After Timah, cabinet to disallow products capable of causing 'public distress'

In response to the bizarre controversy surrounding local whiskey Timah, the cabinet has decided that products capable of causing “public distress” will not be allowed to be sold. 

This is according to Environment and Water Minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man who announced the matter during his speech at the PAS Youth muktamar in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, this afternoon.

“The cabinet has decided that there cannot be any production of goods that can cause distress among the rakyat (keresahan rakyat) including in the context of ethnicity and religion.

“This will be a policy. This is the result of what we (PAS) did, what we protested against.

"Today what we see is that they used this issue to attack PAS but in the end, it backfired on them,” he told delegates.

The PAS deputy president's speech was broadcast live on Facebook.

READ MORE: Amanah machinery used Timah race-baiting to attack PAS 

Tuan Ibrahim did not elaborate on how products will be evaluated as being capable of causing public distress, nor did he mention which ministry would implement this new policy.

However, he did disclose that this cabinet decision was made after de facto Religious Affairs Minister Idris Ahmad held a discussion with Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi, the National Unity Ministry and alcohol-producing companies.

Over the past two weeks, Muslim groups and politicians including those from PAS have claimed that naming a bottle of alcohol “Timah” constituted an insult against Islam because it bore similarities to the name of Prophet Muhammad’s daughter Fatimah.

They further purported that the whiskey brand and logo - a picture of bearded colonial officer Captain Tristram Speedy - “confused Muslims”.

This bizarre narrative even made it to the Dewan Rakyat when it was brought up by PKR's Tangga Batu MP Rusnah Aluai. She later apologised to those who took offence to her claim that drinking the whiskey was akin to “drinking a Malay woman”.

Following the outcry, up to four ministers plus the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) held a discussion with Timah whiskey manufacturer Winepak Corporation Sdn Bhd.

The latter has since agreed to consider changing the beverage’s name and logo.

Winepak has maintained that its whiskey product was named after the Malay word for tin ores. 

COMMENT | What's the fuss? 'Rilek lah, Timah'

COMMENT | Timah and the auditor-general's report

'Drinking Malay women' - PKR MP apologises, claims intention misunderstood

COMMENT | Renaming Timah is stooping to idiotic politicians