PETALING JAYA: A coffee shop owner claims that his reputation has been tarnished over allegations on social media that he ordered his workers to kill stray dogs.
Lee Then Swee, who is the owner of Hai Hua Coffee Shop, said customers and friends had shunned him since the postings went on Facebook.
“I was accused of ordering my Myanmar workers to kill stray dogs near my coffeeshop,” he said at a press conference held by MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong at Wisma MCA today.
Lee, who has been operating the coffeeshop in Ampang for 20 years, said he was unaware of the online accusations against him until he was questioned by two government officials over the alleged incident on March 3.
“They also showed me a Facebook post with a photo of a dying dog and I can see the name of my coffeeshop in it,” he said.
“The dog was said to have been killed by Myanmar workers under my instruction. That is a false accusation. I have never hired Myanmar workers but I have four Indonesian women working in the coffeeshop.”
Lee said he didn’t take the government officials seriously as they didn’t identify which department they were from or show their credentials.
Three days later, there was another Facebook posting with the same accusation, Lee said.
He added that there was a 25% drop in business since the postings were circulated.
He lodged a police report on the matter at the Pandan Indah police station on March 5.
Lawyer James Ee Kah Fuk, who is representing Lee, said false accusations are an offence under Section 298A of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
They warned that they would take legal actions against those who continue to accuse Lee of such acts.
