By Dr Rahim Said
There’s a café within walking distance of where I used to live. It has a name that sounds suspiciously like an Italian opera singer rather than a Kedahan start-up.
It promises “European sophistication” but delivers “canteen chic.” You half expect a barista in a beret; what you get is a reheated lasagna in a cracked plate.
Ordinarily, I’d let a mediocre latte die a quiet death. But thanks to our patriotic caffeine crusaders at an online pitstop, that neighbourhood café has been elevated from mere café to cultural battlefield.
Their rallying cry on X was as earnest as it was misguided to draw upon ethnic support. Apparently, the fate of the café now depends on ethnic brand loyalty.
“Why aren’t (the community) supporting our own brand?” the post complained, as though loyalty could be demanded, not earned.
The replies to that post came faster than a barista’s glare at someone ordering a decaf frappuccino.
“Support local,” they said — until locals began supporting honesty.
One user lamented that their “hot chocolate was lukewarm and served in a cracked cup.”
Another described “microwaved meals sold at freshly-cooked prices.”
Someone else noted that ownership by ethnicity doesn’t guarantee quality — just excuses.
Here’s a radical idea: maybe it’s because good coffee isn’t about skin colour, it’s about skill.
The comments were brutal but fair. After all, when the food is bad, the coffee weak, and the service slower than repentance, customers don’t owe you nationalism.
Meanwhile, across town at the new KLGCC Mall, there’s a café called BaD Scones. It’s owned by a Malaysian entrepreneur who, unlike some, makes no apologies for his success.
The name sounds cheeky — and it is — but BaD actually stands for Buy and Donate. The scones aren’t bad at all, nor is the coffee, which happens to be properly Italian and consistently excellent.
Here’s the punchline: BaD Scones is doing roaring business. No racial overtones, no hashtags about cultural duty — just great coffee, good food, and a small act of charity in every cup.
It’s living proof that Malaysians are not racists — we’re realists. We don’t drink according to ethnicity; we drink according to excellence.
Ironically, while cafés like BaD Scones are quietly making Malaysia proud, others are somewhat stuck in a performance of self-pity.
The stark reality is that “If your coffee’s bad, no amount of ethnic support can make it taste better.”
Patriotism isn’t a condiment. You can’t sprinkle semangat kebangsaan over bland pasta and expect customers to cheer.
Even X’s AI @grok — in its algorithmic wisdom — concluded that “good food and service build loyalty; race does not.” When artificial intelligence shows more taste than our local marketing, you know where the problem lies.
So yes, let’s “support local.” But let’s support worthy local. Let’s cheer for cafés that stand on their craft, not on crutches.
Until then, I’ll still walk past the Italian-sounding café — past its slogans and guilt trips — to where the aroma of espresso at BaD Scones reminds me what coffee should taste like: effort, care, and pride, not ethnicity. Because in the end, “a good cup of coffee doesn’t care who owns the mug — only that it’s worth drinking.”
The views expressed here are entirely those of the author