SHAH ALAM: The Sessions Court today set July 15 to hear the decision of the representation sent by Datuk Seri Dr Chai Kee Kan, the founder and executive chairman of the KK Mart Group, and his wife over charges related to socks bearing the word "Allah".
Chai's defence had on May 17 sent the representation to the Attorney-General's Chambers (A-GC).
The court will also hear the decision of the representation sent to the A-GC by Xin Jian Chang Sdn Bhd, the Batu Pahat-based company which allegedly supplied socks bearing the word "Allah" to KK Super Mart.
Judge Muhamad Anas Mahadzir fixed the date during today's case management and mention proceedings.
At the onset of the proceedings, Deputy public prosecutor Khairul Azreem Mamat informed the court that all of the accused, including their respective companies, had submitted representations to the A-GC.
"Therefore, to consider and study the representations, the prosecution seeks a new date.
"If there are no objections by the defence, we would like to set July 15," he said.
To this, Chai's defence counsel Datuk Rajpal Singh agreed.
The A-GC confirmed that it had received the representations on May 26.
Representation is usually carried out to apply for a retraction or to lower or lessen the charge brought against an accused.
Rajpal was assisted by co-counsels Datuk David Gurupatham, Datuk R.S. Sodhi and Datuk Theng Book.
After the proceedings, Sodhi said Chai, his wife and the company had in the representation sought for the charges against them to be withdrawn.
"My clients are innocent. They have no knowledge of the said socks and they did not make the order.
"They did not have any intention to insult the Islamic religion and hurt the feelings of Muslims," he said.
Counsel Lau Yi Leong, who stood for Xin Jian Chang and its three directors, confirmed that they had sent a representation.
All of the accused stood in the dock together when their case was called.
On March 26, the couple, along with their company, KK Supermart & Superstore Sdn Bhd, claimed trial to intentionally wounding the religious feelings of Muslims by displaying the socks at its Bandar Sunway outlet.
They had allegedly committed the offences as company directors at the outlet on March 13 at 6.30am.
In the same court on the same day, Xin Jian Chang, which allegedly supplied the socks, as well as its three directors were separately charged with conspiring to intentionally wound the religious sensitivities of Muslims.
The company, its directors, Soh Chin Huat, 61, his wife, Goh Li Huay, 62, and their daughter Soh Hui San, 36, were separately charged under Section 109 of the same code for the offences committed at the same date, time and place.
On March 13, social media was abuzz after images were shown of a pair of socks bearing the word "Allah" allegedly being sold at the outlet.
The incident triggered a frenzied reaction among various quarters, with some calling for a boycott of the stores.
On March 16, Chai made a public apologybundle from China and it arrived in a batch of 1,200 pairs at their facility in Batu Pahat, Johor last year.