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Third Malaysian KK Super Mart store petrol bombed as ‘Allah socks’ row rages on
- The latest attack struck an outlet in Christian-majority Sarawak, just a day after PM Anwar Ibrahim praised the peace and stability in the state
- A district police chief said the force was ‘actively pursuing the suspects’ and warned perpetrators charged with arson would face seven years in jail and a fine
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A third KK Super Mart store in Malaysia has been targeted with a petrol bomb, as the furore over the sale of socks bearing the Arabic word for God – Allah – refuses to die among Islamist hardliners, despite appeals from the king and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for calm.
The latest attack on Sunday morning struck an outlet in Kuching, Sarawak, in Malaysian Borneo – an unusual target for religious acrimony due to the territory’s unique demographics as the only part of the country that is predominantly Christian and seen as more tolerant than other places in Muslim-majority Malaysia.
Similar to previous attacks in Perak and Pahang, the early-morning incident over the weekend involved a Molotov cocktail thrown at the front of the supermarket and did not cause any injuries.
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“The police are actively pursuing the suspects and the case is being investigated,” said Kuching district police chief Ahsmon Bajah.
He added a charge of arson carried up to seven years in prison and a fine under Malaysian law.
The attack came a day after Prime Minister Anwar praised the peace and stability in Sarawak, saying it should be an example to the rest of Malaysia.
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