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Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Tuaran MP: UMNO Youth chief has barked at the wrong tree by insisting an outright apology from KK Super Mart




Tuaran MP: UMNO Youth chief has barked at the wrong tree by insisting an outright apology from KK Super Mart





CONTROVERSY surrounding the “Allah” inscription on 14 pairs out of 18,000 pairs of socks ordered by 24-hour convenience store KK Super Mart is a red herring “as most of the objections are not on the offence but the proportionality of punishment”.

Hence, the disproportionate punishment being meted out against KK Super Mart is unjust with the resultant injustice provokes disobedience of laws, according to Tuaran MP Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau.

“Did KK Mart or its supplier Xin Jian Chang Sdn Bhd intentionally sell or import the Allah-worded socks? Both KK Mart and Xin Jiang Chang Sdn Bhd (distributor) have denied that and apologised immediately,” justified the United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO) honorary president in a media statement.


“Why is their negligence treated as malice? Why demand or instruct both to close down? If disproportionality can be justified in the name of religion, then UMNO Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh must demand an apology from China for allowing Mu Mian Qing Hosiery Co Ltd in Yiwu, Zhejiang Province to produce those Allah-worded socks.”

Going further, Tangau urged the defiant Merlimau state assemblyman “to press Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hassan who is also UMNO’s deputy president to summon China’s ambassador for an explanation and to boycott China if Malaysia does not get a satisfactory answer.


Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau


“In fact, shouldn’t Malaysia speak up for the Muslim world, since in the Foreign Minister’s own words, ’printing the holy word of Allah on socks directly insults Muslims everywhere’?” asked Tangau.

“Of course, reasonable Malaysians don’t actually expect the Foreign Minister to act disproportionately against China which is everywhere in Malaysia’s economy from the East Coast Rail Line (ECRL) to Forest City because that would be an economic disaster.”

Tangau who was Sabah’s former trade and industry of Minister during the Warisan administration from May 2018 to September 2020 further chastised Amanah Youth chief Senator Mohd Hasbie Muda and his Penang PKR counterpart Fahmi Zainol for parroting the action of Dr Akmal which runs afoul to the spirit of solidarity within the unity government.

“Fortunately, we have also heard sober and compassionate voices from within the Muslim community that prevent the issue from being further racialised,” contended Tangau.

“Penang Mufti Datuk Seri Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor, former Wanita UMNO chief Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz and the boss of Mydin Hypermarket Datuk Ameer Ali Mydin have all denounced this witch hunt.”

To counter the bad press and re-build goodwill, Tangau went on to propose that KK Super Mart founder Datuk KK Chua who is a Bornean Malaysian from Sarawak and Xin Jian Chang “sponsor charity works targeting the Muslims with support of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) and mufti offices”.

“To prevent repetition of such incidents, perhaps KK Chus and Xin Jian Chang can review their standard operating procedure (SOP) to have an ‘equity, diversity and inclusion’ (EDI) quality control officer to look out for and eliminate offensive products and practices as well as a reward mechanism for any staff reporting them,” added Tangau. – March 25, 2024


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