Whose batik design sparked an international row?

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Debra Jeanne Poh's Batik Top Sparked an International Row

The batik top worn by Malaysian beauty pageant finalist Debra Jeanne Poh ignited a dispute on social media, primarily involving Indonesian users who claimed the design originated from their country. Poh, a finalist in Miss Grand International 2018, was photographed in a modernly styled batik top featuring a cropped form and bell sleeves. This attire led to accusations from Indonesian social media users that she was inappropriately using Indonesian batik, specifically the batik parang motif, which they asserted is native to Indonesia.
Batik Parang Motif Claimed as Indonesian Origin

Indonesian social media users voiced strong objections to Debra Jeanne Poh's choice of attire, asserting that the batik parang motif on her top was an exclusive Indonesian design. Comments on platforms like Instagram questioned Malaysia's own batik heritage, with one user stating, "Hey stupid, that’s our country’s batik." Another user remarked, "How poor [is] this Miss Grand International... using other’s country original fabrics. Don’t you have your own?" These reactions highlighted a sentiment among some Indonesian netizens that the design was being misrepresented or misappropriated.
Escalation Involving Previous Malaysian Titleholder

The controversy intensified when Sanjeda John, Miss Grand Malaysia 2017, publicly defended Poh and criticised the Indonesian social media users. John posted an Instagram story suggesting that Indonesians were being "stupid" for attempting to claim Malaysian batik. Her comments, which were later followed by her Instagram account being made private, further fuelled the exchange between users from both nations.
Poh's Response and Clarification

Debra Jeanne Poh addressed the controversy directly through her Instagram stories, clarifying that she had not claimed ownership of the batik design. The 22-year-old contestant from Labuan, Sabah, stated, "First of all, I didn’t claim anything. It’s just a clothing that I wear and I’m very proud of it." She also urged her supporters not to engage negatively with the accusers, advising them to "just ignore and pray for the best for them." Poh was preparing to represent Malaysia at the Miss Grand International final scheduled to take place in Myanmar on October 25.

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Whose batik design sparked an international row?

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