KK Mart caught in halal ham and cheese sandwich controversy

Following the "Allah sock" controversy, KK Mart has found itself dealt with another blow after it allegedly misplaced the halal logo on its ham and cheese sandwiches and supplied to the outlets within the University Malaya campus grounds in Petaling Jaya. The stores were ordered to close temporarily.

In a statement released by University Malaya, the 24-hour marts were ordered to close following allegations of ham and cheese sandwiches marked as 'halal'. The closure was issued to allow for investigation to be carried out without interruption, said the university. University Malaya added that it ensures that the products sold on campus are from suppliers that comply with applicable laws, standards, regulations and procedures. 

The department of Islamic development Malaysia (JAKIM) has also released an explanation regarding the halal status of the doubted sandwich. After an on-site investigation together with the ministry of domestic trade and cost of living (KPDN), it found that the ham and cheese sandwich did not have a Malaysian halal certification certificate (SPHM) and that legal action has been taken by KPDN. 

Don't miss: KK Mart sentiments remain exceedingly low across social platforms: Here's a breakdown 

JAKIM added that the action of printing the Malaysian halal logo on a product label is an offense under the trade information Act 2011. It then advised consumers to check the halal status of a product through the Malaysia halal portal or the 'Verify Halal' application to make sure that a product has been halal certified by an authority. 

UMNO youth chief Muhammad Akmal Saleh has also taken to TikTok to express his outrage. In the TikTok video, he highlighted that "ham" contains pork and asked how a sandwich containing pork could have a halal label on it. He then reminded KK Mart that the Muslim community are still angry regarding the religious sock controversy, adding that this matter will not be taken lightly. 

According to media intelligence firm CARMA, the situation has been brought to attention through various social media posts. It added that the issue has sparked a wider discussion about the importance of truthful advertising and accurate labeling in the food industry. 

Meanwhile, DATAXET Nama revealed that the overall sentiment is negative (95%), with most comments expressing anger, frustration or criticism towards KK Mart, Akmal, political parties and JAKIM. According to DATAXET Nama, 30% of netizens accused KK Mart of misusing halal certification, with some debating whether the supplier or KK Mart was responsibile, while 25% of comments online involved political and racial undertones. Some comments (15%) criticised Akmal for his allegations of the KK Mart issue, accusing him of being overly dramatic, uneducated or politically motivated. 

An additional 10% called for a boycott of KK Mart, while an equal amount (10%) criticised KK Mart's management for poor oversight, with few demanding resignations. A few comments (5%) linked the issue to broader corruption while 5% questioned JAKIM's effectiveness and demanded stricter enforcement of halal certification rules, said DATAXET Nama. 

In addition, KK Mart's word cloud revealed a strong focus on the halal certification controversy, with key terms such as “halal,” “haram,” “ham,” “chicken,” and “JAKIM” dominating the discussion. It highlighted public distrust in the halal logo on the sandwich, as reflected in terms such as “palsu” ('counterfeit') and “fake”, which fuelled calls for “tutup” ('closure') and “saman” ('legal action').

Many netizens demanded that KK Mart shut down due to perceived failures in halal compliance. The term “salahkan” ('blame') suggested that KK Mart was seen as trying to shift responsibility to the sandwich supplier, further aggravating public sentiment. The use of “anugerah” ('award') conveyed a sarcastic critique not only of Akmal’s leadership but also of the government and KK Mart’s handling of the issue. Furthermore, broader dissatisfaction with the government and regulatory enforcement was evident, indicating public demand for greater transparency and stricter halal monitoring, said DATAXET Nama. 

Following the incident, KK Mart has released a statement stating that it has taken legal action against its food supplier Shake and Bake Cafe for misusing the Malaysian halal certificate. It has also stopped business dealings with the supplier and has issued a letter of demand, reported The Star. 

In its statement, KK Mart said that the sandwich supplier had provided a halal certificate for the chicken ham and cheese layers for reference and that it was not authorised to use the KK Super Mart logo on the sandwich packaging. 

Currently, only 16 KK Concept stores carried the sandwiches, KK Mart reportedly added, stating that it is making sure the item does not enter any of its other outlets. KK Mart also said that it is prepared to provide full cooperation and that it takes the matter seriously. 

A+M has reached out to KK Mart for a statement. 

Last year, KK Mart drew ire after it put socks featuring the word “Allah” printed on them for sale in its outlet in Bandar Sunway. Images of the socks went viral online on March 13 and quickly began drawing criticism from users. As a result, KK Mart's brand sentiments plummeted from 38% positive and 13% negative to 0.4% positive and 37.7% negative. 

The company was then charged by the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) for "deliberately intending to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims" on 26 March 2024. It's supplier Xin Jian Chang was also charged. Malaysia’s King, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, then granted an audience to Chai Kee Kan, the owner of KK Mart in April where Chai apologised to the King for the controversy caused by the sale of the socks. In a social media post by the King, Chai also asked for forgiveness from the King, as well as from Muslims who were offended by the socks.

The controversy wrapped up in July last year with KK Mart and its supplier fined RM60,000 while Chai and his wife were acquitted of their charges.

Related articles: 
Religious socks issue: KK Mart and supplier fined RM60,000, founder and wife walk free 
Religious sock issue: KK Mart founder, wife, submit representation to AGC  
UMNO youth chief condemns KK Mart Molotov attack, insists on boycott