MCA today urged Umno Youth Chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh to refrain from politicising the sale of “halal ham and cheese sandwiches”.
Its vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jeck Seng said the action is unnecessary and could potentially have a negative impact on the country’s business environment and even hinder foreign investment.
"Any dispute involving religion or halal certification of food should be handled by professional and relevant bodies such as the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM).
"We are confident in the capabilities of these institutions and believe they are well-equipped to resolve such issues without politicians meddling or amplifying the topic excessively on social media," he said.
In a Facebook post yesterday, Akmal questioned the halal certification for the sandwich and cited a previous controversy involving KK Mart.
“Old wounds regarding the ‘Allah’ socks controversy have yet to heal.
“Ham contains pork and the sandwich was sold at UM, where the majority of the community is Malay. We can understand if it’s only sold to non-Malays … but why is there a halal logo on the packaging?
“It is not the first time this has happened. We have had enough of these insults to our religion (Islam),” he said, urging the police and the relevant agencies to take action.
Wee said politicians should not exploit such controversies to score political mileage, as this only exacerbates divisiveness in society and fills the business environment with hatred and instability.
"Politicising every business decision or product severely undermines Malaysia’s attractiveness.
"Businesses want to operate in a fair and stable environment, not one fraught with controversy and uncertainty. This kind of conduct not only erodes the confidence of local businesses but also deters foreign investment, ultimately damaging the country's economic interests.
"As a multi-cultural and multi-religious nation, Malaysians must safeguard social harmony and inclusivity. Any attempt to politicise issues and create division warrants a rebuke," he said.
Earlier today, KK Mart announced that it had suspended all business dealings with Shake and Bake Café, the company that supplied the pre-packed chicken ham and cheese sandwiches to its outlets. This comes after two KK Mart Concept Stores in UM were shut down on Jan 10.
The Department of Islamic Development (Jakim) had also said that its Halal Management Division conducted an inspection of the product with the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) following complaints online.
“The inspection revealed that the product does not have a Malaysian Halal Certification and the producing company is not a SPHM certificate holder,” said Jakim. - January 13, 2025
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