PAS MPs Want Malaysia Airlines To Ditch Booze For Cendol
The politicians cite examples of alcohol-free airlines like Saudi Airlines and Royal Brunei, and point to past incidents involving drunk passengers as justification.
Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter, or Telegram and WhatsApp channels for the latest stories and updates.
Malaysia’s Islamic opposition party has a message for the country’s flag carrier: forget the wine list, bring on the shaved ice.
Two lawmakers from PAS stood up in Parliament recently, demanding Malaysia Airlines swap out its alcoholic beverages for local favourites like cendol, sirap bandung, and ais batu campur—the colourful shaved ice dessert known as ABC.
The pitch came during budget debates, with Mohd Misbahul Munir Masduki from Parit floating the idea and Muhammad Ismi Mat Taib from Parit Buntar supporting him.
Their argument?
Local drinks would better showcase Malaysian culture while sparing Muslim flight attendants from having to serve alcohol.
History of High-Altitude Complaints
Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman from Sik threw in some backup, pointing to a 2015 Malaysia Airlines flight that had to turn around mid-flight after a drunk passenger went off the rails.
He name-dropped Saudi Airlines and Royal Brunei as examples of successful carriers that keep their cabins booze-free.
This isn’t the first time PAS has taken aim at aeroplane alcohol.
Back in 2017, then-PAS Youth deputy chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari made similar noises after another drunk passenger incident.
The lawmakers seem convinced that trading cocktails for coconut milk-based drinks would solve multiple problems at once—cultural representation, religious accommodation, and unruly passenger prevention all rolled into one sweet, icy package.
PAS Youth has since rallied behind the cendol campaign, even taking shots at the Democratic Action Party (DAP) for allegedly opposing the beverage swap idea.
From Hemlines to Headlines
It’s not just the drinks menu that’s caught lawmakers’ attention—flight attendant uniforms have also been in the crosshairs.
Back in 2017, then-Senator Abdullah Mat Yasim called out AirAsia’s iconic red outfits and Firefly’s orange uniforms as “too revealing” and potentially arousing to passengers, especially young people.
He argued the eye-catching designs didn’t reflect Malaysia’s status as an Islamic nation, though he gave Malindo Air’s uniforms a pass for covering “sensitive areas.”
Fellow senator Megat Zulkarnain Omardin backed him up, joking that his wife worried whenever he flew alone on certain airlines.
The uniform debate had surfaced twice in two weeks, with another senator pushing for shariah-compliant attire to avoid giving tourists the wrong impression of Malaysia.
Apparently, when it comes to aviation, some Malaysian politicians have strong opinions about everything from the bar cart to the dress code.
PAS MP keep pushing on removing alcohol supply in MAS flights and even saying that cendol or ais kacang could replace alcohol.
— Sanger Wei Kean (@sangerwwkk) October 15, 2025
This is the reason why PAS MP always no common sense and no science knowledge. how to keep ais kacang and cendol safe to eat during air flight?
Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Threads.
