KUCHING: Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing has denied rumours claiming alcohol and pork being served at his office in Putrajaya.
Tiong urged the individual spreading these baseless allegations through WhatsApp to step forward within two weeks to resolve the matter directly.
He said failure to do so may result in legal action against the party responsible for attempting to disrupt social harmony.
“I challenge those who spread the rumours to come forward and not hide behind their keyboards,” he said in a statement today (Jan 6).
Tiong said the message was not only false but also aimed at inciting religious and racial hatred, tarnishing the country’s administrative image.
Tiong also noted that the allegations sought to create racial tension and emphasised his respect for all ethnic and religious groups in Malaysia.
“I have always respected all ethnic and religious groups in Malaysia as a diverse country.
“I have also been laughed at for eating almost the same food every day; whether it’s the food I bring myself or the food served when entertaining guests, it’s just nasi lemak, nasi briyani, or KFC,” he said.
Even when receiving foreign guests from China, he said, the ministry would order meals from a Chinese restaurant at a hotel near Putrajaya that does not serve pork.
As for the accusation of storing alcohol in the office, Tiong clarified that such items were gifts from foreign guests and not personal belongings.
“As a civil servant, I cannot refuse the gift, but at the same time, it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to take it home and treat it as my absolute right, considering it was given in an official meeting.
“As much as possible, we try to hand over such gifts to other recipients like officers or foreign guests during dinner events or casual gatherings,” he explained.
Tiong also stressed that individuals should refrain from creating racial conflicts and inciting hatred for personal gain, as such actions could lead to disharmony in the country.
