Gabungan Parti Sarawak’s (GPS) Nancy Shukri has accused Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen of seeking to politicise the withdrawal of a local beer named “Santubong” when the brewer had willingly taken the product off the shelves.
The Santubong MP said Chong, the Stampin MP, was merely trying to remain relevant in the political realm by championing any issue that he thinks would serve his interests.
“I believe the company that produced the product realised their actions had hurt the constituents of Santubong. That was why they agreed to remove the product from the shelves.
“Why is Chong suddenly raising an issue that has been decided by the company? He has a lot more to do for the people in his constituency rather than interfering with issues that have already been decided by the company concerned,” Nancy said.
The federal minister said GPS’s Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap rightly pointed out that it was inappropriate to name the craft beer “Santubong” when the area’s population were predominantly Muslim.
She said that was why her constituents raised a fuss over the name in the first place.
“It is just natural for a leader like myself to protect the sanctity of the majority of my constituents.
“My only suggestion to Chong is to serve his people well. They need him more than the people of Santubong,” she added.
The Sarawak-based craft beer producer had reportedly withdrawn the beer from distribution following “overwhelming response and attention around the name Santubong”.
According to product information, the beer was “inspired by the majestic Mount Santubong in Sarawak”. It was brewed and bottled in Sibu.
Chong said this was a setback for Sarawak in terms of its values of tolerance and harmony, adding that naming a locally-produced beer “Santubong” only helped promote the Bornean state.
The state opposition leader questioned why Sarawakians had become so sensitive, saying he would expect such an issue to arise only in Peninsular Malaysia.
