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UPDATE:
Husband Slams Supermarket's Apology As "Damage Control", Alleges CCTV Image Of Pregnant Wife Leaked
Lotus's Malaysia has apologised and confirmed disciplinary action was taken against its staff after they falsely accused a heavily pregnant woman of shoplifting at its Selayang outlet
In a statement released on Monday, 14 July, the supermarket chain said it had completed its internal investigation, which found its staff failed to meet the standards expected by both customers and the company.
"We have completed our investigation into the incident at our Selayang store and have concluded that the handling of the situation fell short of the standards our customers rightly expect of Lotus's, and those we expect of ourselves," the company said.
Lotus's Malaysia also confirmed that it had taken "appropriate disciplinary action" against those involved in accordance with its internal policies.
Lotus's Malaysia also apologised to the family involved, saying it was "deeply sorry" for what had happened
"To the customer, his wife and family, we offer our sincere apologies for the incident that took place. No customer should ever have such an experience when shopping with us," the statement read.
The company added that it had reached out to the family directly and remained committed to regaining their trust.
The company said it has strengthened its guidance, procedures and staff training to reinforce the standards expected of employees and reduce the likelihood of a similar incident happening again.
The company also urged the public not to harass its employees
While acknowledging the significant public attention the incident has received, Lotus's Malaysia said it was concerned about reports of online harassment and threats directed at its employees and their families.
The supermarket urged the public to respect the privacy, wellbeing and dignity of everyone involved.
"We are saddened by reports of online harassment and threats directed to our employees and their immediate families throughout this incident," it said.
The company added that the incident had reinforced the importance of treating every customer with empathy, dignity and respect, and said it remains committed to learning from the experience and improving its service.
The apology comes days after a man posted online that he and his wife were stopped by staff after paying for their groceries at Lotus's Selayang
He claimed a staff member questioned his wife's pregnancy, asked to see her Buku Pink as proof that she was pregnant, and requested that she expose her stomach after suspecting she was concealing stolen merchandise.
According to Fareez, the couple was detained for nearly 20 minutes before a supervisor arrived, and the cashier later admitted she had not actually seen his wife steal anything but had become suspicious because her baby bump "didn't look like a pregnant belly".
Following the incident, Fareez lodged a police report, saying he hoped no other pregnant woman would have to endure the same experience.
