KUALA LUMPUR: MCA has criticised Umno Youth and DAP for their stance on the sale of socks bearing the word "Allah" at KK Mart.
MCA's ethnic relations and religious affairs bureau chief, Lu Yen Tung, said in a statement that Umno Youth chief Dr Muhammad Akmal Saleh should have handled the situation with more diplomacy, especially considering the apology issued by the involved party.
He also questioned DAP on why the party's leaders in the government remained silent on the issue or failed to take any steps to address tensions.
"While we agree that printing the word 'Allah' on stockings is unacceptable, KK Mart's senior management promptly clarified, apologised, and proposed a solution.
"Why, then, is Dr Akmal pursuing an aggressive stance without room for compromise? Moreover, this incident was not intentional or malicious.
"Blowing this matter out of proportion could lead to the closure of a store with hundreds of branches, affecting the livelihoods of thousands of workers.
"As for DAP, the party has yet to respond to Dr Akmal's queries about the multicultural fabric of our society. Instead, they have remained passive, opting to observe rather than take action. This is deeply disappointing," he said.
Tung also expressed discomfort with several leaders attempting to position themselves as heroes for personal gain.
He urged the government and relevant institutions to strengthen oversight, penalise those disseminating extreme rhetoric, and uphold societal peace and stability.
"The Education Ministry should bolster the promotion of multicultural education, enhance students' understanding and respect for cultural diversity through education, and foster a sense of inclusivity and mutual understanding among citizens."
Earlier, photos of the socks being sold at a KK Supermart in Bandar Sunway went viral, drawing criticisms from social media users, with some even calling for the chain to be boycotted.
This prompted the company to apologise and promise that such an incident would not recur.
In a statement, the convenience store said it had stopped the sale of the socks made by Miranosock.
KK Group of Companies founder and executive chairman Datuk Seri Dr KK Chai said he was furious with the sock suppliers.
"We are fully responsible for this, and we offer a public apology to the people, especially Muslims," he said.
On March 16, Dr Akmal lodged a report against the management of KK Mart at the Merlimau police station in Melaka at 10.30pm.
He also called all people and parties, irrespective of race, religion and political affiliation, to send a clear signal for strict action to be taken against the person or group responsible for the incident.
On March 17, he said the management of KK Mart had two days to put up a nationwide banner at all 881 branches of the convenience store to apologise for the sale of socks bearing the word "Allah."
He warned that the wing would initiate a "stronger boycott" against KK Mart in the event the management of the convenience store fails to submit to its demands.