KUALA LUMPUR — KK Supermart & Superstore Sdn Bhd has frozen business dealings with the supplier of an alleged pork “ham and cheese sandwich” bearing the “halal” stamp sold at one of its stores.
The convenience store chain has also lodged a police report against supplier, Shake And Bake Cafe Sdn Bhd, and has issued a letter of demand through its legal team.
The chain store in a statement said these were its immediate actions over the matter which has gone viral on social media and which Umno Youth Chief Datuk Dr Akmal Saleh raised in a video.
The company said Shake and Bake Cafe had provided a halal stamp for what were “chicken ham and cheese layers” because it was not authorised to use the KK Super Mart logo on the sandwich packaging.
“The labelling was done by Shake And Bake Cafe Sdn Bhd.
“KK Super Mart has taken action by filing a police report on Jan 11 regarding this matter.
“Additionally, KK Super Mart has instructed its legal team, David Gurupatham & Koay, to issue a letter of demand dated Jan 10 to Shake and Bake Cafe Sdn Bhd concerning this issue,” its statement said.
Its two premises at Universiti Malaya (UM) have been closed for further investigation, while all its business dealing with the supplier have been frozen.
KK Super Mart named the KK Concept Store on the university grounds as the location where an individual from Pembina Universiti Malaya had found the sandwich and raised the matter.
“The processing of this product from entering any outlets during the investigation period has been halted,” it added, also noting that only 16 KK Concept Stores carried the “ham and cheese” sandwich.
It also said it “understood” that the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) and the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living have raided the Shake And Bake Cafe factory in Sunway Damansara on Jan 10.
KK Super Mart said it was prepared to give its full cooperation on any further investigation, adding that it constantly undertook measures procedures to prevent such incidents from recurring.
Akmal in his video said KK Super Mart had offended Muslims last year over the Allah-printed socks episode questioned why it was again upsetting Muslims with a “ham” sandwich labeled as “halal”.
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, but were fined RM60,000. – January 13, 2025