KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 — The women’s wing of Parti Amanah Negara has explained that its chief Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu had attended a school charity concert in her capacity as a deputy minister without knowing the event was sponsored by a beer company.
The wing’s deputy Anfaal Saari, said the attendance of Aiman — who is also the Sepang MP — does not mean she endorses the product.
“Perhaps there was an oversight where the officials or readiness to review before the event started, which led to the discovery that the main sponsor was Tiger, a liquor company, and this does not indicate her agreement or support,” she was quoted saying by Utusan Malaysia.
It was previously reported that Aiman had attended the event by a SJKC in Sungai Pelek, which is in her constituency.
One of the sponsors of the event was Tiger Beer — arguably the country’s biggest beer brand, manufactured by Heineken Malaysia Bhd.
Anfaal also said that Aiman, who is the deputy minister of housing and local government, had attended since her ministry was one of the contributors to the event.
Aiman’s attendance was previously criticised by Selangor PAS Youth chief Mohamed Sukri Omar, who accused the party as “normalising” alcohol with her participation.