Military truck gimmick: Coffee cup to replace 'rocket launcher'

The operator of Zawara Coffee will replace the 'rocket launcher' on their truck, which is similar to those belonging to the troops and seized by police yesterday, with coffee cups.

Group Chief Executive Officer Zawara Coffee Sdn Bhd, Kamarul Ariff Karim said, the trucks will be repainted with Zawara's corporate colours - black and purple.

"We are going to re-paint it according to our corporate colour and we will destroy the 'rocket' because it is made of fiberglass. It does not reflect a rocket launcher, it is just a rocket.

"We will change the rocket and replace it with the Zawara (coffee) cup," he said when contacted by Astro AWANI today.

At the same time, Kamarul apologised to Malaysians for the advertising gimmick which involved a rocket launcher like those used by military trucks if it had caused public alarm.

"We apologise for our action which has created resentment. Once this case is over, we will immediately stop using the truck and re-paint it and place the Zawara coffee cup on it, to make it more family and children-friendly," he said.

Kamarul, who admitted he was surprised when the truck was seized, said the vehicle had been used for a month and placed in several locations such as in Shah Alam and The Curve in Damansara.

Zawara Coffee now has three branches in Bukit Jelutong, Bangi and Setapak, in addition to concept cafes in Setia Alam, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Cyberjaya, Putrajaya, Damansara and The Curve.

He said he bought it personally from the Malaysian Armed Forces and changed its registration to become a public property.