FMT:
Stop KK Mart boycott, Zaid tells Anwar after ‘Allah’ socks controversy
19 Mar 2024, 12:53 PM
Zaid Ibrahim says the prime minister must ‘speak up’ about the boycott threatened by his unity government partner Umno.
Zaid Ibrahim says the prime minister must ‘speak up’ about the boycott threatened by his unity government partner Umno.
Zaid Ibrahim says the prime minister needs to tell Umno that being part of a ruling government means making decisions together and with minimal damage.
PETALING JAYA: Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim has urged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to put a stop to Umno’s call for a boycott of KK Mart convenience stores over the sale of socks bearing the word “Allah”.
Zaid said the prime minister “must now speak up”, as the issue of a boycott was not a small matter.
“It’s OK to be angry when Islam is insulted, but one has to direct the anger at the proper source.
“Is the boycott a rational act? Is it proportionate to the offence? Have the investigations been completed to find the offender?” he said in a post on X.
PETALING JAYA: Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim has urged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to put a stop to Umno’s call for a boycott of KK Mart convenience stores over the sale of socks bearing the word “Allah”.
Zaid said the prime minister “must now speak up”, as the issue of a boycott was not a small matter.
“It’s OK to be angry when Islam is insulted, but one has to direct the anger at the proper source.
“Is the boycott a rational act? Is it proportionate to the offence? Have the investigations been completed to find the offender?” he said in a post on X.
The controversy arose after photographs of the socks, sold at KK Mart’s Bandar Sunway store, appeared on social media last Wednesday.
On Saturday, the company apologised and expressed regret over the incident.
Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh however said KK Mart should put up banners at all of its 881 stores nationwide to apologise for the sale of the socks, threatening a stronger boycott should it fail to comply.
He also said the apology from KK Mart was insufficient to “close the chapter” on the matter and that firm action was needed to “serve as a lesson for others”.
Zaid questioned the need to “destroy the economy” when times are hard and the offender had yet to be determined.
“The prime minister needs to tell Umno that being part of a ruling government means one has to make decisions on any crisis together and do so with minimal damage,” he said.
Zaid also said the boycott would not succeed unless PAS or Bersatu joined in.
He said KK Mart should engage with PAS on the matter and inform the Islamic party of the importance of identifying the party responsible for the use of “Allah” on the socks.
“Is the culprit someone else? If PAS believes KK Mart, then the boycott will not work,” he said.
KK Mart will likely be closed down in the end, or forced to divest to Bumi owners.
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