KOTA KINABALU: The controversial socks issue and subsequent boycott of convenience store chain KK Super Mart have nothing to do with Sabah, says state Umno election department deputy director II Datuk Fadilah Sabri.

       She said that the decision to boycott is Umno Youth's stand, and Sabah Umno respects it and added that to accuse the latter of being an extremist party is ill intent.

       This comes after former assemblyman and activist Datuk James Ligunjang issued a statement urging the people to reject Umno, claiming that it was an extremist party.

       Fadilah said Ligunjang’s statement is provocative and malicious because Sabah Umno never did anything to break the harmony in the state ever since it set foot here 33 years ago.

       She said while Sabah Umno would never compromise on matters involving Islam, race and religion, the KK Super Mart issue would be left to the authorities to sort out.

       She called upon all Sabahans to remain united and continue preserving the peace and harmony enjoyed.

       Fadilah also reminded the public that there is no need to add fuel to the fire.

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       Prior to this, Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin had also stressed that it is not an extremist party.

       He said Sabah Umno works with non-Muslims on a daily basis.

       “So how can you say Sabah Umno is extremist? Everybody knows Sabah Umno is not extremist,” he had said.

       Bung said the KK Super Mart issue happened in Peninsular Malaysia and not here, and there is no need to bring the matter to Sabah.

       He had said that the KK Super Mart issue has nothing to do with Sabah Umno, and that it is best that Sabah keeps its peace now.

       KK Super Mart has been mired in controversy since March 13 after socks with the word “Allah" printed on them were discovered in the Bandar Sunway outlet in Selangor.

       Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh had been calling for a boycott of the retail chain stores even after its management swiftly retracted the socks, publicly apologised for the mistake, and cancelled its contract with the sock supplier.

       On March 26, KK Super Mart Group founder and executive chairman Datuk Seri Dr Chai Kee Kan and his wife, as the company’s director, were charged under Section 298 of the Penal Code for intentionally wounding the religious feelings of others by allegedly putting the socks for sale.