CIMB Group chairperson Nazir Razak has joined the chorus of condemnation against a laundrette in Muar, Johor, which limits its services to Muslims only.

“This is very troubling. We have to curb such extremism if we are to build a peaceful and progressive multicultural Malaysia.

“This must be a misinterpretation of Islamic teaching,” the prominent banker said in an Instagram post last night.

The post was accompanied by a screenshot of a news article about the Muar laundrette adopting a Muslims-only policy.

Nazir’s remark comes after Johor prince Tunku Idris Sultan Ibrahim also took to Instagram to voice similar concerns yesterday. 

“Is this for real? This is too extreme. I’m appalled,” his post, also showing a news report on this matter, read.

Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin described the move by the laundrette as "narrow-minded", saying that the practice ran contrary to the teachings of Islam, which do not seek to burden the lives of its adherents.

Pictures of the laundrette went viral last week when it was reported that a sign on the premises indicated that only Muslims were allowed to use its laundry machines.

The operator declined to comment on why such conditions were imposed, but said he was only carrying out his obligations as a Muslim.

He also declined to comment on whether it was due to “unclean” elements on the clothes of non-Muslim customers, such as dog fur.

Johor Islamic Council adviser Nooh Gadut said that Muslims and non-Muslims must ensure that clothes washed in laundrettes are free from “najis mughallazah” (impurities such as faecal matter from pigs and dogs).