Mohamed Hanipa Maidin
Published: Oct 10, 2025 8:49 AM
Updated: 11:49 AM
COMMENT | One of Amanah’s leaders - Wan Anwar Wan Ibrahim - has urged the government, as Petronas’ owner, to take internal action against the company’s president and group chief executive, Tengku Taufik Tengku Aziz.
Referring to the “champagne shower” incident during the recent Singapore Grand Prix, the aforesaid Amanah leader truly believed that by taking such an action, it would guarantee that similar behaviour would not be repeated in the future.
He also drew comparisons to the controversy surrounding Tourism, Arts, and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing over the serving of alcoholic beverages at an event.
With the greatest respect, I disagree with the aforementioned remarks by Wan Anwar, my own colleague from Amanah.
It is not disputed that, being a Muslim himself, what Tengku Taufik did was clearly against Islamic teachings. There’s no two ways about it.
Petronas group CEO Tengku Taufik Tengku Aziz
Nevertheless, his prompt apology for such an unintended offence plus his willingness to take full responsibility for his bewildering actions, in my view, is both commendable and admirable. That is a rare quality nowadays.
Under such circumstances, I am afraid it is erroneous to draw comparisons to the controversy surrounding Tiong over the serving of alcoholic beverages at an event which was linked to the government. After all, it never happened before.
Tiong should have just apologised
Anyway, the tourism, arts, and culture minister was severely condemned, not due to his association with alcohol. Far from it. After all, it was not forbidden at all for a non-muslim like him to consume alcohol or to be associated with it.
When I was an MP, I defended to the hilt - despite being subjected to opprobrium by a band of muslims - the rights of non-Muslims to hold Oktoberfest, as I believed that so long as the ceremony was celebrated among non-Muslims themselves, the apex law defended such rights.
However, the issue at hand is a far cry from the said Oktoberfest. It is more on the minister’s apparent lack of sensitivity.
Like it or not, he is currently a minister in the Madani government, hence there are certain red lines that he should have never crossed.
Nevertheless, his prompt apology for such an unintended offence plus his willingness to take full responsibility for his bewildering actions, in my view, is both commendable and admirable. That is a rare quality nowadays.
Under such circumstances, I am afraid it is erroneous to draw comparisons to the controversy surrounding Tiong over the serving of alcoholic beverages at an event which was linked to the government. After all, it never happened before.
Tiong should have just apologised
Anyway, the tourism, arts, and culture minister was severely condemned, not due to his association with alcohol. Far from it. After all, it was not forbidden at all for a non-muslim like him to consume alcohol or to be associated with it.
When I was an MP, I defended to the hilt - despite being subjected to opprobrium by a band of muslims - the rights of non-Muslims to hold Oktoberfest, as I believed that so long as the ceremony was celebrated among non-Muslims themselves, the apex law defended such rights.
However, the issue at hand is a far cry from the said Oktoberfest. It is more on the minister’s apparent lack of sensitivity.
Like it or not, he is currently a minister in the Madani government, hence there are certain red lines that he should have never crossed.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing
Based on a slew of media reports on this unfortunate incident, the minister was utterly adamant in defending his carelessness and, worse, justifying his mistakes.
Assuming from the get-go, he graciously tendered his apology and humbly assumed responsibility, people would have been more sympathetic to him.
Even Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had issued a stern reminder to the minister and indicated that he did not accept Tiong’s explanation that the gala dinner was not a “government event”.
Perhaps for some people, acknowledging mistakes and assuming responsibility would reflect meekness. With due respect, I beg to differ.
In my view, on certain occasions, an admission of guilt and owning mistakes may be seen as admirable gestures.
Assuming from the get-go, he graciously tendered his apology and humbly assumed responsibility, people would have been more sympathetic to him.
Even Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had issued a stern reminder to the minister and indicated that he did not accept Tiong’s explanation that the gala dinner was not a “government event”.
Perhaps for some people, acknowledging mistakes and assuming responsibility would reflect meekness. With due respect, I beg to differ.
In my view, on certain occasions, an admission of guilt and owning mistakes may be seen as admirable gestures.
MOHAMED HANIPA MAIDIN is former deputy law minister.
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Will Mahathir consider the Petronas CEO had deliberately made the "mistake" just to be provocative?
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