A short video clip can change the narrative and that is exactly what a Langkawi scooter rental operator claims happened after a tourist accused him of extorting RM1,000.
Following widespread backlash online, the operator has since stepped forward to share what he says is the full context behind the incident.
A video uploaded by a female tourist went viral yesterday after she accused a scooter rental operator in Langkawi of mistreating her and allegedly attempting to extort RM1,000 over damage to a rented scooter.
The clip quickly drew attention on social media, with many netizens expressing anger and concern over what appeared to be an instance of a tourist being taken advantage of.
However, after the accusations spread online, the scooter owner came forward to address the claims and explain his side of the story.
RM1,000 figure was mentioned only as a comparison.
Owner claims video was selectively edited
According to the rental operator, the video shared by the tourist had been selectively edited in a way that created a misleading impression of what actually occurred.
He claimed that the scooter had fallen during the rental period, resulting in visible scratches and damage to the front fork. Due to this, he said he requested RM400 in compensation for the repairs.
She dropped the scooter, it got scratched, and the front fork was bent. I only asked for RM400, not RM1,000,” he explained.
The operator clarified that the RM1,000 figure mentioned in the viral video was never a demand. Instead, he said it was used as a comparison to explain how much such damage could potentially cost at other rental outlets or repair shops.
“I told her that in other places, repairs like this could reach RM1,000, but I only asked for a much lower amount,” he said.
He added that the edited video made it appear as though he had demanded RM1,000, which he said had harmed his reputation.
“That cut video made it look like I was forcing her to pay RM1,000. That’s bad PR for me,” he added.
Addresses claims he is not a local
The scooter owner also responded to online criticism questioning his identity, after some netizens speculated that he was a foreigner due to his fluent English and distinctive accent.
Dismissing those claims, he confirmed that he is a native of Langkawi.
“Don’t think I’m a foreigner. I’m Langkawi born and raised. You can even check my IC,” he said.
He added that he is multilingual, speaking English, Malay, and Russian, and said his language abilities should not be used to judge whether he is a local operator.
A reminder to hear both sides
In closing, the rental operator urged the public to avoid jumping to conclusions based on short or edited clips circulating online.
What initially appeared to be an incident of a tourist being mistreated may instead have been a dispute over compensation for damage sustained during the rental.
He reminded netizens to listen to both sides before forming opinions, especially when viral content may not show the full context of an incident.
At the time of writing, the comment section on the tourist’s original video appeared to be disabled, reportedly after it was flooded with criticism from local netizens following the operator’s explanation
