Oriental Kopi’s menu stirs up a debate, founder apologises

Oriental Kopi’s founder and managing director, Calvin Chan, has apologised after the Nanyang-style kopitiam chain’s menu, which features English and Chinese but not Bahasa Melayu, drew calls for a boycott on social media.

The criticism began after photos and screenshots of the menu circulated on Threads, with some users saying that including Malay on menus and signage is a basic expectation for a Malaysian brand. Others compared it with the kopitiam chain OldTown, which uses English, Malay and Chinese.

Chan responded directly to the original Threads post, saying the brand respects Bahasa Melayu as the national language. “We apologise for our shortcomings,” he wrote in Bahasa Melayu, adding that the company will give space and opportunities to improve in this area.

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One Threads post about the absence of Bahasa Melayu on Oriental Kopi's menu generated approximately 22,340 visible interactions, including 17,900 likes, 2,800 reposts, 920 comments and 720 shares. The figures show how a customer experience issue can quickly evolve into a wider public conversation.

Not everyone agreed with the criticism. While Threads posts calling for boycotts have garnered plenty of engagement, some users asked why Oriental Kopi was being singled out when other local F&B chains also don’t use Bahasa Melayu on their menus. 

CARMA, the media intelligence firm, found that 47% of online mentions were actually neutral, compared with 27% positive and 26% negative. 

The firm also found that discussions extended beyond the controversy itself, with consumers also commenting on food quality, halal certification, service and pricing. This suggests the issue is being considered within the broader context of overall brand perception.

Online discussions focused on multilingual inclusion, cultural representation and the role of Bahasa Melayu in customer-facing communications. Some commenters also pointed out that the brand had wrongly referred to Kuantan as  “negeri” (‘state’) instead of “bandar” (‘city’), further inciting criticism. 

The incident follows a history of language-related controversies in the country. In January, the launch of Kampung & Co., a Kuala Lumpur store showcasing local products, drew criticism for the Chinese characters in its logo. 

As A+M reported, CARMA found sentiment was largely negative around that incident, while Dataxet Malaysia found that 65% of netizens defended the brand’s approach and 25% were critical.

Acknowledging the emotions at stake

For Daphne Tan, founder and CEO of XIN° Communications, the starting point for any brand facing a cultural backlash is to recognise what is at stake. These issues touch people’s identity, sense of belonging and feelings of respect, she told A+M.

That is why they can’t be handled like a typical complaint. 

“Unlike a product complaint, where a refund or replacement may resolve the issue, cultural concerns cannot simply be addressed through a standard customer service response,” said Daphne Tan. In her view, an apology only counts when it acknowledges why people are upset, and not when it explains that the brand never meant to offend.

Tan May Lee, partner and executive director at Perspective Strategies, believes that sincerity is reflected in the speed of the response. 

"In this instance, the founder’s decision to take direct ownership of the issue on the very platform where it arose demonstrates accountability, without defensiveness, finger-pointing or excuses," she said to A+M.

Chan's apology had also been accompanied by a clear and immediate commitment to address the issue, Tan May Lee said. The onus is now on Oriental Kopi to follow through with meaningful action.

Credibility is not secured by the apology itself, as that is merely step one.

To that end, Daniel Wong, director of TEAM LEWIS Malaysia, agreed that the apology has now created a commitment that the business has to fulfil. If a revised menu is promised, customers should know when to expect it and what will be available in the meantime. The quality and speed of the rollout will also matter. 

"Every commitment in an apology gives customers something against which to judge the business," Wong said to A+M. 

Apologies aren't always needed 

While Chan apologised speedily, there are those who wonder whether Oriental Kopi needed to apologise at all. 

Many homegrown brands operate without Bahasa Malaysia on their menus, to little concern, Jonathan Tan, the founder and managing director at VoxEureka, said to A+M. 

“Brands should certainly be sensitive to their customers' accessibility. If a brand has a large Bahasa Malaysia-speaking customer base, it should consider and accommodate them,” he said. “That, however, is a business decision, not a moral failing.” 

That’s why credibility matters. Based on past actions, consumers will be able to judge whether or not a brand has objectively overlooked a gap or is simply being pressured to appease. 

“An apology made out of genuine conviction, followed by real change, earns credibility," Jonathan said. An apology made only to quiet the noise does not, and it says something about whether the brand has a spine.”

Prevention over reaction

Tan May Lee believes that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) awareness and cultural competence training can be critical to mitigate events like these. 

TEAM LEWIS' Wong said it would be valuable to broaden cultural reviews to examine omissions as carefully as inclusions. Brands must be aware of the assumptions they are making about an audience and be prepared to test them. "Being familiar with a market does not mean understanding every community within it."

However, Wong also said that a diverse team has limited value if colleagues are reluctant to question senior judgement. 

For Daphne Tan, one of the most common mistakes is leaving cultural sensitivity to the PR team until a controversy erupts. By then, the brand is reacting instead of preventing the problem.

“In a multicultural country like Malaysia, cultural awareness needs to be part of everyday business decisions,” she said.

Ultimately, cultural sensitivity should not be reduced to a checklist or a crisis management exercise. It needs to be reflected in how a brand operates, communicates and makes decisions, even when nobody is watching.

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