What’s wrong if Tiong eats pork, drinks alcohol?

 

Let me be clear about one thing. I am defending Tiong King Sing here, not because he is a fellow Sarawakian, but because I honestly think he is not in the wrong in this latest controversy.

The allegations against the tourism, arts, and culture minister in this recent case were unfair and malicious, in my opinion at least. I believe that supporting those in the right helps ensure that justice prevails and defending them means standing up for moral and ethical principles. Hence, Tiong should be defended.

I am also speaking up for the minister because I agree with him that this latest issue borders on racial hate – an unpleasant, uncomfortable subject that we should actually avoid at all costs in our arguments/debates over our fundamental differences.

Unfortunately, there are extremists in our midst who have no qualms about raising the subject, highlighting our differences, and exerting their superiority over others. What is most sad is that they could be arousing racial hate at the behest of political masters.

Indeed, the many debates over race and religion of late and the rising temperature and tension among Malaysians involved is a matter of regret and not something we can be proud of.

At times, I also feel that we must be earnest and daring enough to discuss our differences with the hope of creating a better understanding among our diverse citizenry.

Malaysians

I believe that because Tiong has been the subject of much controversy of late, particularly in his exchanges with PAS politicians, there seems to be a vicious attempt to discredit and disparage him as a political leader and minister.

In this latest case, the minister claimed that the allegations, about him drinking alcohol and eating pork in his office, were circulated on WhatsApp, purportedly by an individual claiming to be a retired Health Ministry deputy director-general who served under several non-Muslim ministers.

Rules for non-Muslims

Firstly, it is important to recognise there is nothing wrong with Tiong, as a Chinese and non-Muslim, eating pork and drinking alcohol. He can eat and drink all he wants and, I must add, anywhere he wants to as it is his right to do so.

But I must also ask. Is there an unwritten rule that non-Muslim ministers and staff must not consume non-halal food and beverages in their offices?

If so, why was this never an issue in the past? I do not recall anyone accusing MCA or MIC ministers of eating pork or consuming alcohol in their offices.

Tiong

If you ask me, I find it impossible to believe that our non-Muslim ministers and staff had never been tempted to consume non-halal food and beverages, even in the privacy of their offices.

I guess that during BN’s decades in government, there was more tolerance and Malaysians got along better with each other, even within the corridors of power.

Not anymore. Today, we tend to pick on each other’s faults and do not hesitate to show our intolerance, even publicly, of our different beliefs and cultures.

Such behaviour can only stem from misunderstandings, a lack of empathy, and a narrow perspective. Sadly, we have digressed in this race relations when we should have progressed.

This is something which the Madani government of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has to seriously look into and find holistic measures to quell this worsening race relations and religious bigotry in the country.

Or are some of his cabinet members, political operatives, and those lurking around the corridors of Putrajaya part of the problem? If so, then Malaysia is screwed big time!

The anonymous accuser

For the retired deputy DG in Tiong’s crosshairs, the ex-senior civil servant should have taken the lead in promoting tolerance, understanding, and open-mindedness to build a more inclusive and harmonious society. Yes, even in retirement.

Health Ministry

No, he didn’t. Instead, he saw it fit to lash out at a sitting minister over what I would describe as a penchant of his kind who just relish lording over others, exerting their might and superiority in the process.

Tiong acted correctly to challenge his critics to reveal themselves and meet with him at the ministry within two weeks to resolve the matter.

“Let me be clear to those with hidden self-agenda as I have shown all these baseless messages to my secretary-general and deputy minister, and revealed this ridiculous issue to the ministry in an internal meeting: I will not compromise with doing the right thing,” the minister stressed.

Drinking and dancing

Some time ago, I also defended Tiong in my column in the Sarawak Tribune, writing that if Tiong performs as a minister, what is drinking and dancing?

This was after a PAS lawmaker chided the minister for his alleged public misdemeanour of dancing and drinking with his constituents at a longhouse event in Sarawak.

Today, let me repeat. If Tiong performs and carries out his responsibilities well as a minister, he is entitled to eat as much as he wants and drink to his heart’s content.

But watch the waistline, minister. That’s not very healthy. Perhaps, eating and drinking less is not a bad idea. Just keep on dancing and sweat it out. - Mkini

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FRANCIS PAUL SIAH is a veteran Sarawak editor and heads the Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS). He can be reached at sirsiah@gmail.com.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.