A remark labelling roti canai as ‘low caste’ sparks backlash, with Malaysians rejecting caste views tied to food
ROTI canai is one of Malaysia’s most beloved comfort foods, enjoyed by people of all backgrounds.
But a recent claim labelling it as “low caste” food has sparked outrage among netizens.
Abdul Samri shared his experience after a business dine-in with his boss and a client, who is an Indian national.
While eating roti canai, he was allegedly confronted by the client, who claimed the dish was meant for “low caste” people and slaves.
According to Abdul Samri, the client went on to explain that roti canai was eaten by Indians who were “slaves to the British”, describing it as cheap food made from simple, low-quality ingredients such as flour.
He allegedly contrasted it with dishes like thosai, which he claimed were eaten by those of a higher caste.
Feeling uncomfortable and judged, Abdul Samri said he stopped eating halfway and later ordered Penang laksa instead.
The story quickly gained traction on Malaysian Reddit, where users strongly condemned the remarks.
“If roti canai is low class, then I don’t want to be high class,” one user wrote.
Others criticised the mindset behind associating caste with food, with one commenter saying they would not want to associate with someone who holds such views.
Many users described caste discrimination as “a cancer” and urged that such thinking should not be brought into Malaysian society, which they said values harmony and mutual respect.
“Please leave that mentality in that country. Here, we don’t apply that. Sekian terima kasih,” wrote a user who identified himself as a sixth-generation Malaysian Indian.
