12 TELLING IT AS IT IS theSun | MONDAY MAY 25 2009

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Don’t step on personal liberties
If the Selangor mentri besar
had his way, the Carlsberg
Malaysian Open Golf cannot
be held at the Mines. By his
reasoning, the thousands of
spectators and millions of
television viewers will get the
impression that the country is
a “haven for beer drinkers”.
The large A-boards on the
tee-boxes and the fairways
which would be captured CitizenNades qualms about adults so-
by television cameras, if the
mentri besar is to be believed, by R. Nadeswaran
it would create the impres-
sion that everyone involved with golf
are either drunkards or alcoholics.
If the mentri besar had his way, the
Formula One championships will never
be allowed to be held at the Sepang Cir-
cuit. Because there will be large banners
and billboards advertising Fosters Beer;
the worldwide television audience which
runs into at least a billion, will get the
impression that everyone who follows
motor racing drinks beers by the litres.
If the mentri besar is to be believed, the
viewers will come to the conclusion that
motor racing fans will be drunk long
before the race itself starts.
If the Selangor mentri besar had
his way, Malaysia would have never
participated in the Tiger Cup. This,
according to him, would create the
impression that all footballers in this
country drink beer and their participa-
tion is an endorsement of the product.
THESE words appeared in this column
on Jan 2, 2003, by which time Malaysia
had already lost the chance to continue
hosting the Johnny Walker Classic,
an international tournament which
draws almost all the big names in golf
including Ernie Els, Vijay Singh and
at least on one occasion, Tiger Woods.
That’s because someone said, “Ma-
laysia should not be associated with
liquor.” Since then, Carlsberg is no
longer the title sponsor which resulted
in the Malaysian Golf Association los-
ing millions in sponsorship, which in
turn would have gone a long way to
development.
In 2002, Malaysia hosted the World
Cup hockey tournament and as
usual, we scribes, both local and in-
ternational would be in the Heineken
hospitality tent exchanging notes over
a few beers after filing our stories in
the late evening. During
one of these sojourns, we
had an unexpected visitor
– the Sultan of Perak who
was then the president
of the Malaysian Hockey
Federation. We all stood
up, greeted him and he
replied: “Enjoy yourselves.
After all the hard work, you
must unwind.” He had no
cialising over beers at their
own time and money.
All these events came to
mind last week after we were told that
some religious zealots aided and abet-
ted by political warlords are attempting
to ban the sale of beer in retail outlets
in Selangor. Such a move will impede
on the personal liberties of individu-
als. It is an attempt to deprive adults
of being able to buy and consume a
legitimate product manufactured by
a licensed company and on which
excise and duty has been paid.
Various reasons have been given
for such a move – all of which are
ludicrous, to say the least. Based on
such illogical and imaginative reason-
ing (read: excuses) Little Napoleons
and Big Napoleons in local councils
have taken it upon themselves to
draw up their own laws on the sale
of beers, in the process, stamping on
citizens’ rights to choose what product
he or she wants to consume. No one
is putting a gun to the heads of people
and ordering them to drink beer but
by the same token, they seem to be
putting the same gun on the trade and
ordering them to stop selling beer. Re-
ligious requirements aside, consuming
anything is one’s choice. If you want
to decide on other people’s choice, it
becomes an impediment and is akin
to interfering in one’s personal and
private life.
These Napoleons – big and small
– have chosen to impose conditions
on trading licences which they are
authorised to issue. One such condi-
tion is “Tidak dibenar jual bir” (Not
allowed to sell beer). Who gave them
the right to tell the businessmen on
what they can or cannot sell? Who
gave them the authority to be judges
of morals? These actions are a blatant
disregard for the already existing laws
of the land and more importantly, an
letters
letters@thesundaily.com
Private consultations
abuse of the powers vested in them.
may prove more fruitful
THE decision by a local author-
ity in Selangor to restrict and/or
ban the sale of liquor, medicated
The argument that the open display wines and beers in certain retail
and sale of beer leads to teenage al- outlets, in particular, conven-
coholism holds no water because it is ience stores and traditional
not supported by any scientific studies Chinese medicine shops has
or facts. On the contrary, like look- generated much unease.
ing for a needle in the haystack, they Notwithstanding the noble
conjure reasons to justify their illegal intentions of the proponents
actions. In the same breath, it could of the ban which is to curb
also be said that the sale of condoms social ills arising from alcohol
leads to people leading promiscuous abuse, I suggest that this issue
lives or for that matter, the sale of soft should be handled in a rational
drinks causes diabetes! Then again, manner. Perhaps, in addition to
chocolates and ice cream could yet be public consultations, the state
another excuse because they can say it government should also engage
causes your teeth to decay! with stakeholders in private
Enough is enough. While on one consultations to gauge their true
hand mentris besar – past and present feelings. The views of the various
– are spending taxpayers’ money to religious bodies and relevant
“lure foreign investment”, on the other professional institutions should
hand, they keep moving the goalposts. also be sought.
Time, effort and money on such pro- While open public dialogues
motions will continue going down the are commendable, these
drain. Instead of trying to help trade sometimes degenerate into
and promote free enterprise, we seem contentious debates that in-
to be wasting time on making their flame emotions and entrench
existence difficult. positions without resolving the
What will they think of next? Order root issues.
Astro to stop telecasting matches and The rules on the sale of liquor
events just because beer advertise- and alcoholic beverages have
ments can be viewed by all and sundry? been in use since Independence
Just because the word “Carlsberg” is in 1957, and indeed, decades
emblazoned on the jerseys of Liver- before when Malaya was under
pool players, there will be no more British rule. Hitherto, these
matches of the team on television? Or regulations had never been a
will there be a blackout of the telecast matter of concern. If there is any
of Wednesday’s European Cup final change proposed, it is essential
between Barcelona and Manchester that such revision comes about
United because Heineken is the title only after careful study.
sponsor? Please, stop underestimating Any proposed regulation
our ability to think and stop wanting must be in accordance with
citizens to act like zombies at your other federal and state laws or
beck and call. If the state wants to con- they will be challenged.
tinue with its slogan that “all people Local authorities must be
will be treated equally and fairly”, then mindful that in regulating local
the best thing it should do is to pull up businesses, they have to act in
those who imposed the unfair (albeit accordance with the regulations
illegal) condition on trading licences. If in place, and not according to
this is not done, it will be interpreted to their personal views.
mean that it condones the existence of Since the primary concern
Napoleons who can do as they like. stems from the alleged con-
sumption of liquor and beer by
Muslim youth, empirical data
R. Nadeswaran has a confession to make must be obtained to bear out
– he only drinks beer, especially after a this contention.
long day in the office. He does not want Public policy cannot be made
to be subjected to illegal edicts and rules. on the hunches of a few. Let us
He is editor (special and investigative see the evidence. Perhaps the
reporting) at theSun. He can be reached authorities should disclose the
at: citizen-nades@thesundaily.com extent of alcohol abuse among
Muslim youth so we may gauge
the extent of the problem.
I would prefer that the energy
and attention of all stakeholders
and authorities, including the
state government, be channelled
towards tackling pressing social
ills and crime issues and not
to further regulate something
which has not been proven to
be a major source of the social
problems.
Worse, tightening or banning
the sale of alcoholic beverages
will likely encourage a black mar-
ket trade in such items, perhaps
even boosting demand for illegal
samsu (bootleg) and toddy. This
will cause a loss of revenue for
government, a loss of jobs in the
retail and manufacturing sectors
concerned and would not help
Malaysia’s image as a competi-
tive investment destination.
I would suggest that the
Selangor government under-
take an authoritative study of
the regulatory framework in
other countries where there is
a sizeable Muslim population to
learn how this matter is handled.
These countries could include
our neighbours such as Singa-
pore, Indonesia, Thailand and
the Philippines as well as other
Muslim-majority countries in the
Middle East.
I am perturbed that one of
the criteria cited for advocating
such restrictions and/or ban
is the locality being a “Muslim
majority area”. May I suggest
that public policy decisions
must be based on what is right
or wrong, good or bad, and not
on a simple majority vs minor-
ity basis. If this were to be the
basis for public policy decision-
making, the future is bleak for
multiculturalism and diversity in
Malaysia as simple demographic
trends dictate that virtually all lo-
calities in Malaysia will become
“Muslim-majority” in the years
to come.
The strength of democracy
lies in giving room to both major-
ity and minority interests. That
is the secret of a successful
diverse nation.
Let us learn from the suc-
cesses of the United States,
Singapore and Turkey in multi-
culturalism and not follow other
countries such as Yugoslavia
where intolerance and lack of
respect for minority views and
interests have destroyed the
very fabric of nationhood.
Richard Y. W. Yeoh
Petaling Jaya City Councillor

Remind students charity begins at home

I REFER to “Patch Adams wannabe slips
through PSD net” (Letters, May 20), and
agree with the statement made by the
writer’s son, who is quoted to have said,
“I want to serve the country but the
country does not need my service.”
I worked for a boss once who
preached very much the same thing. He
used to remind his staff that “everyone
was useful and nobody was indispen-
sable.”
Being young and wilful, I regarded
him as cruel and without understanding,
but later in life I realised that he was right
because one can hardly expect others
to need him.
It is we, as individuals, who must learn
to make ourselves useful to those around
us and to our country by our every action
and deed. Had I understood this simple
fact sooner, I would have saved myself
much sorrow and reached my objectives
earlier.
It is evident from the tone of the letter
that both the writer and her son think the
Public Services Department has done
them an injustice by denying the boy a
scholarship to study medicine overseas
and that they bear a grudge.
Although the mother vows to find
another way to help her son achieve his
dream, the grudge will certainly remain
and this doctor will carry it with him for
the rest of his life. I wonder how this will
affect his ability to be understanding and
compassionate, the two primary quali-
ties of a good doctor.
Another thing that baffles me is why
this wannabe doctor, like so many other
scholarship hopefuls, needs a degree
before he can start serving society and
the less fortunate whom he seems to
have so much at heart.
In my experience, it is impossible
to truly love others before one loves
himself first.
The truly successful are those who
love themselves first and who know that
to get what they want the environment
around them must be in proper order.
And the environment around you
cannot possibly be in order when you
impose on others and make their life
difficult because of your ambitions.
If the son of the writer truly has such
a generous nature why does he not start
first with helping his parents who have
nurtured and loved him thus far?
Seeing that the parents are unable
to finance his education of choice, the
compassionate youth could work as
an apprentice at a clinic or a hospital
and pay for his studies in stages as he
earns.
Although arduous, this would be a
much better path than expecting your
parents, who are not so young anymore,
to pay for you even at the risk of going
through their life savings and having to
mortgage or sell their properties.
Additionally, opting for an apprentice-
ship would immediately decrease the
workload and increase the rewards of
housemen who often grumble about the
long hours they have to put in.
But alas, the parents don’t mind!
They think that providing free education
is their duty, even when the child is much
stronger and in better health than they
are and could well work and pay for his
own education.
Well, hopefully this fully sponsored
generation will have enough pity left in
their heart, and enough income, to pay
for an old folks home for their parents
who will spend the reminder of their life
either wishing they had sent their chil-
dren to work at an earlier age, or simply
staring at the emptiness in front of them
while waiting for the end.
Marisa Demori
Ipoh