GEORGE TOWN: A criminologist has called for the ban of Malaysian brandy Sahip, which he says sounds like Sahib, an honorific title used to glorify, among others, Sikh Gurus.
The call by Dr Shamsher Singh Thind came less than 24 hours after the Consumers' Association of Penang (CAP) called on the government to ban the Malaysian-made whisky called 'Timah'.
Shamsher said while Malaysians were busy talking about Timah, they should not forget the cheap Malaysian brandy, Sahip, which sounds like Sahib.
"The label on the bottle shows a bearded man in turban on the horse carrying a flag, which strikes an uncanny similarity to the famous portrait of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.
"It is time to regulate strictly, if not ban, all forms of liquor, whether locally made or imported, and whether cheap or expensive," the practicing lawyer said today.
Yesterday, CAP education officer N.V. Subbarow called on the government to ban the local brand liquor Timah, describing its advertisement gimmick as uncalled for by displaying a man with a long beard with a skull cap resembling a religious person.
Subbarow had slammed the relevant authorities for permitting the item to be sold in the country.
He had also said that CAP could not understand how such a brand name and image were allowed in the first place as it could trigger an uproar among the people.
"The brand name Timah insults the Muslim community as it resembles a Malay and Muslim name shortened from the name Fatimah.
"In fact, the name Timah itself is considered as continuous efforts in the history of Malaya to lead to the progress of national development in the early 20th century," he was quoted as saying.