Asri urged that Muslims not be made to work in stores that sell alcohol. — Picture by Miera Zulyana

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 — Perlis Mufti Datuk Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin has warned today of allegedly growing anti-Muslim attitude in Malaysia, following an incident where a cashier was “shamed” for refusing to handle sales of alcohol in a convenience store.

The mufti has accused the perpetrator of being rude, and symptomatic of those who are similarly antagonising Muslims here.

“This attitude is growing day by day. Muslims should be aware of this bad development,” he said in a post on his Facebook page last night.

In response, he urged for “a special conference” to be held to discuss this alleged phenomenon to ensure a peaceful nation for all.

Asri admitted that the man has a right to complain to the manager if he was dissatisfied with the cashier’s service, he did not need to ‘insult’ the 7-Eleven employee by recording the incident in a disrespectful manner.

“The girl was responding in a good manner. Such a person is not fit to live in a multi-religious and multi-faith country. What more a Muslim-majority country like Malaysia,” he said, comparing it to the treatment of non-Hindus in India.

Asri also urged that Muslims not be made to work in stores that sell alcohol.

“This is because Islam regards alcohol as destructive to the body and soul, so it is irrational for a good Muslim to serve something destructive to others as well,” he said.

He also suggested that the cashier was trying to find an excuse so she would not be involved with the sale, saying that it is a sin in Islam.

“Her mistake was working in a premise that sells alcohol. However, we do not know the real situation of the girl's life. She must have tried everything she could to avoid the prohibited thing,” he said.

The mufti also urged Muslims to offer another job to the girl, so she could avoid sinning.

In the 6:45-minute video that has been made viral over the weekend, a man could be seen ridiculing the female cashier for refusing to hold the beer bottle as he was attempting to pay for it.