I refer to the guffaw Deputy Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin made when he banned the Toyota advertisements featuring Brad Pitt whom he said would "plant a sense of inferiority among Asians".

To ban an advertisement because an actor's good looks is "insulting" to Asians is plainly ludicrous. Zainuddin, or Zam as he is known, should know that it is he, not Brad Pitt, that has insulted the intelligence of Asians.

With such a mentality, one wonders how Zam can be a deputy minister, particularly one holding the information portfolio? Information involves interaction of ideas. Various ideas may conflict with whatever we hold to be true.

The Toyota advertisement is not even a monumental clash of ideas, but merely a conduit for facilitating trade. Why is he jeopardising the good trade relationship between Japan and Malaysia on the basis of his preference for an actor's looks?

If the appearance of an American heart-throb in local advertisments is insulting to Asian looks, one wonders if the appearance of American products like Intel and Microsoft in the local market is insulting to Asian trade and technological development?

I am sure many people do not believe that Brad Pitt's looks is insulting, even though I personally do not find him that good-looking. Even then, as I am always impressed, I believe that the government is doing whatever it can to the best of its intentions.

The Chinese has an age-old saying,"Good manners are responded in kind; without reciprocity, it is considered rude." Does Zam like to be told that Americans find his 'intelligence' insulting to them?