KUCHING – Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has urged Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh to stop inciting the public over the issue of KK Mart’s “Allah”-printed socks.
The state tourism, creative industry and performing arts minister said Dr Akmal’s actions would not help the country.
“Those who seem to be advocating, trying to create boycotts and things like that… you are only creating more stress to our nation. Whether you are from Umno or any party, don’t bother. Look at the nation as a whole.
“You can be the (Umno) Youth chief but you cannot incite this way, asking people to boycott this and boycott that. It is not very good to play up racial sentiments,” he told a press conference at his office at the Baitulmakmur Building II here today.
He said the recent Molotov cocktail attack on a KK Mart outlet here, the third of such incidents on the convenience store chain nationwide, was the last thing Sarawakians expected would happen in the state.
“Everyone knows that Sarawak is such a peaceful state and the level of tolerance among the people staying in Sarawak is very good compared to others.
“But even so, we cannot underestimate that things like this would not happen because outside, there just might be somebody who is slightly crazier than others. They just want to prove something like this, probably to gain some kind of publicity.”
He hoped that police would “go right to the roots” to nab the culprit who carried out the attack in the state capital.
“I know that at the national level, the Home Ministry is trying to resolve this problem and not let the issue escalate.
“However, I am quite puzzled by the slow pace of the (investigation) as well as action being taken,” said Karim.
Yesterday, Dr Akmal insisted on continuing his call to boycott KK Mart over the “Allah” socks issue, in apparent disregard of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim’s call not to prolong the controversy.
The Umno Youth chief did not agree to call off the action and was quoted as saying by Malaysiakini: “Did the King ask to stop the boycott?”
In arguing that his boycott was not an express call to violence, he claimed “the people have made their decision without any coercion”.
Sultan Ibrahim yesterday granted an audience to KK Mart Group founder and executive chairman Datuk Seri Chai Kee Kan who apologised to the King for the controversy caused by the sale of the offending socks last month. – April 4, 2024