The ad depicted two train passengers: a dark-skinned man in a shirt and tie with a religious marking on his forehead, talking on the phone, and a light-skinned man standing near the door, with green lines indicating sweat and body odour emanating from him.
Two deodorant mascots, with their noses covered, were seated between them, saying in Malay, “it stinks”.
Prasarana, the government-owned public transport company operating the affected trains, announced on Wednesday that the advertisement had been removed from Klang Valley’s Ampang and Sri Petaling light rapid transit lines, according to Free Malaysia Today.
“It was aimed at showing the importance of using personal care products, and was not targeted at any individual or race,” Prasarana said.
“The visual in question went through the appropriate process, including internal and external checks, covering aspects such as racial, religious, and social sensitivities, before being printed and displayed,” the company added.
The advertisement went viral after social activist Arun Dorasamy criticised it for being racially and religiously insensitive, World of Buzz reported.
