A Malaysian shoe company, Vern’s Holdings, has issued an apology and ceased the sale of certain footwear items after facing backlash from some Muslims who claimed that the logo on the shoes resembled the Arabic word for God. The logo, which was imprinted on the soles of high-heeled shoes, was described by the company as a silhouette of a stiletto heel with an ankle spiral wrap. Vern’s Holdings acknowledged that the design may have been misinterpreted, leading to the decision to halt sales of the shoes and provide refunds to customers who had purchased them.
In a statement posted on social media, the company expressed that there was no intention to create a logo that would offend or belittle any religion or belief. They humbly apologized for the oversight and sought forgiveness from the public, emphasizing their commitment to rectifying the mistake and showing compassion.
This incident comes on the heels of a recent controversy involving socks printed with the word “Allah” being sold in a major Malaysian convenience store chain. The store owners and a supplier were charged with offending the religious sentiments of Muslims, prompting some individuals to attack the stores with small petrol bombs. The issue of religion is a delicate subject in Malaysia, where the majority of the population practices Islam, while there are significant Chinese and Indian ethnic minorities.
The use of the word “Allah,” which means God in Arabic, is considered sacred by Malaysian Muslims, and associating it with footwear was deemed disrespectful and offensive. Following social media criticism and public complaints, religious authorities and law enforcement officials have launched investigations into the matter.
Meanwhile, tensions persist over the sock controversy, with the convenience store chain attributing the incident to a mistake by the supplier. The supplier, in turn, admitted to carelessness in inspecting the imported items, which included the controversial socks bearing the word “Allah.” The situation escalated further when a youth leader from a nationalist party in the Malaysian government called for a boycott of the convenience store chain and is now under investigation for alleged sedition due to a social media post featuring him brandishing a sword. Critics have accused the party of attempting to garner support from the Malay community following significant losses in the previous general elections.
