'We drink whenever we want' - alcohol row sparks political spat in Sarawak

The recent dispute surrounding alcoholic beverages has unexpectedly evolved into a political debate in Sarawak, a region long known for its inclusivity and multiculturalism.

This started when Sarawak Deputy Premier Dr Sim Kui Hian reportedly drew a comparison between the Land of Hornbill and Peninsular Malaysia.

“Here (in Sarawak), we don’t face any restriction when it comes to drinking, unlike in Peninsular Malaysia. Here, we just drink when we want to - it’s no big deal. That’s just our way of life,” said the Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) president.

According to Sarawak-based See Hua Daily, Sim said the growing respect for Sarawak was not due to any single individual but the collective achievements of its people.

“Sarawak in 2015 and Sarawak in 2025 are completely different. Back then, others looked down on Sarawak. Today, the world is watching us. Over the past decade, we’ve gone from being looked down upon to being looked up to,” he said.

The report went viral on social media, with many in Sarawak’s Chinese community praising Sim for his remarks.

‘Remember Santubong beer?’

However, DAP’s Pending assemblyperson Violet Yong poured cold water on the praise, questioning why Sim had remained silent when a locally produced beer named Santubong was pressured to be pulled from shelves.

“When Santubong beer was asked by a Sarawak Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB)/Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) minister to be removed from the shelves and stop using Santubong as its brand name, Sim didn’t even dare to make a noise!

“Why didn’t he defend Santubong beer?” asked Yong in a Facebook post.

Last month, Zebrew Craft Beer announced it was ending the production of Santubong beer and withdrawing the product from the market “due to the overwhelming response and attention around the name Santubong”.

This came after it drew public criticism from the local community, notably from Santubong MP Nancy Shukri, who is also women, family and community development minister.

‘YB for 20 years, still getting facts wrong’

SUPP public complaint bureau chief Milton Foo hit back at Yong, his opponent in the 2021 Sarawak state election, accusing her of ignoring basic facts.

“You can get Sarawak’s local beer 1602 at the annual Kuching Festival every year, right?

“The Kuching Festival is an official event under the Kuching South City Council, right?

“And the council is under the purview of the Local Government Ministry led by Sim, right?

“So how could someone who has been a YB for 20 years not know something that every Kuching resident knows?” Foo retorted.

Two days ago, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim issued a stern reminder to Tourism, Arts, and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing over an industry dinner that the latter attended, which served alcohol.

Anwar also indicated that he did not accept Tiong’s explanation that the gala dinner was not a “government event”.

Tiong is the president of the Progressive Democratic Party, a component party of GPS, which is a key coalition partner in Anwar’s Madani government.

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