Sunday, January 29, 2017

Keeping The Natives Drunk On Firewater

There is a long narrative of native communities all over the world being cheated and exploited by the white man, the colonials and other greedy people by giving them alchohol, especially cheap alchohol. 

There is a sad history of alchohol and Native Americans (for example). Here is the Wikipedia about alchohol and Native Americans.
  • Alcohol and Native Americans.  From Wikipedia
  • Native Americans historically had extreme difficulty with alcohol. 
  • Problems continue among Native Americans
  • 12% of deaths among Native Americans alcohol-related
  • quantity consumed when consumed is generally greater (than average)
    deaths due to alcohol are four times general population
Here is a drawing that shows white fur traders exchanging a barrel of rum with Native Americans for animal furs. This drawing is from the early 1700s.

  
The Natives were plied with easy and cheap alchohol to lull their senses so that their lands and the wealth of the land could be taken away from them.  The alchohol problem stuck for so long that it became part of the general racist lore against Native Americans.


   


It is not much different in Malaysia.  I am aware of two occasions where our local Orang Asli were supplied with alchohol which they really seemed to enjoy. One was during a By Election. 

The other time was when their lands were being "acquired" to build a now major urban shopping area in Kuala Lumpur (Sg Penchala). The  Orang Asli were paid some cash compensation. Quantities of alchohol also mysteriously appeared. I saw some of them walking around Sg Penchala stone drunk.  I was a banker then but we did not get involved in the project.  I was "instucted" by my bosses to visit the project and pay due respect to the "Tan Sri".  But that was it. 

There is a "letter"  that has gone viral. Please see below.  I have received it from two people in one day.     




You can read the letter, it is self explanatory.   

I was looking to see if this letter was another hoax. You know like that fake Zahid Hamidi letter recently. The dead give away in that fake Zahid Hamidi letter was 'Khairy Jamaluddin as Deputy Prime Minister'.

This letter is different. It is a request to "melupuskan barang rampasan minuman keras" from the warehouses of the Jabatan Kastam in Sabah.   


What I find mind boggling is the quantity : 140 containers ! !  Or 140 truck loads on 18 wheeler trucks. That is a lot of alchohol.

The letter above is an appeal to be given 'free of charge', without having to pay the market price or actual value, the 140 shipping container loads of seized alchohol.  Free of charge. Wow !!

And these  140 containers of alchohol shall be "diberikan sebagai hadiah kepada para pengundi di kawasan yang majoritinya bukan beragama Islam" in Sabah, particularly the "masyarakat Kadazan Dusun dan Murut Sabah".  

And the hand written comment presumably by Super M. says, "Bersetuju dengan permohonan ini". Wow !!

Not only can you buy them with some cash, you can also buy them with free beer and whiskey !

This type of "free alchohol" story also seems to suggest that there might be an election in Sabah soon.  

How is Shafie Apdal going to compete with 140 containers of free alchohol?    "Dont drink and vote ! "  posters will not work Dato. 

The quantity seized (140 containers) is also quite ridiculous.  Do Sabahans consume so much liquor? I doubt it.

Which "importer" would bring in 140 containers of alchohol into Sabah all at one go? There is something fishy here. Maybe there was some "pre-planning" involved.

Here is the bottom line - with this "kelulusan" there is no need to pay duty on these 140 container loads of liquor now.  The 140 container loads become legally "duty free". 

Also I dont think the Kadazan-Dusuns and the Muruts will be consuming 140 containers of free alchohol.  Maybe they will get a few container loads.  So where will the rest of this "legally duty free" alchohol go?

What time is Happy Hour in KK ?  Jom bah. 

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