A nasi kandar restaurant owner in Seremban has come forward to refute claims that his staff were washing leftover food to serve to customers, following a viral video that drew widespread criticism.
The footage appeared to show a worker washing leftover ingredients, prompting netizens to accuse the restaurant of recycling food.
In a statement, owner Datuk Fadzil A. Bakar clarified that the food scraps were never intended for resale. Instead, they were being cleaned before being donated to feed stray animals. “No matter how you try to treat it, the food would spoil rapidly, and customers would notice,” he said, insisting that his restaurant has never recycled food.
Fadzil explained that a regular visitor, Manikandan Krishnasamy, has been collecting leftover food from the restaurant for years to feed stray cats and birds. The visitor requested that the scraps be washed first to remove oil, which can cause skin diseases such as mange in animals. “If they are oily, the animals will get mange,” Manikandan confirmed.
The restaurant owner expressed regret over the viral video, saying the individual who recorded it did not seek clarification before posting online. “The action was wrong, and entering our kitchen without permission is also an offence,” he added. Fadzil said the clip had damaged the restaurant’s reputation and that a police report has been lodged against the person responsible. He did not rule out legal action.
Following the incident, the restaurant was temporarily closed under Section 11 of the Food Act 1983, and compound notices were issued under the Food Hygiene Regulations 2009. Fadzil affirmed that the restaurant is fully cooperating with the Health Ministry’s ongoing investigation.
