KOTA KINABALU - The Umno Supreme Council has urged its Youth Chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh to refrain from making statements regarding the controversy surrounding the use of the term "Allah" in a recent incident involving KK Mart.
Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said that the decision regarding Dr Akmal's involvement in the issue has been made, irrespective of whether his actions were sanctioned or not.
"The Umno President has also advised Dr Akmal to refrain.
"Perhaps KK Mart did not have plans or strategies for the matter, and when it was investigated by the police, it was notified.
"We recognise the need to put an end to the issue, and the Yang di-Pertuan Agong has also instructed any organisation, non-governmental body, or individual to cease discussin this matter, and for me, that is sufficient," he told reporters after attending an iftar event here yesterday.
Meanwhile, based on social media observations, Dr Akmal was last seen addressing the KK Mart issue on Tuesday.
He then shifted his focus to the boycott of celebrity entrepreneur Datuk Seri Aliff Syukri Kamarzaman over the influencer's release of a Ramadan song video that did not respect the sensitivities of Muslims.
In the meantime, Bung Moktar, who is also the Sabah Umno Chief, urged certain parties in the state not to associate his party with extremism.
According to him, Umno Sabah is not affected by the issue, but recently there was a statement from a veteran leader in the state urging the people to reject Umno Sabah.
"I laughed when suddenly Datuk James Ligunjang, after 25 years, no longer an MP, suddenly commented linking Umno Sabah to extremism.
"But everyone knows Umno Sabah, and we are not extremists regarding religion or ethnicity," he stressed.