The eatery’s management said it was deeply saddened by the comments made by Chong in his personal social media account, adding that it “rightfully” angered, disappointed and hurt the Muslim community.

The company maintained that it did not share Chong’s views as such remarks did not reflect its core values of respect, unity and inclusivity.

“In response, we have terminated Chong’s employment and all affiliations effective today,” it said in a statement.

myBurgerLab also apologised for Chong’s remarks, saying it condemned all forms of discrimination or disrespect involving religion.

The management also said it will conduct a review of its internal policies and order all its employees to undergo cultural sensitivity training with experts, including officers from the Islamic development department (Jakim).

It said this training will be completed within 30 days while refreshers will be held for all employees annually.

“Trust is earned through actions. We pledge greater vigilance to ensure myBurgerLab remains a symbol of Malaysian harmony where everyone feels respected.

“We are profoundly sorry and humbly seek your forgiveness as we rebuild your trust. Thank you for your support,” the company said.

Chong’s sacking comes hours after he had apologised for his post, which drew backlash online and had also led to calls to boycott the burger chain.

He also said he deleted his original posting criticising the Terengganu government’s fine to avoid causing more hurt or anger, maintaining that he was not running from his misstep.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Muslim men in Terengganu who skip the Friday prayers and do not have a valid reason for doing so could face a maximum RM3,000 fine and a prison term of up to two years.

This followed amendments passed to the east coast state’s shariah enactment several years ago.

Following the report, Chong had posted on X: “Slowly but surely if Malaysia is taken over by extremism, we will become Iran after the revolution, i,e. what you see today, and that should scare everyone.”

In response to his sacking, Chong said he accepted and respected the company’s decision, reiterating that his comments were his personal views and were not related to myBurgerLab.

“This is my way of taking full accountability and making amends for dragging everyone else into this mess. Again, I’m truly sorry for all the hurt I’ve caused.”