COMMENT | Renaming Timah is stooping to idiotic politicians
COMMENT | I am not one who is easily confused but I would like a name change for Pisang Awak, the banana species which is a cross between Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana.
Each time I visit the warong and ask the pakcik if his "pisang awak" is ripe and ready, the makciks in the adjoining booth, chuckle with laughter. Do they know something I don't? I could change pisang vendors, but pakcik's 'pisang awak' really is the best.
If Pakatan Harapan wants to lose in GE15, then they are doing exceptionally well. The latest PKR embarrassment is Rusnah Aluai, the MP for Tangga Batu in Malacca.
She should be sacked for being easily confused by Timah, the name of a brand of whiskey.
The MP for Pengerang, Azalina Othman Said, disagreed with Rusnah about Malaysians being confused. She said that we should educate people to think more logically.
I disagree. The rakyat is neither stupid nor confused. If anyone needs an education...
COMMENT | I am not one who is easily confused but I would like a name change for Pisang Awak, the banana species which is a cross between Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana.
Each time I visit the warong and ask the pakcik if his "pisang awak" is ripe and ready, the makciks in the adjoining booth, chuckle with laughter. Do they know something I don't? I could change pisang vendors, but pakcik's 'pisang awak' really is the best.
If Pakatan Harapan wants to lose in GE15, then they are doing exceptionally well. The latest PKR embarrassment is Rusnah Aluai, the MP for Tangga Batu in Malacca.
She should be sacked for being easily confused by Timah, the name of a brand of whiskey.
The MP for Pengerang, Azalina Othman Said, disagreed with Rusnah about Malaysians being confused. She said that we should educate people to think more logically.
I disagree. The rakyat is neither stupid nor confused. If anyone needs an education, then a majority of our MPs should return to school.
If Rusnah had graduated from the Alor Setar or Kota Bharu campus of the University of Umno-Baru, one would understand the basis of her remarks, so it comes as a shock to learn that as a graduate of LSE (London's School of Economics and Political Science), she was easily confused by Timah.
Rusnah said that drinking Timah Whiskey was like "drinking a Malay woman".
She appears very knowledgeable about drinking whiskey but she is partly right. Why limit the analogy to "Malay women" only, because for some people. drinking whiskey is like cavorting with any woman, not just a "Malay" woman.
One man said that each time he drinks whiskey, it would remind him of his first date.
He said, "I lose my inhibitions. As the liquor engulfs my taste buds, it teases and tingles the nerves on the roof of my mouth. This is the signal that the chase is on.
"When the whiskey cascades down the back of my throat, I feel its fiery warmth. My eyes water. I inhale the fumes from the glass, and the spice of the whiskey intermingles with the scent of my first date. A warm glow settles in my stomach. I feel calm and confident. The night will progress well."
Equating the drinking of Timah whiskey to drinking a Malay woman is daft.
Would Rusnah imagine that consuming Spanish Fly would endanger one's health? Does she realise that a few drops of Spanish Fly can boost one's libido?
Would she think that taking a herbal extract of Tongkat Ali be likened to 'drinking a man'?
A “hair of the dog” may be an excellent cure for hangovers and is haram for Muslims; but the cure has nothing to do with dog fur.
Four reasons
Malaysians should not have to put up with low-quality MPs.
First. Rusnah should realise that Timah is not the issue. The problem is parliamentary representatives like her.
She cannot see the wood for the trees, because she is so involved in the religious distraction caused by the name 'Timah'. Like many failed politicians, she thinks that jumping on the religious bandwagon will boost her popularity. It won't!
There are many religious issues that she could prioritise to improve the lives of Muslim Malaysians. Timah is not the one.
Second. What right has she to demand a name change for Timah whiskey?
My second name is Fatimah, and some people call me "Fati" (or "Fatty".) If a whiskey manufacturer had called their whiskey "Fati", I doubt if any obese Malaysian would object to the name.
Rusnah is scraping the bottom of the barrel with her insistence for a name change.
Third. The manufacturer said that they will consider renaming their whiskey. Why should they succumb to political and religious bullying? There are two unsettling issues about this debacle.
The manufacturer should stand their ground and not allow themselves to be harassed. Before a product is launched, a lot of time and money will have been spent on the name, marketing strategy and promotion.
However, we can also appreciate that if they do not agree to a name change, the distillery or the business premises will suddenly find that their papers are not in order, or their manufacturing process has failed a crucial test. They can probably expect their operating licence to be withdrawn.
This is one reason why foreign investors are fearful of investing millions of dollars in Malaysia. With conservatives in control, no business owner is safe.
If Cadbury chocolates, which contains no porcine DNA, can suddenly fall foul of the religious bigots, other investors can also be at their mercy.
Fourth. Politicians have given the equivalent in millions of ringgits of free publicity and advertising to the manufacturer of Timah. It is now impossible to find Timah on the supermarket shelves because demand has outstripped supply. How daft can the politicians be?
Perhaps, some of them are receiving handsome commissions each time they open their mouths to criticise Timah.
With GE15 around the corner, the leader and senior politicians in Harapan/PKR need to overhaul the selection process and vetting procedures of their MPs.
The choice is simple. Change, or lose GE15.
MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army, and president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO). Blog, Twitter.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
