KUALA LUMPUR — Police reports have been lodged against a KK Mart outlet on the Universiti Malaya (UM) campus for selling a ham and cheese sandwich bearing the “halal” logo, said Umno Youth Chief Datuk Dr Akmal Saleh.
In a video on Facebook, he said this could not be tolerated as it was the “second time” the convenience store chain had offended Muslims’ sensibilities.
The Merlimau assemblyman said the offending sandwich was highlighted to him by Muslim students at UM.
“I want to ask KK Mart, when has ham, which has ‘khinzir’ elements, ever been halal?
“We are still upset over the stocking issue and today, there is the issue of ham and cheese sandwiches being labeled with the halal logo. How can KK Mart guarantee it is halal? What about other products sold at KK Mart? Enough, stop making fun of Muslims,” he said in the video.
The clip also showed a closeup of a sealed ham and cheese sandwich which bore a ‘halal’ logo stamped on the barcode sticker.
According to location listings on Google, there are two KK Mart branches on or near UM, one in Kompleks Perdana Siswa, and the other at the Raja Dr Nazrin Shah Residential College. It is not known which outlet Akmal was referring to.
In March last year, viral photos of a white pair of socks embroidered with the word “Allah” sold at a KK Mart outlet in Bandar Sunway trigged fierce outcry, numerous police reports and boycotts of the chain’s stores. Some outlets were also attacked with Molotov cocktails.
KK Mart founder and director Datuk Seri Chai Kee Kan, his wife Loh Siew Mui, were both charged with intentionally wounding the religious feelings of Muslims by selling the socks. Also charged were three officers from the vendor company, Xin Jiang Chang Sdn Bhd.
In July, they were acquitted and discharged after the prosecution decided not to proceed with the charges.
However, Chai and Loh were fined RM60,000. The vendor company was also fined the same amount.
Chai had publicly apologised for the oversight, including to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and immediately halted the sale of the socks.
Later, it was reported that the offending socks, imported from China, were part of a larger shipment of over 18,000 pairs, and that only 14 pairs with the “Allah” design made it to KK Mart shelves. – January 13, 2025