14
speak up!
Perfect brew
for polls loss
BY the end of next month, the
Selangor government will come
up with guidelines to regulate
the sale of beer in the state.
A task force comprising an
executive councillor and those
opposed to and in favour of
the controls such as consumer
and religious groups, as well as
retailers and outlet operators
are supposed to draw up rules
agreeable to all.
Among the ideas thrown
about is to limit the sale to
non-Muslims, where one has to
present identification to prove
that he is neither a Muslim nor
a minor.
Another suggestion is to stop
the sale of beer after midnight
or 1am at 24-hour outlets, to
reduce the instances of people
drinking into the wee hours
and misbehaving.
Yet another proposal was to
“hide” the beer from customers,
where the beverages are not
displayed and the customer has
to request for it at the counter.
Self-regulation by retailers
was also put up as an op-
tion but this is already being
done. 7-Eleven, for instance,
has sacked employees caught
letters
letters@thesundaily.com
Malaysians should count their blessings
I ALWAYS say that Malaysia is
the best place to be in. Never mind
that we have human sharks, at
least we know who they are.
Apart from sharks, we have
the white Australians beating
and assaulting Indians, not just
outside their homes but intrud-
ing into private houses and stab-
bing Indian students with screw
drivers. How come all those
Malaysians, who are so quick
to highlight cases of robbery in
Down2Earth
by Terence Fernandez
selling beer to minors and
Muslims.
The over-zealous Shah Alam
City Council had jumped the
gun and banned the sale of beer
and liquor at Muslim-majority
areas from Sections 1 to 24.
The state government had
frozen the ban until the task
force comes up with its findings,
but if this proposal is on, then
this brings with it another set of
problems – almost everywhere
is a Muslim majority area.
One councillor tells me that
in areas with a considerable
number of non-Muslims, such
as Kelana Jaya or Subang Jaya,
the sale will be allowed.
public places locally, have not
sent out any emails about these
assaults? Is it because the crimi-
nals are whites?
Even the Australian police
and prime minister initially
denied these attacks were ra-
cially motivated until the Indian
government protested and the
Indian prime minister rang the
Australian prime minister, did
the Australians shamefully ad-
mit, that the attacks were indeed
TELLING IT AS IT IS
Managing Editor: Chong Cheng Hai
Consultant Editor: Zainon Ahmad
Executive Editor: Lee Boon Siew
Deputy Editor: Patrick Choo (Production),
Editor: R. Nadeswaran (Special Reporting and Investiga-
tions)
But one foresees that this
indiscriminate implementation
will also cause others living in
these areas who are not in fa-
vour of beer being sold in their
neighbourhood to protest.
While the beer issue brews,
the state government is also
embarking on placing restric-
tions on issuing licences to
karaoke joints.
To many, these two impend-
ing restrictions under the Pa-
katan Rakyat (PR) government
come as a surprise.
This was the party that
preached openness and liber-
alisation; education instead of
restriction; transparency and
accountability; inclusiveness
instead of isolation and the
protection of the freedoms of
all Malaysians.
Despite pressure from
radicals within its ranks, the
previous Umno-led state gov-
ernment did not embark on
such restrictions.
The furthest that govern-
ment went was to ask breweries
to cut down on advertisements
in Selangor.
It does not take a brain
surgeon to analyse that these
new impending policies PR is
facing is stemmed by pressure
imposed by PAS, which had
to score points for its general
assembly which concluded on
Sunday, with ulama taking the
top posts in the party.
Thus there was little comfort
when an assemblyman told me
that the beer issue will fizzle
out in no time.
Party politics and one-up-
manship dictate that this issue
will fester for a long while and
there must be an agreement
racially motivated.
These are not the first attacks
on Asians. Can you imagine, if
a group of Malaysians were to
burst into a hostel of foreign stu-
dents? The whole world would
have condemned Malaysia and
our government.
Malaysians, who like to run
down this country, would have
flooded us with chain emails.
How come all these fighters of
minority rights are yet to wag
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Let all voices
to meet half-way. For now,
one thinks the only workable
measure is the requirement to
produce identification which
is practised in most developed
countries.
be heard
Any other means to control I’M ALL for speaking up! I’m all for articulating
the consumption of beer is thoughts, opinions, viewpoints, ideas in speech and
going to be an infringement
on the rights of the rest of the
community.
At the same time, it is an
insult to Muslims whose faith
is not influenced by the avail-
ability of prohibited items.
writing. For only in making yourself heard and read
can you effect learning in yourself and others. And
only through knowledge and experience can you
bring about the desired improvement or change or
development or progress.
I’m all for healthy interaction and commu-
nication and exchange – what is referred to as
Today beer, tomorrow con- “engagement” that is, involving one another
doms? in the pursuit of these improvements, changes,
Ironically, in Kelantan, developments, progress; that is, what is popularly
although beer is unavailable called “inclusiveness”. For there’s no doubt that
at retail outlets, Chinese coffee societal change involves society’s stakeholders,
shops operate until the wee that is the men and women and young people and
hours of the morning with the children who constitute society and who are the
green and brown bottles selling beneficiaries of the change.
like chilled beer on a hot day. Every segment of society matters in any change
Kelantan is different due that is going to affect their lives. For it is these men
to its overwhelming Muslim and women and young people and children that
majority so what works there constitute the family, one of the most important if
will not work in Selangor. not the core unit in society.
If it continues to go down Each segment has a voice and the right to make
the path to the dark ages, in themselves heard and be heard, whether it is in the
the future PR can forget about championing of social justice, humanitarian issues,
the votes of the professionals political concerns, culture and tradition or religious
and liberals who gave it its first responsibilities.
victory in Selangor. If there is dissent or disagreement either within
The beer issue has opened the segment or without there must be room for
the eyes of the people to the discussion and debate, either in an open forum or
realities of politics – that all is behind closed doors. You don’t simply shut the door
not what it seems. to shut people out!
This subject, coupled with I therefore view the PAS call to ban Sisters
PR’s reluctance to implement In Islam (SIS) as a cowardly, retrogressive move.
local council elections as prom- I object strongly to the PAS call to “rehabilitate”
ised appears to lend credence to the SIS women who have fought long and hard to
the adage of better the devil you engage men and women in a more progressive
know than the devil you don’t! discourse on Islam. Through their research-based
programmes which are reinforced by input from
enlightened thinkers and scholars, SIS has slowly
Terence will be on assignment in effected change in the landscape for Muslim
Hongkong for a week. Feedback: women. SIS is the voice that has spoken loudly
terence@thesundaily.com. and clearly about the injustices borne by Muslim
women and advocated change or modification to a
male-centric interpretation of the Syariah.
The two lone and lonely voices of the PAS
women in an oblique support of SIS represent the
great injustice in the Muslim world – the silencing
of articulate voices (be they from men or women)
who only want the justice and equality promised
in the Quranic teachings. When Muslims should
be reaching out to each other to present a united,
compassionate and merciful ummah, emulating
our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon
their tail? A close friend of mine Him) in all his 99 attributes, we are at odds over
once said that, if a white man something as important as justice and equality.
kicks an Asian, the Asian will For Muslims to be taken seriously, there must
subserviently say, so nice, thank be genuine efforts at a real muzakarah of the men
you. But if an Asian had done so and women of Islam to iron out the creases in the
he would cry blue murder. understanding of the Syariah. Age-old prejudices
Honestly, I believe that this and misconconceptions about the duties of men
sums up the attitude of those and women in the family and society must be
Malaysians who see nothing looked at within the context of present-day needs
right in their own country. and requirements. This is the way forward.
Ajit Halimah Mohd Said
Penang Kuala Lumpur