BATU PAHAT – Police have seized five pairs of socks bearing the word “Allah” during an inspection at a factory in Sri Gading, near here, today.
Batu Pahat district police chief Ismail Dollah said the socks were packed and distributed by the factory to a convenience store chain branch in Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
He said inspections revealed that the factory had imported 16 bundles containing 18,800 socks, but only five pairs were found with the word “Allah” printed on them, adding that 40 personnel from the Johor contingent police headquarters and Batu Pahat district police headquarters conducted a thorough inspection at the factory.
“The investigation of the case is being conducted under Section 298 A of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1988, as well as Section 505 b of the Penal Code,” he told reporters after the inspection today.
Meanwhile, Xin Jian Chang Sdn Bhd manager Soh Hui San apologised for the company’s oversight in the matter, adding that the socks were imported from China.
She said the company acknowledged its negligence, saying that the incident occurred for the first time after more than 10 years of importing socks for the local market.
“I humbly acknowledge this mistake and will be more careful in the future… I apologise, especially to Muslims,” she said.
The company, which is based in Batu Pahat, said in a statement that it would take legal action against the supplier for their carelessness, adding that Xin Jian Chang Sdn Bhd has never intentionally ordered socks containing words that could touch on the sensitivities of the people in this country.
It said that all orders were based on the samples provided, adding that the company had discussed with the supplier in China to avoid products displaying words, symbols, or illustrations that could touch on sensitivities.
“We have contacted our supplier from China to seek clarification, and they admitted that the socks were included in the purchase unintentionally.
“We also regret the negligence in our quality control that inadvertently led to this item being included in our inventory. The remaining 18,800 socks that were received are in line with the samples provided earlier,” it added. – March 19, 2024