[UPDATED on Saturday, 20 June 2015 at 8:45am: Adding IKEA's response to bottom of story]
On Thursday, furniture giant IKEA launched an advertisement campaign portraying an urban Malay family on its website,Facebook page, and Malay-language newspaper Berita Harian.
The ads portray an urban Malay family in a home setting, donning the traditional Malay outfit Baju Kurung, while sporting gold accessories, snapbacks, and sneakers. They also happened to go up on the first day of the Ramadan fasting month for Muslims — a time of self-discipline and focus, cleansing of one's soul of impurities, and certainly turning away from distractions and sinful activities.
Offensive?
At least one Muslim was offended enough by it to take to Facebook — 45-year-old Hamidah Salleh, a Malay language teacher:
Salam'>
semua..apakah komen anda tentang iklan IKEA yang mengajak kita berbelanja di sana? Adakah anda suka dengan...
(Translated: "Salam everyone, what are your comments on this IKEA advertisement that invites us to shop there? Do you like how the families are being portrayed? Check the father out, to me this is a misrepresentation of what Ramadan is all about.")
(Translated: "Modernity does not mean that we should make halal what is haram. In the Malay culture, men do not wear things made of gold nor laced with gold.")
Speaking to Mothership.sg about why she highlighted the ad, Hamidah said it appeared to equate the Malay family with a rapper culture. "It is not a good way to show a modern progressive Malay Muslim," she added.
She also noted that the agency responsible for the ad may not have done sufficient research to know the illegality of wearing gold for Muslim men, and found it problematic enough to post a comment on IKEA's Facebook post featuring the ad, but has as yet received no response from the store:
This'>
Raya, bling glamour home with our special weekly Hari Raya offers and more, happening in stores now till 19th July. Click to find out!
Fitriyanti Iyon, a manager in her 30s, said she found the image on the whole amusing, but also took issue with the fact that the man in the picture was wearing a gold chain.
"If you took the picture in its entirety, sans the gold on the guy, I do still find it funny — but since the guy is wearing gold with his baju kurung, that's a no-no," she said.
She also expressed concern about the possible impressions the ad may cast on younger viewers. "It could be confusing for young Muslims growing up as well; they may think it's okay," she added.
University undergraduate Sakinah Kamaruzamman, 21, told Mothership.sg that she understood the humour to the advertisement, but it "could be a mockery of our culture. It does not reflect anything about our Malay culture. It's like saying how the Malays are trying hard to lead the Western way of life."
Funny?
Some other Muslims we spoke to weren't as upset by it, however.
Playwright Alfian Sa'at, for instance, said he saw the photograph in the ad as a family playing dress-up in costume jewellery.
"The gold chains are so thick and exaggerated that it's pretty obvious none of it is real," Alfian told Mothership.sg. "The ad is just cheeky, and the cultural references are obvious enough (we know that exaggerated display of wealth in hip hop music videos) that I don't think any right-thinking Singaporean would think this is how Hari Raya is actually celebrated."
Likewise, Aminah Nuraddina Baagil, 21, said, "it can actually be cute. It's like a chill family portrait with a rap theme, it's quite unconventional. But linking the kids to looking like a matrep and minah... that could be viewed negatively."
In a statement to Mothership.sg on Friday night, IKEA's marketing manager Caroline Ng said:
At IKEA, we always aim to inspire people with home decor ideas through campaigns that are inimitably IKEA. Our intention is to give ideas in a manner that brings a smile. We assure you that it is not our aim to offend and we value all feedback provided.
Looks like they aren't planning to make any changes to these ads anytime soon.
If you like what you read, follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get the latest updates.
June 19, 04:46 PM 
514 Chai Chee Lane 03-16, Singapore 469029 
