KUALA LUMPUR – A picture of Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor clad in a shirt featuring the KK Super Mart’s logo was taken last year, according to his aide.
In a lengthy Facebook post today, Muhamad Mat Yakin said that Sanusi had donned the shirt when he was invited to officiate a national-level rugby competition between schools held at the Universiti Utara Malaysia.
“(The event was held on) September 17, 2023. At that time, no one knew that there would be an issue (involving) KK Mart selling socks with the word ‘Allah’ printed on them.
“Besides, there aren’t any KK Mart stores in Kedah, as far as I know, and most of the outlets are in the Klang Valley,” Muhamad said, adding that the sports event was not organised by any agencies under the Kedah state administration.
As such, he said that he “does not have the heart” to blame the federal government under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership for accepting KK Mart as one of the event’s sponsors.
Previously, images of Sanusi grinning cheerfully while posing in a shirt with the KK Super Mart logo circulated on social media, raising eyebrows among netizens due to recent controversies involving the convenience store chain.
Meanwhile, today, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said that some 36 police reports have been lodged against the company after it was found to be selling socks featuring the word ‘Allah’.
Police have also opened an investigation into the matter under Section 298A of the Penal Code for insulting any religion and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 covering the misuse of network facilities.
The police probes come despite KK Super Mart founder Datuk Seri K.K. Chai having apologised for the incident while clarifying that an inspection of the chain’s 800 outlets nationwide found only 14 pairs of the offending socks in three stores.
Earlier, Umno Youth chief Dr Muhammad Akmal Saleh refused to accept the apology, instead giving the chain store’s management two days to erect banners in all of its branches nationwide to supposedly strengthen their apology for the sale of the socks.
At the same time, DAP’s Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii, however, has cautioned against escalating the controversy or making excessive threats against the chain, as such actions will only divide the country and negatively impact the local economy. – March 18, 2024