Malaysia: The word Allah was written on 14 pairs of socks – enough to cause a national scandal

Malaysia
The word Allah could be read on 14 pairs of socks – enough to cause a national scandal

Not only was “Allah” printed on socks, the goods also ended up on the shelves of a supermarket chain during Ramadan. For weeks, Muslims in Malaysia have been outraged by offensive footwear – including arson attacks and lawsuits worth millions.

Of the 18,800 pairs of socks delivered, only 14 posed a serious problem. They were only available in three of almost 900 branches, but the outrage over the footwear shows no sign of abating. Now there is even a KK supermarket in Kuantan in the east Malaysia attacked with a Molotov cocktail. The damage was limited, the police suspect that the “incident could be related to the ‘Allah socks’,” said the local police chief. It is the second attack of this kind in just a few days.

‘Allah socks’ are a ‘big deal’ in Malaysia

Of the 34 million Malaysians, around two thirds are Muslims. Islam is the state religion and is practiced more or less strictly outside of the big cities. The depiction of the god is forbidden in religion and even the mere mention of his name can become critical, for example when it appears printed on certain items of clothing: “Socks stink, right? Do you want to smell them after wearing them all day “As a Muslim, I think the issue is a big deal,” said Alwani Ghazali, a lecturer at the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur.

Even the country’s Minister of Religion, Mohamad Naim Mokhtar, commented on the sock affair: “Allah is our Creator and the act of placing Allah at our feet is an insult.” There are even calls from the government coalition to boycott the KK.

The supermarket chain is the second largest in the Southeast Asian country. The owner, Chai Kee Kan, belongs to the Chinese minority, which is viewed with suspicion by many Muslim Malaysians because of their economic dominance. After the existence of the Allah lettering exploded on social media and became a scandal, Chai Kee Kann responded with an apology. But the topic was far from off the table.

KK market owner rejects responsibility

The KK founder, his wife as co-managing director and employees of the responsible import company must now answer in court for the “intentional violation of religious feelings”. If found guilty, you could face prison and/or a fine amounting to millions.

Chai Kee Kan and his wife Loh Siew Mui deny any responsibility. According to the KK boss, the supplier who delivered the “Allah socks” that had not been ordered anyway was to blame for the incident. The supermarket chain is now suing the supplier for the equivalent of nine million dollars in damages for “sabotage” and “damage to its reputation”. Chai Kee Kan not only mentions the calls for a boycott of his markets, even the planned IPO had to be postponed because of the “Allah socks”.

The matter has escalated to such an extent that even the country’s new king felt compelled to make a rare statement: the incident must lead to severe consequences, said Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar. “The word ‘Allah’ is revered by all Muslims. Moreover, we are currently in the month of Ramadan. Therefore, there should not have been any incidents that could cause trouble,” said the head of state.

Sources: Malaymail, CNA, NST.com, AP, The Strait Times, Free Malaysia Today