YOURSAY | Aside from alcohol, here’s a list for PAS to ban

YOURSAY | ‘By the same logic, ban all humans as well.’

PAS: Suspend sale of alcohol until drunk driving resolved

Vijay47: Certainly, alcoholic drinks, the inspiration of Lucifer himself, must be eradicated and Malaysia once again will be at peace with itself.

As PAS information chief Kamaruzaman Mohamad has pointed out, the obstacle to salvation and road safety lies in those exquisite bottles of Dalmore 62, Vieille Bon Secours, Snow Leopard, Chateau d’Yquem - these agents of death make our roads the highway to hell. And we must not forget our own devilish Heineken,

Facts, like hips, don’t lie. Just within the last week, we had not one but two cases of drunk drivers causing serious accidents. Of course, that there were in the same period a few hundred other road accidents, including fatal ones, are unfortunate coincidences.

Ban alcohol in whatever form, even sanitisers, and in one fell swoop we would have cured this sickness forever; that there would still remain 96 percent of traffic accidents from other causes is again an unfortunate coincidence.

Party-poopers may sneer that PAS should attend to more pressing ills within the community like a predilection to chasing the dragon, incest, and a penchant to treating public funds as their own, wherein Mercedes Benz rings a bell.

I suppose he would respond that these are cultural practices into which non-Muslims should not interfere. Kamaruzaman, best wishes to whatever may be your next brainwave to release the bottled-up passion, and cheers!

Diabolocracy: Although drink driving is a serious problem which should have harsher penalties, most vehicular deaths involved motorcyclists – does Kamaruzaman also dare to suggest suspending the sale and use of motorbikes?

How about starting with a simpler one - enforce road laws equally on motorcyclists, especially the ones who speed, weave in between lanes, refuse to use designated lanes, etc?

Cocomomo: Better still, suspend the sale of motorbikes and all motorbike driving licenses until the ‘mat rempits’ learn to ride responsibly.

There are far more accidents and fatalities during festive holidays when people go back to their hometowns than the rest of the year with no drunk driving involved.

So, do we suspend ‘balik kampung’ too?

Newday: Just a short note that with these last two ‘drunk’ incidents, it has not been proven as to whether either driver was drunk at the time.

For the driver who crashed into a roadblock killing a police officer, there was nothing in his charge sheet which was reportedly read out in court referring to his blood/alcohol reading - extremely odd.

As to the car that crashed into five people at a hawker site, the police stated the driver was “believed” to be drunk. Where is the proof? I may be farfetched in my guess, but then again...

Vela: Honestly, we just need strict laws and proper enforcement against drunk driving – first-time offence a warning and fine. Second-time offence, licence suspension for a year and fine, etc.

S Kumar: Indeed, a very heavy penalty might deter drunk driving. Maybe a RM50,000 fine, a total ban on driving, and if they kill anyone in the process, make them support the family of the dead for his/her entire life.

Well Thats Fantastic: If the police did their job and set up random breath testing like they do in Australia, they would catch these idiots before they hurt someone or themselves.

Punishing all drinkers because of the action of a minority is really wrong.

PAS needs to realise that a huge chunk of tax money comes from sin taxes. Try finding a replacement for that source of income before talking.

Coward: Let's also stop the sale of tobacco until the health problem caused by smoking is solved as well.

It affects a larger portion of the population and is a bigger problem overall than alcohol. Second-hand smoke probably kills more people than drunk drivers.

There is no excuse for drink driving or other offences caused by alcohol. Equally, it is no place to use this to advance and impose one’s belief on others.

Anonymous_ac377aa5: Yes, stop selling cigarettes until lung cancer is resolved. Stop selling fast food until people lose weight.

You can see how stupid PAS' idea sounds. Indeed, stop printing money until corruption stops might be a better idea.

Anonymous_2450959d: We should also ban all forms of gaming. We should ban the sales of soft drinks as it is the highest cause of obesity, diabetes and related death.

We should ban vehicles as carbon monoxide causes lung cancer and death.

Bluemountains: PAS as an Islamic party shouldn't just ask for the suspension of sale of alcohol. It must ask for a total ban on all four-digit lotteries and all gambling outlets.

PAS, which is now part of the government, will be seen as a hypocrite if it allows such "haram" activities to continue.

Anonymous 2477041498014112: By the same logic, ban all humans as well.

The Analyser: How about suspending the force-feeding of religion until the low productivity of the faithful is resolved?

Strange isn’t it, how in Malaysia, every problem is someone else’s fault.

Cynical: Based on Kamaruzaman’s argument, PAS should be suspended until the issue of racism and religious extremism is solved.

Jarchin: Kamaruzaman, God forbid you are not asking to ban sex until we put an end to issues concerning rape.

YOURSAY | ‘Ban alcohol to reduce drunk driving’ a misplaced logic

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. In the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.