Will the arson attack on the KK Mart outlet in Bidor, Perak, whack some sense, humility and shame into Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh?
Perhaps, when hell freezes over!
The shocking thing in the socks scandal is despite the many arrests, investigations launched, company ties severed, lawsuits and apologies extended, the loose cannon, namely Akmal, has yet to be detained.
The hate speech he promoted prompted vigilante attacks, leaking of personal data and threats to torch factories, which sadly, made ordinary Malaysians fearful of their security.
To make matters worse, the workers of KK Mart and the companies it does business with have new anxieties to deal with. Their future, their jobs and their livelihood!
What sort of Raya joy did Akmal envisage for the Malay workers of KK Mart and the sock factory in Johor?
His vengeance spells doom not just for the workers of KK Mart and its management but also for local and foreign investors.
So, will Akmal be arrested? Don’t bet on it. He is a rabble-rouser and lucky that no one has yet been injured or killed.
The two men who were arrested, just because the vigilante groups disagreed with their opinions, should be freed.
There are allegations that Akmal is flexing his muscles because he is part of a grand design to topple the Madani administration, but that does not justify Akmal’s freedom from prosecution.
For two weeks Malaysians were feeling tense, wondering what would happen next. The arson attack on the Bidor outlet is hopefully the last of the unintended consequences of Akmal’s hate speech.
Troublemakers like Akmal need firm handling, but those in a position to do something about it cherish their ministerial roles more than they want to uphold justice.
In 2018, the shop assistants of a corner shop in Manjoi were forced by a group of Malays from a Muslim NGO to empty a liquor cabinet.
The thugs were not punished by the newly installed Perak menteri besar at the time, Ahmad Faizal Azumu. The troublemakers were not arrested and probably felt emboldened when they escaped prosecution.
On the other hand, local business owners were filled with dread. There was no rule of law, just mob rule.
The Manjoi shop had a liquor licence, but businesspeople wondered if troublemakers would march into their shops and demand counter staff to remove items that they felt had hurt their Muslim sensitivities.
On March 13, KK Mart owner KK Chai issued an immediate apology soon after he was told that socks bearing the word “Allah” were being sold in his Bandar Sunway outlet.
Two days later, on March 15, the police said they were not launching an investigation as “no complaints had been lodged about it”.
The police subsequently changed their decision because, on March 16, Akmal took the unprecedented step of urging Malaysians to “teach KK Mart a lesson”.
He said if the police could not investigate because there was no report, then Umno Youth members throughout Malaysia would file a police report from that day on.
It looked as though Akmal viewed the police’s statement as a dare. He was challenged and wanted to prove his courage.
He said, “Come on all Malaysians, let’s show these brazen people that this country still has people who can teach them a lesson.”
Umno Baru bravado
If Akmal knows the history of Umno Baru, many former leaders displayed mock courage by silat group displays or brandishing the keris at Umno Baru gatherings while making racist demands.
They have now vanished into obscurity or are safely tucked away in prison. People like the convicted felon Najib Abdul Razak, or Hishammuddin Hussein and Khairy Jamaluddin.
Akmal likes to speak his mind bluntly but in the latest socks scandal, he ignored the consequences of his racist rhetoric. He is the loose cannon of Umno Youth and despite the apology from KK Chai, Akmal refused to see reason. Instead, he blamed KK Mart for insulting Islam.
He gave everyone the impression that only he was the true hero of the Malays and defender of Islam.
He inflamed Malaysians with his hate speech. His relentless attack on KK Mart had the potential to trigger the “politics of hatred and division” in Malaysia.
He ignored the advice and warnings of many people who ranged from current to former ministers, the boss of Mydin stores, lawyers and other prominent Malaysians.
Akmal ignored them. Driven by his ego and stubbornness, Akmal refused to think about the consequences of his arrogance.
What we predicted and what the rakyat feared most finally happened. It was an arson attack. A petrol bomb was thrown at a KK Mart store in Bidor, Perak, at 5am on March 26, and by sheer luck, the Molotov cocktail failed to ignite.
No one was injured or killed, but the fact remains that Akmal should be held responsible for spreading this hatred.
From the outset, he failed to recognise his actions were serious. He failed to show leadership. He failed to act responsibly and put people’s lives at risk.
Akmal should resign as Umno Youth chief and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim should acknowledge the only way to neutralise thugs like Akmal is to isolate and punish them.
Anwar may yet win more votes by being firm and decisive. - Mkini
MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army, and the president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO). Blog, X.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.
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