AN unnecessary focus on ‘form over substance’ seems to be the prevailing sentiment of netizens over a suggestion by an MP that alcohol beverages be sold via dispensing machines.
Pulai MP Suhaizan Kaiat made this preposterous suggestion at the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (March 7), alluding to the fact that this will allow Muslim workers at grocers or convenience stores from having to literally ‘man-handle’ alcoholic beverages.
For context, Suhaizan had posed his suggestion as a follow-up to the question by PAS Jasin MP Zulkifli Ismail who wanted to know if JAKIM ( the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia) has held an engagement session with the state government and industry players involved in the framework of the State Syariah Criminal Enactment to identify efforts to prevent Muslims from seeking employment at premises selling alcohol beverages.
“For example, we could discuss with the municipal or city council to create guidelines for the sale of alcoholic beverages via vending machines. Hence, they (Muslim workers) don’t have to directly sell alcoholic beverages,” argued the first-term Pulai MP.
A video of the learned MP’s suggestion in the Parliament – shared by Malaysiakini on its X (formerly Twitter) platform – had invited plenty of ridicule from netizens.
‘Guna mesin layan diri untuk elak pekerja Islam sentuh arak’ https://t.co/Vkq2SESc9u
— Malaysiakini (BM) (@mkini_bm) March 7, 2024
This is what some had to say.
The silliness of the suggestion was highlighted by many who asked who exactly was going to re-stock these vending machines.
Many were just obviously fed up with the constant hyping of what they considered non-issues.
Some pointed to the sheer hypocrisy among certain segments of society.
Another posited to a machine that could also verify a purchaser’s age and religion to ensure that the devil’s elixir does not fall into the wrong hands.
Of course, some thought this was a fine idea and insinuated that consumption of alcohol was the root of all evil but they were very much in the minority.
Wading into the debate, former law minister Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim who chided Suhaizan for making this nonsensical and illogical suggestion, pointing out that the Finance Ministry would have to set up a special division to handle non-halal businesses if such reasoning was to be adhered to.
This comes hot on the heels of Federal Territory Mufti’s office stating that it was preferable for Muslims to not work in conventional banks as it was not a halal source of income.
Zaid urged the government should introduce an agenda on “the debilitating influence of preachers on the economic advancement of the Malays” for the Conference of Ruler’s deliberation “since we have thousands of preachers giving advice freely on matters of religion” with far-reaching economic consequences.
This politicisation of halal status needs to stop as it is merely reinforcing an ‘us against them’ narrative, creating further schisms in an already divided society.
What’s next? Muslim healthcare professionals prohibited from using alcohol swabs? Or perhaps instant bak kut teh, char siew pau (steamed barbecue pork buns) and siew yoke (roasted pork) vending machines in the offing? – March 9, 2024
Main image credit: Liquor.com
