“Focus on more pressing matters” netizens hurl brickbats at PH MP over Timah issue
THE controversy surrounding award-winning whiskey ‘Timah’ reached new heights on Thursday (Oct 28) when a member of Parliament (MP) had likened drinking the local-made alcoholic beverage to “drinking a Malay woman”.
Tangga Batu MP Rusnah Aluai said this during the debate session in the Dewan Rakyat on the Trade Descriptions Bill (Amendment) 2021.
According to the Pakatan Harapan lawmaker, the name ‘Timah’ was a disservice to women, adding that because it evoked the names of Malay women like ‘Kak Timah’ or ‘Mak Timah’, drinking the whiskey gave the impression that “we were drinking a Malay woman”.
Netizens – including a number of politicians – had taken to social media soon after to poke fun at the MP for her eyebrow-raising comment.
Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, for example, had asked on Twitter if he was allowed to eat Daim chocolates or drink Dutch Lady milk.
Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh also pointed out that nobody had any issues drinking Dutch Lady milk for decades in Malaysia.
“Let’s move on,” the former deputy women, family and community development minister tweeted.
Lawyer Siti Kasim called the quality of the country’s MPs “embarrassing”.
MUDA secretary-general Amira Aisya, meanwhile, said:
Other netizens were equally as harsh in their criticism of Rusnah, with user @TimothyLohJL wondering if the MP was drunk.
User @BeeBalan commented, “You’re good at getting angry about Timah whiskey. But when all the real-life Fatimahs need help you’re silent. When the Pandelelas and the Ains and the Indiras and the Sajats of this country need help you turn them away, you tell them to shut it and bear [with] it.”
User @ImranAjmain, meanwhile, remarked that his mother Timah is not made of whiskey.
“Possible major twist. Perhaps, instead of paying agencies, Winepak paid our blabbermouth MPs to advertise their products,” user @kraj76 quipped.
Winepak Corporation (M) is the firm that founded and produced the Timah whiskey. – Oct 29, 2021
Winepak can continue using the Timah brand for all export markets, that is the majority of their sales anyway. Their factory here can continue bottling Timah for export. For local market just slap a local label, call it Tokong or whatever.
ReplyDeleteLawyer Siti Kasim called the quality of the country’s MPs “embarrassing”.
ReplyDeleteWell said Siti!
Additionally, I would like to add:
ReplyDelete"It is better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth to remove all doubt".
I hope the idiot MP will be able to learn something from this experience.
A hundred years ago many Chinese men came to Malaya to "Korek Timah", did any Malay women complain....?
ReplyDelete