Vendor in ‘Allah’ socks fiasco not licensed to package product

 

The shuttered Xin Jian Chang factory in Batu Pahat, Johor, with a banner apologising for the socks incident. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: The vendor at the centre of the “Allah” socks controversy was not licensed to package gloves and socks, the Johor government has revealed.

State housing and local government committee chairman Jafni Shukor said Xin Jian Chang Sdn Bhd had violated the terms of the business licence granted by the Batu Pahat Municipal Council (MPBP), Bernama reported.

“The factory was only supposed to be storing and distributing shoes,” Jafni was quoted as saying, adding that packaging socks and gloves was not included when it applied for a licence.

“This is why a notice to revoke their licence and for the premise to be closed was issued,” he said.

Jafni said that once the licence is revoked it would be difficult for the company to obtain a new one as it would be blacklisted.

“This will make it challenging for them to reapply unless they set up a new company,” he said.

He said the owner of the company would need to present corrective measures they would adopt in order to convince the local authority not to revoke the licence.

Earlier today, Xin Jian Chang, which had supplied the socks to KK Mart, said the alleged non-compliance with its business licence was linked to its packaging of the socks.

It maintained that its business licence was still valid despite an earlier statement by MPBP that it had been revoked, adding that the reports were inaccurate. - FMT