By Darshan Singh | LETTER TO EDITOR |
We must recognize and respect the fact that smoking and alcohol consumption are a basic human right.
It is an individual’s personal choice if he or she would want to make smoking or alcohol consumption as their lifestyle habit, even after knowing of its negative health and social consequences.
While I am not sure of the stand of various religions on smoking, it can safely be assumed that all religions forbid the consumption of any form of intoxicants, which would necessarily include alcohol.
past couple of years, come October, we begin to witness debates and protests targeting at a famous Munich-based German festival called Oktoberfest which primarily celebrates alcohol consumption.
We may also remember an incident which happened last year where a group of individuals famously smashed beer bottles in front of the Selangor state secretariat in protest of a similar alcohol consumption festival.
The question which arises is why does the government keep on allowing such festivals to continue when it is abundantly clear that they cause more social harm than good, especially among the youth population?
It is rather unfortunate that while on one hand, the government is implementing various policy initiatives aiming to discourage people from alcohol consumption, including the recent raising of the minimum age to purchase alcohol products.
But on the other hand, these types of alcohol consumption festivals are allowed to continue.
There appears to be a stark inconsistency in policy development and implementation.
Moving forward, the federal government should review its current policy and adopt the stand of the Terengganu and Johor state governments and impose a nationwide ban on any such festival.
(Darshan Singh, Malaysia)
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Darshan has every right to his opinion. No one’s intelligence should be attacked for their views, no matter how different they are from ours. I too wish to live in a country where we have the freedom of choice in our personal lives but I will not insult or attack anyone who has a different opinion, even of that opinion is totally opposite of mine.
We have to be mature enough to accept differrent views and rebut with opinion and facts without resorting to aggressive name calling.
Malaysia Baru has a long way to go but I am sure we will get there sooner rather than later. chakadey !
The writer has missed the whole point or is too dumb to get it. It’s about the freedom of choice. It’s nothing to do with race, religion, alcohol, sex, tobacco. I want to live in a country where I have the freedom of choice.
Another point is who is the writer to appoint himself as the guardian of my morality. Are u a Saint? Please keep such bigot and narrow minded views to yourself.
Problem is not liquor or smoking or sugar or sex but EXCESSES which KILLS. Suicide is also a basic right but Authorities treat any attempt as a crime. The objective is to discourage excesses not total ban.
I do not drink but I have no right to stop others but my objection is to excesses which may be harmful.
Gur Fateh.
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