A wedding photoshoot by a Malaysian couple at a Chinese temple in Perak drew backlash online recently after a photo of the session circulated on social media.
The Malaysia Viral Story Facebook page was among the social media accounts that shared the image, garnering over 1,700 reactions and 248 shares at the time of writing.
A wedding photoshoot at a Taoist temple in Ipoh drew criticism due to the actions of the groom and his groomsmen
In the photo, a Malaysian couple wearing red traditional Malay outfits is seen posing in front of the picturesque Jade Emperor Pavilion at the Loong Thow Ngam Taoist temple in Ipoh. They were surrounded by eight groomsmen dressed fully in black while making various ‘cool’ poses on the staircase, with the majestic limestone hill formation visible in the backdrop.
Additionally, the overlaid text on the image reads:
“POV: This year's theme is temple. Next year, we will try a church theme”
While such a multicultural theme wedding photoshoot is something celebrated in our country, many found the gesture ruined by the actions of the groom and his groomsmen. As you can see in the photo, the men were all smoking at the temple complex, with cigarettes clearly visible in their hands.
A further investigation found that the image was a resharing of a TikTok post by user @oh.my.bopley, who screenshotted the image from the TikTok account of one of the groomsmen. The original post has since been deleted following backlash.
Malaysians share their two cents on the viral post
In the comments section of the Facebook post by Malaysia Viral Story, many Malaysians called out the men for allegedly disrespecting the place of worship.
One netizen labelled the men's actions of posing while smoking at the temple as “embarrassing," arguing that if people of different races and beliefs did the same in front of the mosque, the men would be the first to be enraged.
Meanwhile, several Malaysians joked that the men's actions had turned the wedding into “welding of the year” instead.
In addition, one commenter questioned whether the couple had consulted their parents first before doing such a wedding photoshoot, as they would surely have warned against doing something provocative such as this.
One netizen urged everyone to respect places of worship and not to do as they please, as seen with the individuals in the photo.
Moreover, another commenter stated, “You are inviting condemnation from all of Malaysia. How do you expect other people to respect you when you don't respect them?”
Meanwhile, one Malaysian joked that they should do a cemetery theme next.
Smoking at public places of worship is prohibited; offenders can be fined up to RM5,000
It is worth noting that the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 has been in force since October last year. As reported by Malay Mail, among the 28 areas and places categorised as non-smoking zones by the Act are public places used for religious purposes.
Furthermore, Kuala Lumpur-based law firm, ADIL Legal, in an article stated that anyone convicted of smoking or vaping in designated non-smoking areas may face a fine of up to RM5,000.
So, what is your take on the viral post? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.
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