“People began coming to support my restaurant and offer words of encouragement. I felt bad because we weren’t able to offer the best service owing to the sheer number of customers,” she said.
Masha, who also runs a business selling pet food, supplements and petcare products, acknowledged that animal lovers such as herself often have to put up with criticism and even verbal abuse.
“I fed Milo, the stray in my video, after encountering the two individuals. I remembered their boycott threats and felt sad. Milo is a good dog, he’s not the type to come into my shop. He just wanted food from afar, so I fed him some distance away from my premises.”
Masha’s son Khairin, who helps out at the restaurant, noted that as Muslims, they understand the need to maintain boundaries with dogs.
“We don’t hold the dogs or hug them – we don’t even touch them,” the 27-year-old stressed, adding that he and his family ensure cleanliness and halal aspects are always observed.
“But if an animal needs help, we help. It’s not an issue,” he concluded.
Follow SalaiStar on TikTok, and learn more about Restoran Salai Star on Facebook.
Restoran Salai Star
6G, Jalan Sagu 18,
Taman Daya, Johor Bahru
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