Football meme sparks boycott calls in Malaysia; Indonesian grooming brand apologises

KUALA LUMPUR: An Indonesian men’s grooming brand faced controversy in Malaysia after a meme that appeared to celebrate Indonesia’s victory at a recent regional football tournament sparked calls for a boycott of its products.

After Indonesia beat Thailand to win the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup on home soil at Gelora Bung Karno stadium in Jakarta on Oct 5, the brand, Kahf, shared on its Threads account a meme with the words “hati-hati beda level”. It translates to “be careful, different levels”.

The words separated the Indonesian flag from that of other countries including Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Malaysia came in third in the ASEAN Cup while Singapore was knocked out after a 0-6 defeat by Malaysia and placing third in Group A.

Kahf’s post sparked outrage among Malaysians, who felt the brand was belittling Indonesia’s neighbours.

Netizens questioned the brand’s messaging and called for a boycott of Kahf in Malaysia. The Indonesian brand’s products are sold at major health and beauty retail stores in Malaysia as well as on online platforms.

Kahf issued a public apology and deleted the post in question, though screenshots of it have been widely circulated.

In its apology, Kahf said the post was unacceptable and did not “reflect our values and the respect we stand for as a brand”.

“The bond between Malaysian and Indonesian communities has always been rooted in brotherhood and respect. We are committed to upholding the same respect across all countries and cultures. We take full responsibility for falling short of that commitment,” it said on its Threads account.

“Thank you for holding us accountable. We understand that rebuilding trust takes more than an apology. We are committed to earning it back through our actions.”