Yesterday, Malaysians were in uproar after a viral Douyin clip showed a staff at a popular coffee chain verbally insulting a tourist who had difficulty ordering in English by calling her ‘bodoh’ (stupid).
As such, many have urged the coffee chain to address the matter quickly and take stern action against the staff as her rudeness had tarnished the country’s image in the eyes of foreigners.
Official response
Following mounting pressure by the public, the coffee chain released an official statement regarding the incident and measures taken against the offending staff.
In the statement, it wrote it was made aware of the viral incident which took place at its KLIA 2 Landside (Departure) outlet.
“Following an internal review, the barista was dismissed effective 21 September 2025.
“In addition, we are reinforcing our training programs to ensure all employees understand the importance of cultural sensitivity, respectful communication, and our standards of customer service.
“We deeply regret that the behavior displayed by the barista involved does not reflect the values we uphold. We are committed to to creating a welcoming environment for all customers, regardless of their background, nationality, or the language they speak.”
The company also extended its apologies to the affected tourist and public and vowed to ensure such incidents do not reoccur in the future.
Read how another tourist found himself being called ‘bodoh’ by local vendors here:
