KUALA LUMPUR: The Buy & Save store has issued an apology regarding the controversial belly dance performance that took place outside its premises.
The company has stated that it will assume full responsibility for the incident and will cooperate fully with the authorities in their ongoing investigations.
Video clips of a group of women performing a belly dance outside a store in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, recently went viral on various social media platforms, prompting public criticism.
In a statement released on Friday (Aug 25), the company revealed that its marketing manager had been entrusted with engaging an event planning company to organize the store’s business anniversary celebrations on August 5.
“The manager present during the event was unaware of the costumes that would be worn by the hired dancers for their performance,” the statement clarified.
“Upon realizing that the show did not align with the cultural norms and customs of Malaysia, the event was immediately halted, a mere five minutes into the performance,” the statement continued.
As an immediate course of action, the company has initiated an internal investigation and has suspended the marketing manager from duty.
Having been established in 2018, the company pointed out that it had previously organized 25 other cultural programs, during which the performers donned traditional attire to showcase the multicultural and multiracial fabric of Malaysian society.
“The company has never engaged in, and will never engage in, any activities, particularly marketing initiatives, that violate the Islamic laws of the country, and it will always remain mindful of Malaysian culture,” the statement emphasized.
Furthermore, the company has debunked the false claims made on social media that it is influenced by foreign entities, stating unequivocally that it is a fully Malaysian-owned enterprise.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
