What's with the enforcement officers at the Shah Alam Municipal Council? None of us can recall that beer has been banned in this country. But on Wednesday the council seized 70 cans of beer from a retail outlet in Section 8. The confiscated beer has now been returned after a protest. The officers have even apologised to the outlet owner, it seemed. The whole episode is pretty pathetic and crappy.
It is a typical case of council officers abusing their powers. The officers, in trying to explain their action, said the decision to act was made at a full council meeting. It's strange that beer can't be sold in Shah Alam but one whole brewery exists there. In fact, some years back, some home grown terrorist tried to blow up the brewery but failed. This time, it seems that the pressure is being exerted by the councillors.
Maybe these councillors should be brave enough to let us know their identity. It's very confusing. These Pakatan Rakyat appointed councillors are pushing hard to ban the beer and state exco member Ronnie Liu is trying to stop it. The council enforcement officers are caught in between. Guess we won't see a "beer summit" to sort out the problem.
On the other side of the world, President Obama sit down with Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and the officer who arrested him, Sgt. James Crowley, for a beer at the White House.
On the other side of the world, President Obama sit down with Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and the officer who arrested him, Sgt. James Crowley, for a beer at the White House.
17 comments:
It isn't strange at all. To sell alcoholic beverages, entertainment outlets need to apply for a permit.
In Shah Alam, such permits are not given out apparently. Except for outlets in those areas designated as for 'international & tourism' like the I-City.
close down all karaoke and places selling beer and liquor immediately.
top chinese executives from all companies under the pretext of entertaining customer after work
are wasting their time and increasing the companys expenses.
on top of this nonsense hanky panky
are aplenty.
the govt should ban all this nonsense immediately and urged all
executives and above to go back to their respective families after work.
i am chinese and i support PAS 100%
on banning of alcohol.
alcohol is nothing but trouble.
marriages are crumbling becoz of this nonsense
i am very sure all the chinese housewives and whatever will
support 100% PAS good intention.
I wonder what they were planning to do with the confiscated beer. Were they planning to sell them? Or drink them somewhere? Or expecting a "fine" to be paid to get the beer back?
It is not new that town council enforcement officers are frequently abusing their authority. Any shop owner putting up his signboard can tell you that even with the permits already given, the enforcement officer passing by will look for any fault to try to make you cough up some $$$. The best way to deal with these folks is to tell them off. Challenge them to issue a summon. Treat them like what they are: dirt, maggots and leeches!
There are existing Federal laws regulating the sales of alcohol. Beer in can or bottle form can be sold freely...even in a kedai runcit in a Malay kampung.
I was surprised Ronnie Liu claimed that the local authorities were empowered to make regulations or act against beer sellers. It is so unlike my kampung Cheroh pal. He had grown up in a kampung with beer seeling kedai runcit.
Now he is the Local Government Chief...is Dap surrendering our rights?
First, they kowtow to Pas 50% housisn quota...then the abolishment of the only abbatoir in KEDAH...Now surrendering our liberties to PKR...is this the changes that Dap has been clamouring?? At this early stage, Pas had stepped all over Dap...can we ever trust them in the near future?
People at mamak teh tarik stalls are discussing and speculating whether this is one of the indirect ways of fishing for bribes - in other words, if some money were to change hands (like wink, wink, nudge, nudge) then these raids will mysteriously stop?!
This is a very good link on the topic by Ng Kam Weng, http://libertysentinel.wordpress.com/2009/08/02/to-beer-or-to-bear-with-the-tyranny-of-the-majority/#more-169
As far as I know, I cannot find any Sports Toto, Da Ma Cai and Magnum in Shah Alam. Very difficult to find any pubs to quench my thirst too. There are some, I guess those are illegal ones.
In case you didn't notice, the modus operandi of our federal and local governments work the same way. First they issue policies or noises to restrict something, making it very difficult for businessmen to obtain permits or licences. Then the businessmen are "forced" to cough up some grease money to get things moving, or else lose money with the delays in getting their permits or licences. or worse still close shop. This apply to both the BN and PR states. Never trust politicians and town councillors of any stripe
To hell with all these. I am getting out of here.
Are Malays allowed to work in beer production companies like Carlsberg or Guinness?
I think Dr Hassan Ali has already jumped into UMNO's camp, while pretending he is still in PAS. He is already acting like an UMNO agent to creat discord in Pakatan. Another UMNO virus is Zul Nordin. Dr Hassan Ali's move to confiscate the beer and to ask for Ronnie's removal was a well calculated move to sow discord in Pakatan.
There are two sets of laws for the Malaysian muslims. If you are poor, you have a long list of things that you are prohibited from doing, like drinking alcohol and going to girly GRO KTVs. But if you are from the richer set, you are exempted. Take a walk along Bangsar Baru and Jln P Ramlee, and you can surely spot Muslims (well they are Malays, which technically means they are muslims)drinking alcohol. And many of the KTVs serving alcohol in KL are well frequented by Muslims too. And try the cigar rooms in the 5-star hotels and see who are drinking the expensive wine there. Of course in the rural and suburb areas, if a muslim even dare buy a can of beer, he will get in deep shit even before he has a chance to open the can of beer.
Maybe the issue is NOT the sale of beer. Maybe the issue is that trouble is brewing in Selangor. Maybe the issue is that BN has infiltrated Pakatan, and certain persons in Pakatan is acting at the behest of BN to create trouble. Maybe someone from Pakatan wants to join UMNO, and is taking orders from UMNO.
Are muslims allowed to work in places serving alcohol? Pubs? KTVs? MAS? Air Asia? Any airlines flying in and out of Malaysia? Restaurants? Hotels? Hypermarkets? Carlsberg and Guiness Anchor breweries? Liquor shops? Duty free shops? Are muslim managers & directors who are decision makers of companies allowed to work in such companies selling alcohol? Like in MAS, Air Asia, and duty free shops? These directors and managers are literally selling alcohol. Shouldn't they resign from their positions, or else stop selling the alcohol?
I am Chinese and Christian. I do drink alcohol although I know it is bad for me. Making it difficult to buy alcohol is actually good for me. So I have no objections of prohibiting alcohol sales in convenience stores.
But maybe I would prefer that more emphasis is put on closing down the GAMBLING outlets. Gambling is prohibited or discouraged by ANY of the major religions, including Christianity and Buddhism.
Hello PAS, PLEASE CLOSE DOWN ALL THE GAMBLING OUTLETS. They are ruining the lives of many families of all races and religions!
Maybe we should have a state or national referendum on the sales of alcohol and gambling outlets. Nobody has asked the opinion of non-Muslims on this matter. Politicians seem to assume that onlu Muslims are against the sale of alcohol and gambling.
Dark days in journalism:
"'Freedom of expression'? In the Malaysian mainstream media? What a sick and cynical joke. But Wong (Chen Wai) pressed on as though we had taken him seriously, praising a group of “former and working journalists” for sending a protest letter to the Utusan Group chairperson."
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