THE usage of satire or sarcasm in a prose – whether in a print or social media – can sometimes backfire on their authors as Malaysians are too straight forward to appreciate creative thoughts.

Henceforth, DAP’s Selangor State Executive Councillor Datuk Teng Chang Khim’s intended teaser that “one can get drunk by the sheer sight of alcohol” which is meant as a teaser to run down PAS’ obsession with its alcohol protest has turned into an ammunition by the Islamist party to launch a counter-attack against proponents of non-restrictive alcohol sale for non-Muslims.

For context, PAS is standing firm behind the action of Permatang Pauh’s Perikatan Nasional (PN) MP Muhammad Fawwaz Md Jan who on Tuesday (Jan 9) spearheaded a protest against the open selling/promotion of Carlsberg beers in conjunction with the Chinese New Year festivity by the Sunway Carnival Mall in mainland Penang’s Seberang Jaya.

This has prompted Teng ‘to belittle’ the PAS Permatang Pauh information chief’s effort in a Facebook (FB) post that he has since deleted by remarking that “Kalau kamu tak minum tapi tengok pun boleh mabuk, itu masalah kamu, bukan masalah arak. Sia-sia kamu sembahyang” (literally, “If you are intoxicated just by looking, the problem is with you and not alcohol. A waste of your prayers”).

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BUTTERWORTH – Penang PAS has come out to defend its embattled Permatang Pauh MP Muhammad Fawwaz Mat Jan who is accused by political rivals of overstepping his role by reprimanding a shopping mall, here over the open sale of alcohol. 

In a statement, today, Mohd Yusni Mat Piah, who is also the Penaga assemblyman and state PAS deputy commissioner III, said that Fawwaz had a right to inform the mall here, as he was only representing the interests of the Malay-Muslim majority within the vicinity.

In Permatang Pauh, Yusni disclosed that 74.49% of the voters are Muslims and it is his role as an elected representative to safeguard their sensitivities.

Furthermore, Yusni said the interests of the Muslims were not being defended by the DAP-led state government here.

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GEORGE TOWN – The Malaysia Shopping Malls Association sees the recent incident of a PAS politician advising a mall in Penang to refrain from openly selling beers as just a political gimmick.

“The politician concerned (Permatang Pauh MP Muhammad Fawwaz Mohamad Jan) has achieved his five minutes of fame and the malls should note his concerns,” said association chairman Richard Chan.

“There is nothing major. I think the exhibition is still continuing,” he told The Vibes, referring to a Lunar New Year promotion by a beer brand at the Sunway Carnival Mall management, which Fawwaz has posted about on TikTok.

Chan, the director of the consulting firm RCMC Sdn Bhd, said he viewed the incident as that of a politician seeking mileage for his cause.

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PENANG Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy said PAS’ brand of extremism is not suitable for Malaysia as the party’s “extremism, racism and bigotry have transcended the boundaries of human decency and logic”.

The Perai assemblyman said PAS leaders can defend Permatang Pauh MP Muhammad Fawwaz Muhammad Jan all they want but their “blind and cowardly defence” of Fawwaz is nothing but a blind partisan defence that has “nothing to with logic or reason”.

Ramasamy was referring to Penang PAS who has come out to defend the embattled MP who is accused by political rivals of overstepping his role in reprimanding a shopping mall over the open sale of alcohol. 

“Alcohol promotion is something common in shopping malls in the country especially during festive seasons. Such promotions are meant for non-Muslims and not the Muslims. Nobody is forcing Muslims to attend such functions,” Ramasamy pointed out. 

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