Local convenience store chain KK Super Mart was under fire recently after public figure Firdaus Wong shared a posting on his social media, alleging that the store had sold socks with the word ‘Allah’ written on them. Thankfully, the company quickly rectified the situation – but some netizens are still unhappy.
The ordeal started when Firdaus Wong posted a pair of socks he found in a convenience store in Sunway City. The socks were white but had the words Allah and the Arabic script of the word written on the sock. While the public figure never directly mentioned the store name, one of the images he shared confirmed that the store was a KK Super Mart outlet.
In his post, Firdaus wrote, “How can a pair of socks with the words “Allah” be sold in a convenience store in Sunway? Was it a mistake or insensitivity?”. For Muslims, printing the word ‘Allah’ on a garment, especially one worn on the feet, is seen as disrespectful towards their God. Previously, an Australian fashion label got heat for creating a dress with the Arabic script for ‘Allah’ printed on it.
Following Firdaus’ post, KK Super Mart issued a statement regarding the sock. In their statement, the company apologised for the sales of the socks, saying they would look into the issue. KK Super Mart explained that the socks are a ‘consignment’ product from one of their vendors, but they have since taken the product off the shelves. The vendor, Xin Jiang Chang Sdn Bhd, has also apologised for the product, saying they were unaware of the print.
Despite the apology and explanation, many netizens were still unhappy with KK Super Mart’s statement. Many were curious how the product could slip through the cracks and go on sale unnoticed by the store and its staff. Many also urged KK Super Mart to be more strict with the vendors so that the same issue won’t happen again. Unfortunately, the issue led to some netizens urging the public to boycott the store because of their negligence.
What are your thoughts on the issue?
