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By Mihar Dias October 2025
It says something about the state of our government when a 100-year-old former prime minister turns out to be the sanest man in the room.
The recent fiasco over alcohol being served at an official gala dinner — complete with global guests and, apparently, global confusion — has again reminded Malaysians that even something as basic as “don’t serve alcohol at a government event” can be lost in translation when ministers are left unsupervised.
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, ever the elder statesman, called it what it probably was — deliberate. https://newswav.com/A2510_ZoXe4O?s=A_vrM8vX6&language=en
So, who can argue with that? After all, it takes a special kind of political creativity to “accidentally” pour wine at an official dinner in a Muslim-majority country.
Tun M rightly pointed out that such a policy has been clear for decades. You don’t serve alcohol at government functions, not because we are an intolerant nation, but because — newsflash — mutual respect is the foundation of Malaysia’s social fabric.
But then again, this is the era where apologies flow faster than policy enforcement. Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing eventually stood in Parliament, looking suitably remorseful, and admitted his “mistake.” https://newswav.com/A2510_ZoXe4O?s=A_vrM8vX6&language=en
The function, he clarified, had somehow transformed into a private event midway — perhaps a new government innovation: “policy fluidity.”
Deeply sorry, he said. Confusion and misunderstanding, he said. Comforting words, no doubt, though one wonders if the discomfort arose from the wine itself or from the dizzying spin that followed.
Then, in walked Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming, glass half-full (pun intended), to tell Malaysians that serving alcohol at international events was “normal practice” elsewhere and that we shouldn’t exaggerate the issue. https://newswav.com/A2510_ZoXe4O?s=A_vrM8vX6&language=en
Fair point — except this isn’t elsewhere. It’s Malaysia, where we still respect the sensitivities of our diverse citizenry — or at least pretend to.
Nga, in his best tourism-brochure tone, warned that making a fuss could hurt Malaysia’s image before Visit Malaysia Year 2026. Apparently, “Malaysia Truly Asia” now includes imported Chardonnay. https://newswav.com/A2510_ZoXe4O?s=A_vrM8vX6&language=en
Contrast this with Tun M’s quietly devastating observation: for Muslims, it’s not just about drinking — serving it in front of them is already objectionable.
He even reminded everyone that when hosting a dinner where Muslims are present, you simply don’t serve pork — out of respect. A basic cultural courtesy, not an outdated religious dictate.
Tun M’s message was simple but piercing: People in Malaysia must know the value system of Malaysians. https://newswav.com/A2510_ZoXe4O?s=A_vrM8vX6&language=en
Sadly, it seems some ministers are still on a learning curve that not even Service Circular 3/2003 can fix.
The irony is rich. While Tun M, the supposed relic of a bygone political era, lectures the government on cultural sensitivity, the current crop of ministers appear more concerned about looking “modern” to international audiences than maintaining the moral compass that defines Malaysia’s pluralism.
Maybe Tun M is right — maybe it was deliberate. A test to see how far the line can be pushed before someone notices.
If so, congratulations, YBs — you’ve passed the test of public outrage with flying colours.
In the end, Malaysians don’t expect perfection from their ministers. Just a little common sense, a touch of humility, and — when in doubt — a reminder that leadership is not about serving alcohol; it’s about serving the people.
Of course, for that, Tun M remains, once again, the inconvenient voice of reason in a room full of political intoxication. Bravo!
Mihar Dias (mihardias@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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