Nope, cultural conservatives aren’t done trash-talking Malaysian-made whiskey Timah, though their increasingly bizarre arguments are providing some much-needed chuckles.
This time, Tangga Batu MP Rusnah Aluai chose to take up precious Parliament minutes today with possibly the most insane argument yet. Speaking up for the small fraction of Malay women named Timah, she inspired a lot of eyes to roll by worrying aloud what damage was being done to the Timahs out there by allowing people to drink from a bottle sharing their name.
“Drinking Timah whiskey is like drinking a Malay woman,” the 58-year-old London School of Economics graduate said, without a hint of sober self-reflection.
The name is “so confusing,” she lamented, and definitely “not good for women, especially Malay women, mothers and sisters named Timah,” she added.
Presumably, she’s been so worried about harm to these women’s good names not to bother noting that Winepak Corp., which makes Timah, is expected to change it next week under pressure from conservatives “confused” by booze with a Malay name. This, despite all the other alcoholic beverages with Malay or Arabic names.
Many were left in stitches by Rusnah’s remark and responded with brand names of food and beverages that pose the same all-consuming threat to Malaysians: Auntie Anne’s pretzels, Nilofa milk, Ramly burger, Dutch Lady, and Daim chocolate bars.
Those who responded included former Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq and former Women’s Minister Hannah Yeoh.
“….So can I eat Daim Chocolate? … Or am I ‘eating’ Tun Daim,” Saddiq tweeted, while Yeoh stated that nobody had an issue with leading milk brand Dutch Lady.
Other stories:
26 liquor brands with Malay, Arabic names other than ‘Timah’
