PAS’ Tuan Ibrahim: Timah is just a metal

PETALING JAYA: In a move seen as preventing the controversy over local whisky Timah from escalating, PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man has stepped in to offer an explanation.

While many in PAS had called for action to be taken against the local whisky manufacturer, Tuan Ibrahim emphasised that “Timah” was not a Muslim name nor even a person’s name.

“It’s a type of metal. Furthermore, the logo is a picture of a man. There is no man named Timah,” he was quoted as saying by PAS mouthpiece Harakah Daily.

He reminded Muslims that liquor was still prohibited in Islam, but the rights of non-Muslims to drink it had to be considered as well.

“It’s better for us to educate Muslims to stay away from alcohol, but the rights of non-Muslims also need to be looked at,” he added.

His remarks ran in contrast with his peers such as Idris Ahmad, the PAS vice-president who is also the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of religious affairs.

The latter was among those calling for a name change, saying that the brand name Timah could cause confusion to the Muslim community, after it was highlighted recently.

Idris had said he would bring up the matter with the Home Ministry and the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry.

The deputy religious affairs minister Datuk Ahmad Marzuk Shaary, also from PAS, had denied that the government was involved in the production of Timah, following social media accusations.

Timah’s manufacturer explained that the name is derived from the Malay word “tin” and the man pictured on its bottle is Captain Tristam Speedy, an English officer in Malaya during the British colonial era.