Rightists Use Of Buddha S Five Precepts To Frighten Chinese Away From Alcohol Is Flawed

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MALAYSIAN Chinese have ganged up to school smart alec rightists whom they claim have little knowledge about Comparative Religion yet want to rally the former to support their “no alcohol in schools” propaganda.
This is because local Chinese are made up of mostly Taoists although they state their official faith as “Buddhists” to fulfill government bureaucracy, ie birth certificate, national identity cards (ICs) or school registration, to name a few requirements.
Such is the rebuttal proffered by non-Muslims to a social media post by firebrand UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh who yesterday (Oct 25) slammed the Madani government for its policy U-turn by not adhering to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s earlier call to impose blanket ban in schools.
“Don’t just out of fear of losing votes, we make the wrong decision for future generations,” he fumed on his Facebook page.

“If you want to drink alcohol, if you want to get drunk until you foam on the mouth, go find some other place. Don’t produce a generation like that drunken minister (in reference to Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing).”
Probably to showcase the universality of alcohol rejection by major faiths of the world instead of confining it to only Islam, commenter Tom Haqimie reasoned that even Buddhism abhors the intoxicating effect of alcohol to the extent hat this was inscribed in the fifth of its Five Precepts a.k.a. Pancasila.

This was when one Eric Pang Se Choong claimed that the commenter has erred for majority of Chinese Malaysians are fundamentally Taoists, hence ticked him off for his flawed assumption.

The Malaccan went on to counter another commenter who teased that “Malaysian Chinese are more Chinese than their Mainland brethren” because even “China doesn’t serve alcohol in schools”.

“If you want to compare with China, then face the fact that the majority there has no privileges; instead, the minorities have an advantage when applying to university,” argued Eric Pang, an insinuation that China does not have a Bumiputera-like policy.
“Their qualifying scores are lower than the majority but they can still enter better universities.”
“After all, this is not an issue of selling alcohol in schools! This is about renting out school halls after school hours or during school holidays for wedding events. Don’t twist the facts!”
Back to dragging Buddhism into the equation, another Chinese commenter enlightened Tom Haqimie that Buddhists harbour no interest in playing the role of moral police.
“Buddha doesn’t force people to follow him but those who’re in line with Buddha will follow the Buddha’s way willingly,” shared Gengar Lee.

“Buddha doesn’t command and force non-Buddhists nor his followers to follow his ways. His followers need not be controlled or forced.”
Recall that a Christian lady has also chided PAS Parit MP Muhammad Ismi Taib who made a fuss over ‘free-flow’ alcohol at the Old Michaelian’s Association’s (OMA) 90th Annual Reunion Banquet 2025 at their alma mater in Ipoh to “get it right before quoting the Bible”.
From a Christian point of view:
 Drinking in moderation can be acceptable.
 Getting drunk or addicted is sinful because it clouds judgment and leads one away from God.
That’s why in many churches, wine is used in Holy Communion – symbolising the blood of Christ, not for pleasure but for remembrance and reverence.
 Ephesians 5:18 – “Do not get drunk on wine which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.”
It means don’t be drunk, not that alcohol is prohibited. Get your interpretation of the Bible right.
The first term PAS lawmaker had earlier argued that even non-Muslim faiths are against the consumption of alcohol:

In Islam, alcohol is clearly forbidden because it is intoxicating and mind-numbing as Allah SWT states in Surah Al-Ma’idah verse 90 that alcohol is “an impurity from the work of Satan”.In Christian teachings, many sects advise their followers not to get drunk as mentioned in Ephesians 5:18: “Do not get drunk with wine for wine is debauchery but be filled with the Spirit”.In Buddhism, the consumption of intoxicating drinks is included in the Five Precepts – that is to avoid substances that cause loss of consciousness and corrupt the mind.In Hinduism, the holy book Manusmriti states that alcohol darkens the mind and distances a person from moral purity and self-discipline. –  Focus Malaysia

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