KUALA LUMPUR: A video showcasing what appears to be subpar sports shoes purportedly supplied to the Malaysian Army has gone viral on social media, sparking inquiries and concerns about the supplier and vendor responsible for these footwear provisions.
A TikTok user, who goes by the handle @captraeiz, expressed disbelief in a recent post.
"I thought the navy's (shoes) was bad enough. Turns out the army's (shoes) is even sadder," he remarked.
In the video, he said he initially found it hard to believe when some people claimed the shoes could be damaged after just three uses.
Upon receiving the shoes, he shared his disappointment, saying, "Even though I have only worn them once, my goodness, they have already started to crack. It is really bad."
He went on to elaborate on the video: "They are somewhat comfortable, but when I wear them, they do not provide proper heel support, the fabric does not breathe well, and the midsole is extremely hard."
Drawing a comparison with the previous Royal Malaysian Navy sports shoes, he observed that the navy's shoes, while not perfect, at least had midsoles that somewhat followed the trend.
However, he went on to describe the sports shoes given to the army as even worse than school shoes.
The video posted four days ago, has garnered over 248,000 views, elicited more than 633 comments on TikTok, and has been shared by more than 708 users.
One critical comment on TikTok came from a user with the handle @khairulacot, who remarked: "If I received it today, after running 2.4 kilometres the next day, the sole would already come off."
TikTok user @penyu35_ expressed concern: "These would be ruined when used for heavy work."
Another TikTok user, @roymuhd, pointed out, "The material keeps expanding over time... Can't wash it often."
TikTok user @azmistrz7 raised questions about the approval process, asking, "We have to question who approved these shoes. Which vendor or supplier made these shoes?"