2024 Allah word socks controversy
On 13 March 2024, a picture of socks being sold at a KK Super Mart in Sunway City, Petaling Jaya went viral on Malaysian social media due to the socks being printed with the word Allah, the Arabic word for God, on them.[1]
Reactions[edit]
This case received the attention of the public and a few politicians who commented and gave opinions such as Dr. Muhamad Akmal Saleh,[2] Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh,[3] Datuk Razali Idris,[4] few handful of Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) leaders[5][6][7] and many others. Some political analysts suggested some Muslim politicians were using the event to rally the support of Malay nationalists and "divide multicultural Malaysia".[8]
Some commentators urged the public not to exaggerate this issue, including Chong Sin Woon,[9] Loke Siew Fook,[10] Nga Kor Ming,[11] Dato Sri Tiong King Sing,[12] Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi[13] and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.[14] On social media, some users called for a boycott of the store chain.[15]
KK Super Mart apologized for the sale of the socks, and said the item would be pulled from shelves. Xin Jian Chang, the company which distributed the socks, also apologized, saying the socks in questions were one of five such pairs in a shipment of 18,800 pairs of socks produced by a Chiense company.[16] KK Super Mart reported that they found the socks in stock at three of their 800 outlets.[15]
Investigation[edit]
Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar and Acting Sultan of Johor (Tunku Mahkota Johor), Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim ordered that the those responsible are subject to strict action by the authorities to avoid the same incident from happening again.[16]
Director of Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department, Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain, said two investigation papers were opened after his party received 42 reports. This case will be investigated by the Bukit Aman Classified Crime Investigation Unit according to Section 298A of the Penal Code which is for religious reasons, causing an atmosphere of disharmony, division or enmity, hatred, malice or harming unity.
On March 20, the man who posted the original photo of the socks to social media was arrested.[17]
On March 25, Malaysian police announced that the directors of KK Super Mart and the Xin Jian Chang distribution company would be held liable in court. The directors of KK Super Mart would be charged under Section 298 of the Penal Code for "intentionally wounding religious feelings", while the Xin Jian Chang distribution company would be charged with "abetting the offense".[8][18]
See also[edit]
- Religion in Malaysia
- Freedom of religion in Malaysia
- Titular Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur v. Menteri Dalam Negeri
- Murphy Pakiam
- Green Wave
- Conservatism in Malaysia
- Xenophobia in Malaysia
References[edit]
- ↑ "Stoking Kalimah Allah Dijual, Firdaus Wong Minta Tindakan Segera". My Berita. 15 March 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ↑ "'Boikot jika tiada permohonan maaf secara bertulis'". Harian Metro. 17 March 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ↑ "Melaka Chief Minister supports Dr Akmal's stance on 'Allah' socks". Berita Harian. 21 March 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ↑ "Kenapa DAP, MCA lantang mengenai stoking kalimah Allah – Razali". Berita Harian. 22 March 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ↑ "Isu stoking: Pas Johor sifatkan tindakan tidak bertamadun". Sinar Harian . 18 March 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2024 . Check date values in:
|accessdate=(help) - ↑ "Stokin bertulis kalimah Allah – Permohonan maaf tidak cukup, perlu tindakan paling tegas". Harakah Daily . 19 March 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2024 . Check date values in:
|accessdate=(help) - ↑ "Pelaku hina Islam mesti dikenakan hukuman keras". Berita Harian . 19 March 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2024 . Check date values in:
|accessdate=(help) - ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Malaysian supermarket chain and supplier to be charged over 'Allah' socks". South China Morning Post. 2024-03-25. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
- ↑ "MCA minta Akmal jangan perbesarkan isu stoking KK Mart". Malaysia Kini . 17 March 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2024 . Check date values in:
|accessdate=(help) - ↑ "Stoking kalimah Allah: Pemimpin politik perlu jadi pembina jambatan erat semangat perpaduan". Berita Harian . 22 March 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2024 . Check date values in:
|accessdate=(help) - ↑ "Kor Ming tak perlu masuk campur isu stoking kalimah Allah". Kosmo . 22 March 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2024 . Check date values in:
|accessdate=(help) - ↑ "Akmal tak patut tunggang isu stoking, Umno berisiko ditolak rakyat- King Sing". Berita Harian . 19 March 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2024 . Check date values in:
|accessdate=(help) - ↑ "Jangan berlebihan ulas isu stoking kalimah Allah – Ahmad Zahid". Kosmo . 20 March 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2024 . Check date values in:
|accessdate=(help) - ↑ "Stoking kalimah Allah: Anwar mahu tindakan segera ikut undang-undang". Harian Metro . 22 March 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2024 . Check date values in:
|accessdate=(help) - ↑ 15.0 15.1 Annuar, Azril (2024-03-20). "Boycott calls and apologies in Malaysia amid uproar over socks with the word 'Allah'". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Malaysia's king slams mini-mart chain over 'Allah' socks". South China Morning Post. 2024-03-19. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
- ↑ Bunyan, John (2024-03-21). "Police arrest man over social media post mocking socks with 'Allah'". Malay Mail. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
- ↑ "5 to be charged on March 26 over 'disharmony' caused by KK Mart socks issue in Malaysia". The Straits Times. 2024-03-25. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
This article "2024 Allah word socks controversy" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:2024 Allah word socks controversy. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
