'Allah' socks supplier rues arson threat, personal data sharing

 

The supplier of the socks bearing the word Allah to convenience store chain KK Mart has expressed grave concern over the sharing of sensitive personal data of its key officers on social media, amid the brouhaha over the matter.

In a statement, Xin Jian Chang Sdn Bhd also rued intimidation over the issue, including the threat of arson issued against the company in Batu Pahat, Johor.

The company reiterated its apology over the matter and stressed that it was never the intention to produce or distribute the offensive product.

"Upon discovering the issue, we acted immediately to rectify the situation. We have diligently worked to retrieve the problematic socks from circulation, and through our best efforts, we have managed to locate and isolate the affected products.

"Following an internal preliminary investigation, we have determined that the problematic socks were part of a larger shipment of 18,800 pairs ordered from Mu Mian Qing Hosiery Co Ltd, a company based in Zhejiang Province, China," it said today.

The company also clarified that only five pairs of socks bear the sensitive word, not 14 as reported.

Mulling legal action

Xin Jian Chang further said it already contacted its China-based supplier to seek an explanation on the matter, and they have admitted that the problematic socks were included in the bulk of stocks that were purchased by mistake.

"We are seeking legal advice to explore possible actions against the supplier for their negligence in fulfilling our order requirements.

"Additionally, we are fully cooperating with the authorities. The police have visited our factory in Batu Pahat, Johor, today, and we will continue to assist in their investigation within the framework of our legal system."

The company pledged to uphold values that maintain harmony and respect among all communities in its business operations.

Lesson learned, Xin Jian Chang vowed stricter quality control measures to prevent recurrence.

"Furthermore, we express our grave concern over social media postings that have shared personal data, including the residential addresses of our key officers, and have even issued threats of violence, including burning down our factory and endangering lives.

"We urge fellow Malaysians to remain calm and refrain from engaging in any form of vigilantism or violence, and allow the relevant authorities to carry out their investigation in accordance with the law," it added. - Mkini