A Malaysian shoe company, Vern’s Holdings, has issued an apology and ceased the sale of certain footwear after facing backlash from some Muslims who believed that the logo on the shoes resembled the Arabic word for God. The logo, which depicted the silhouette of a stiletto heel with an ankle spiral wrap, was misinterpreted by some due to design shortcomings. The company has taken immediate action to stop the sales of the shoes and has offered refunds to customers who purchased them. Vern’s stated that they had no intention of insulting any religion or belief with the logo and they hope for forgiveness and compassion to rectify the mistake.
This controversy comes on the heels of a recent incident involving socks with the word “Allah” printed on them in a large Malaysian convenience store chain, KK Mart. The owners of the chain and one of its suppliers were charged with offending the religious feelings of Muslims in relation to the socks, leading to some stores being targeted with small petrol bombs. Religion is a sensitive issue in Malaysia, with Muslims making up two-thirds of the population and associating the word “Allah” with feet was offensive to many.
In response to the backlash, authorities in Malaysia are investigating the matter after receiving complaints from the public regarding the logo on the shoes. The tension surrounding the earlier incident with the socks printed with “Allah” has continued, with KK Mart Group stating that the supplier sent items they had not agreed to stock. The supplier apologized for their mistake in sending the socks, which were imported from China as part of a large shipment. In addition, a leader from a Malay nationalist party’s youth wing in Malaysia’s government is under investigation for alleged sedition after calling for a boycott of the chain and posting a social media image of himself holding a sword.
Critics have accused the Malay nationalist party of trying to gain support from ethnic Malays by fanning the flames of religious tensions in Malaysia. The party has faced heavy losses in recent general elections and is believed to be using the controversy surrounding the socks and shoes as a way to appeal to Malay voters. Religion has long been a divisive issue in Malaysia, with large ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities alongside the Muslim majority. The incidents involving the socks and shoes highlight the delicate balance that needs to be maintained in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society like Malaysia.
