OCT 9 — Today I got an invitation to join a group on Facebook called Alcohol Consumers’ Rights Group (or “AlCon” for short). The group was set up with the aim of protecting the fundamental rights of alcohol consumers (hereafter referred to as “drinkers”) against sky-high alcohol prices in Malaysia.

AlCon members believe that since drinkers contribute billions to the economy every year, they shouldn’t have to pay so much when they go to the pub (of course, it is pertinent to note that if drinks were cheaper, they would actually be contributing less than they currently do).

All the same, AlCon’s raison d’etre is to lower or maintain the current prices of alcohol at F&B outlets; and oppose any increase in alcohol taxes. Some of the reasons they have set out are as follows:

1.  Drinkers already pay a lot of tax on alcohol — more than any other country in the region. They believe there is no justification for this. Malaysia has the second highest duty on alcohol in the world after Norway, but Norway’s average income per capita is 8-9 times higher than Malaysia. 

2. The high prices cause Malaysians to drink cheap and dangerous backyard brews such as samsu. Many local producers don’t have any safety standards or quality checks so this puts the drinkers at risk.

3. The government has not conducted studies on the impact of price hikes. It feels that the increase of duty will cause many F&B outlets to shut down as fewer people will be drinking. This will increase unemployment.

4. Smuggling and related illegal activities are very high in Malaysia due to ridiculous taxes. Legitimate importers will lose out as a result. There is also the risk of smuggled products being fake or expired.

5. The majority of Malaysians are responsible and social drinkers. AlCon believes that any concern over alcoholism should be addressed via education, not a tax increase. For example: If motorcyclists are killed on the road, the problem is not solved by banning motorcycles.

6. The government should give out brewing licenses to serious investors so that they can monitor the industry. The number of licenses issued at present are limited which deter foreigners who wish to open microbreweries in Malaysia. Many have turned to neighbouring countries such as Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand. That said, Malaysia is in turn losing legitimate and tourist-attracting businesses to our neighbours. 

AlCon believes that the current situation is unsustainable and says it will speak out when needed, communicate with the media and stakeholders in the alcohol industry in Malaysia. It hopes to someday become a formal consumers’ association.

As a drinker (out of interest, not relation, check out this), LoyarBurokker (www.loyarburok.com) and MyConsti member (www.perlembagaanku.com), I of course took time out to consider AlCon’s position from a Constitutional perspective and by god these crazy taxes are a violation of our fundamental liberties!

Article 8 of our Federal Constitution provides that all persons are equal before the law, and that there shall be no discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, descent or place of birth. 

So riddle me this: On the one hand, we have Malaysians who don’t drink and aren’t affected by high alcohol prices at all. But if we have a non-religious Malaysian drinker (any race) from a family with a long line of alcoholics (let’s call him Greg), who is now a bit of an alcoholic himself due to a social problem (that the government has not solved), who is unable to get drunk because of high alcohol prices, wouldn’t it be fair to say that he is being discriminated against? 

The government is also in violation of Article 5 (Right to Life) here as Greg will be ridiculed by his richer peers and be told to “get a life” as he will not have much of one if he can’t afford to socialise/drink. His rights under Article 6 (which provides that no person shall be held in slavery) are also being violated as he is now a slave to the phenomenal alcoholic prices, and might have to resort to crime/working overtime to support his habit.    

Then there is Article 10 which preserves our Freedom of Speech and Expression. There are those among us who express ourselves fine without alcohol. But there are also those who express themselves better when drunk. And then there are those who would never open up unless drunk. What are these guys going to do if they can’t afford to drink anymore? Never express themselves? Turn violent due to frustration? What good will that bring? Don’t forget that those who are sober/not so drunk will also be missing out on the entertainment that funny drunks have to offer. 

Article 10 also protects our Freedom of Assembly and Freedom to Form Associations. So if a pressure group (or should I say, pressured group) such as AlCon decides that all its meetings will be held in pubs, with alcohol prices going up, soon none of its members will be able to afford to attend meetings and it will be forced to disband. So doesn’t that make expensive booze an indirect way of curbing these particular freedoms? Already we have daily proof of our freedoms being curtailed — if booze gets even more expensive, it will be total Constitutional carnage!

If you’re a drinker, you should be pissed off right now, because if you’re not, it will soon be the only way you can afford to get pissed.

You can join AlCon here if you believe in their cause.

* The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.