A social media post went viral on April 7, after a guy complained that the sneakers he purchased from a local brand had a logo that looked like the word Allah.
According to Buzzkini, Mohd Haridz expressed his surprise at discovering that Vern's brand shoes, which he had purchased for his wife on March 30, had a logo on the sole that resembled the word Allah.
"My spouse purchased the shoe for Hari Raya. She never opened the shoes she had purchased and placed them in the room,” said Haridz. The word Allah was written on the shoe bottoms when Mohd Haridz checked them after being persuaded to open them.
After that, the post gained popularity across all social media networks and went viral, starting a contentious discussion. Some said it was just a coincidence, while others said it was an attempt to denigrate Islam once more.
Dr. Muhammad Akmal Saleh, the leader of the UMNO Youth Movement, voiced his opinion on the matter and demanded an explanation from the shoe manufacturer within a day.
Akmal added that he was initially angry when he found out about the matter, but after checking on social media, there was information that said the logo was supposed to resemble a high heel shoe with one strap.
"We Muslims in Malaysia are not the type to act recklessly without a motion to investigate; we think good thoughts first, but we want an explanation from you."
According to Astro Awani, Vern's Holding Sdn Bhd presented evidence to the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) concerning the controversy surrounding the logo of its recently released shoes, which purports to include the word Allah inscribed on the shoe soles.
Its founder, Datuk Seri Ng Chuan Hoo, also referred to as Ah Foo, 51, was present to testify before Jakim officials for about an hour on April 8, beginning at 11.
He expressed his regret once more and pledged to learn from the incident so that it wouldn't occur again.
"I apologize for this situation; I've learned from it, and going forward, I'll be more considerate and cautious. Business needs to be cautious and courteous going forward," he remarked, lowering his head in repeated expressions of regret.
Ah Foo stated that he had mandated that the shoes be retained and not sold in any store when the problem first surfaced.
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