KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — A Malaysian shoe company has apologized and stopped selling some shoes after some Muslims claimed its logo resembled the Arabic word for “God.” has been discontinued.
Burns Holdings said the logo stamped on the soles of some of its high heels depicted the silhouette of a stiletto heel with a spiral around the ankle. However, he acknowledged that design flaws may have led to misunderstandings about the logo. The company also said it has taken steps to immediately stop selling the shoes and refund customers who purchased them.
“We have no intention of designing a logo that is intended to belittle or insult any religion or belief,” Burns said in a statement posted on social media. “The management would like to sincerely apologize and ask for forgiveness. We ask for your sympathy so we can correct this mistake.”
Police announced Monday that they had seized more than 1,100 pairs of shoes from Byrne's store. The Ministry of Islamic Development, Malaysia's Islamic affairs agency, also summoned the company's founder, Ng Chuan Foo.
Local English-language newspaper The Star reported that NG said he regrets causing anxiety and hurting the Muslim community. “I hope we learn from this incident and will be more careful and cautious in the future,” he said.
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs said it would take legal action to prevent similar incidents in the future if there is evidence that the logo was intentionally created to imitate the Arabic word “God”.
He also urged businesses to remain vigilant about sensitive issues that could threaten the country's racial unity.
The footwear controversy follows an uproar over socks with the word “Allah” printed on the shelves of a major Malaysian convenience store chain last month. The owner of KK Mart and representatives of its suppliers were indicted on March 26. hurt religious feelings Some stores, many of which are Muslim, were hit with small Molotov cocktails. No injuries were reported.
Religion is Sensitive issues in MalaysiaMuslims make up two-thirds of the country's population of 34 million, and ethnic minorities include many Chinese and Indians. “Allah”, the Arabic word for God, is sacred to Malaysian Muslims, and many felt uncomfortable associating the word with feet.
The issue came to light after critical posts on social media highlighted the similarities in the logos. Religious authorities and police said they were investigating the matter following complaints from the public.
Meanwhile, tensions continue over the recent incident. KK Mart Group, the country's second-largest convenience store chain, said its suppliers had sent it items it had not agreed to stock. The founder of the supply company said the socks were imported from China as part of a mass shipment and apologized for the negligent inspection.
A leader of the Malaysian government's Malay Nationalist Party Youth Wing is under investigation on charges of sedition over a social media post that showed him brandishing a sword and calling for a boycott of the chain.
Critics say the party is trying to win support from ethnic Malays after suffering a crushing defeat in the last general election.
