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Malaysian supermarket chain and supplier to be charged over ‘Allah’ socks for wounding religious feelings
- If convicted, the directors of KK Super Mart and Xin Jian Chang each face a maximum one-year prison term and a fine
- Malaysian politicians such as Umno youth chief Akmal Salleh have been exploiting the issue and are treading on dangerous grounds, analysts say
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The directors of Malaysian supermarket chain KK Super Mart and a Chinese-owned goods distributor will be charged in court for wounding religious feelings, police said on Monday, after five pairs of socks bearing the word Allah were found on sale at a Petaling Jaya store.
The March 13 discovery of the socks on sale offended many in the Muslim-majority country and even prompted Malaysia’s king, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, to issue a rebuke in a Facebook post last week and call for “strict action” and investigation into the oversight.
The KK Super Mart directors will be charged on Tuesday under Section 298 of the Penal Code for intentionally wounding religious feelings, according to the Royal Malaysian Police.
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The offence carries a maximum one-year prison term and a fine.
Meanwhile, directors of the Xin Jian Chang distribution company will be charged with abetting the offence and are liable for a similar penalty, police added.
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Islam prohibits the depiction of God in any form. Its use on socks further offends the Malay community as the feet are considered dirty.
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