KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 — Umno Youth chief Dr Muhammad Akmal Saleh has condemned the Molotov cocktail attacks on outlets of convenience store chain KK Mart but insists that the boycott must go on.

In a short statement posted on Facebook, he also called for a thorough investigation into the attacks.

"From day one, we have strongly condemned any acts of violence.

"We hope that investigations can be conducted as soon as possible, and the perpetrators be severely punished regardless of their affiliations,” Dr Akmal said in his Facebook post.

"Investigations should be done first before apportioning blame over this incident.

"We must remain calm and persist with the boycott,” he added.

He also linked an article from national daily Sinar Harian to his Facebook in which Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail urged proponents of the KK Mart boycott to take responsibility and end their role in firing up public sentiment.

Saifuddin’s call came after a second attack on a branch of the national convenience store chain yesterday, saying that those behind the boycott should help mollify angry Muslims who were agitated by racial provocation.

A KK Mart branch in Sungai Isap, Kuantan, Padang was reported to have been firebombed at 5am yesterday, the second such attack amid Muslim anger over the sale of socks with the word "Allah” embroidered on them.

Earlier this week, a failed firebomb attack was carried out against a KK Mart outlet in Bidor, Perak, with Perak police chief Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri saying investigations found that the petrol bomb thrown at the convenience store was believed to have been done by a man driving a dark-coloured car with a red "Lalamove” sticker on it.

Saifuddin had said that the second arson attack risked fuelling public unrest and there was genuine concern that "irresponsible parties” could repeat the same attack when Muslims celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri in April.

On Tuesday, the founder and group executive chairman of KK Group that owns the KK Mart convenience store chain, and his wife, who is a company director, were charged in Shah Alam Sessions Court over the sale of socks with the word "Allah” printed on them at a KK Mart outlet in Selangor.

KK Mart has also filed a lawsuit against socks supplier Xin Jian Chang Sdn Bhd and its director Soh Chin Huat for supplying the controversial socks, seeking a court declaration that the supplier had unlawfully interfered with its business and for court orders for Xin Jian Chang and its director to indemnify it for the loses and to prevent further causing of losses by unlawful interference of business.