Asian Angle | Amid tensions over Malaysia’s ‘Allah’ socks scandal, PM Anwar Ibrahim’s silence speaks volumes

The present furore began with the discovery of socks bearing the word “Allah” being sold at a branch of a local convenience store chain. For Muslims, the word “Allah” is sacrosanct and should not be presented inappropriately in any form, such as on footwear. Although the proprietor of the store offered a grovelling apology, blaming the vendor and saying that only 14 pairs of the offensive item were found in a handful of his 800 outlets, the matter did not end there.

The backlash was severe and serious. Malay-Muslim netizens launched an avalanche of attacks against the chain and its owner, who is Chinese Malaysian. The leader of Malaysia’s Malay nationalist party’s youth wing, Umno youth chief Akmal Saleh, led the political charge demanding swift, heavy punishment and called for a boycott of the stores, even as he said the issue should not be racialised.

Malaysia’s head of state, the Agong, expressed his grave displeasure at the sale of the socks and decreed that action be taken against those responsible.

The store’s proprietor and its directors, together with suppliers, were subsequently charged in court with “deliberately intending to hurt the religious feelings” of the Muslim community. The factory which packed and distributed the socks imported from China had its licence cancelled.

Yet the firestorm has not abated. Akmal has continued to instigate a boycott of the chain, demanding that apology banners be hung at all the chain’s stores. He even suggested the owners “find another business”. He has, in turn, been on the receiving end of a death threat. Meanwhile, a petrol bomb was thrown at one of the Perak branches of the convenience store chain in question. Fortunately, it landed outside its premises.