Political commentator Professor James Chin has called for consistency in government policies following the recent controversy over alcohol being served at a Tourism Malaysia-related event. He argued that if Putrajaya insists on banning alcohol from official functions out of religious sensitivity, it should also prohibit beef in deference to Malaysia’s Hindu community.
Chin’s remarks came after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim reprimanded Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing for allowing alcohol to be served at a Global Travel Meet gala dinner, even though private industry players had taken over the event’s organisation. The incident has triggered strong reactions, with several opposition leaders demanding Tiong’s removal from office.
According to Chin, the government’s reaction exposed what he described as hypocrisy and selective moral enforcement. He said such decisions appeared to be influenced more by supremacist groups seeking to impose Islamic values across the board than by genuine administrative protocol.
The University of Tasmania academic added that if Malaysia’s leaders truly aimed to respect the sensitivities of all communities, they must extend the same courtesy to the country’s Hindu population, roughly seven percent of the population, by banning beef from government functions as well.
He said that Hindus are often part of official gatherings as guests or civil servants, and a balanced approach would show that the government’s policies are rooted in fairness rather than dominance. Chin noted that the “one-way moral rules” reflect a broader pattern of political power being used to dictate social behavior, often at the expense of non-Muslims.
Chin also argued that the prime minister had made a misstep by publicly reprimanding Tiong, claiming it played into the hands of Perikatan Nasional (PN) and further alienated non-Muslims. He suggested that Anwar should have avoided engaging in what he described as a political trap designed to paint the Madani government as inconsistent and overly appeasing to conservative factions.
Criticising the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (CUEPACS), Chin questioned its involvement in the debate, saying its duty was to safeguard workers’ welfare, not to impose social norms. He cited embassy functions as an example where Malaysian civil servants routinely attend events where alcohol is served, making the stance appear contradictory.
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