Wee uses ‘Timah’ controversy to gain non-Muslims’ support – Guan Eng

13 Nov 2021

By Farah Salim

KUALA LUMPUR: DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng has accused MCA President Datuk Wee Ka Siong as portraying the Cabinet’s decision to allow Timah whiskey to maintain its name as a big gain for the non-Malay community and non-Muslims.

He said this shows the steep descent and extent of how much the rights and status of non-Muslims has deteriorated when MCA got back into government and Wee was appointed as Transport Minister.

“A non-issue like retaining the name of Timah whiskey requiring Cabinet approval has made Malaysia an international laughing-stock and shows how perilous the position of non-Malays and non-Muslims are under the current Federal Government.

“If retaining the status quo in allowing Timah whiskey to maintain its name is being dishonestly spun by Wee as a gain for the non-Malay rights, what about the more serious matter of banning the sale of alcohol in Chinese medicine halls and sundry or grocery shops by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL)?

“Wee who is Transport Minister, along with Domestic Trade and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi should be ashamed that they cannot handle such a simple matter as a name that was clearly in reference to ‘bijih timah’ until it required the intervention of Cabinet,” he lambasted in a statement today.

According to Guan Eng, Wee and Alexander are our of touch of the Malaysians’ aspirations if they stated that retaining the name of Timah whiskey is a demonstration of “Keluarga Malaysia” while supporting the ban on the sale of alcohol in Chinese medicine halls and grocery shops that has been undisturbed since Independence Day.

“The ban on the sale of alcohol by DBKL in the capital city clearly interferes in the traditional business practices and customary lifestyle of non-Muslims that is contrary to the Keluarga Malaysia and the diversity and multi-racial and multi-cultural character of Kuala Lumpur.”

Earlier, it was reported that the Cabinet has allowed the whisky that has caused controversial gabblings among Parliamentarians to keep its name, while including an additional label on the bottle to explain its name reference to iron ores.

In that matter, Wee said Alexander’s cooperation has prevented Pakatan Harapan’s “tricks” of playing with religious and ethnic issues.