KUALA LUMPUR – Former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin’s suggestion for ketum to become one of the country’s exports has led to clashing views among netizens.
During his “Keluar Sekejap” podcast with former Umno information chief Shahril Sufian Hamdan on April 17, Khairy suggested that exporting ketum leaves to permitting countries could be a good source of income for local farmers.
On one end, netizens laughed off the former Rembau MP’s suggestion, questioning his state of mind when he made the proposal.
Joe Lebosi, manager of Malaysian TV personality Daphne Iking, compared the suggestion to other illegal activities.
“That’s like saying we cannot watch pornography here, so why don’t we produce and shoot them here and only sell it to Vivid Entertainment US,” he said, referring to an American pornographic film production company.
“Not sure what you guys are smoking down at the studio, but your argument is on a slippery slope. Exporting ketum? That makes us drug traffickers,” he added.
Twitter user @YungTrashLord quipped that he finally knew what the “K” in Khairy’s initials stood for, implying that it was ketum.
Khairy’s stance on the matter also led to several netizens speculating that he has his own ketum farm or had invested in one.
Some asked why Khairy did not act on his suggestion when he was in the cabinet, while others claimed that he will contradict himself in upcoming years by saying the government should have banned the substance.
Nonetheless, numerous netizens also lauded the former Umno man’s recommendation, with the podcast’s video uploaded on YouTube receiving numerous comments in agreement.
A user named Yong Wen Chuann agreed with Khairy on exporting ketum to other nations and helping small local farmers.
“If they export it at a high price, then (there will be) fewer sales to the locals as the price will soar up as well,” he commented on YouTube, adding that fewer sales to locals equated to fewer addictions.
Similarly, Hadi Aiman commented that Malaysia will be able to see the benefits of ketum, following research on its advantages by scientists at the Institute of Pharmaceuticals and Nutraceuticals (IPharm).
Another user named Daniel Tan commended the idea of exporting ketum for foreign currency, but noted the possibility that locals will travel overseas to buy the plant, ultimately leading to an outflow of the ringgit.
Besides his suggestion to export ketum, Khairy also proposed the government form a “ketum board” to ensure that the plant’s production is regulated and restricted to export purposes.
Playing devil’s advocate during the podcast, Shahril raised the question of whether the nation’s values should be compromised for the sake of income.
Nonetheless, both podcasters stressed that the debate was only to spark discussion and allow the audience to form their own opinions.
The debate between the two was inspired by an incident where a civil servant was arrested in Putrajaya on April 13, on suspicion of selling and distributing ketum water.
Ketum leaves are prohibited products in Malaysia, as they contain mitragynine, a controlled substance under the Poisons Act.
According to the Health Ministry, excessive consumption of mitragynine could lead to drowsiness, dizziness, euphoric feelings, and vomiting in worst-case scenarios.
During his tenure as health minister, Khairy visited Thailand to assess the medical potential of cannabis and ketum, as well as the legal framework the nation established for their use.
As of now, the government is still waiting for the Health Ministry’s findings and recommendations before reaching a decision on the research of medical marijuana, which was proposed by Khairy. – The Vibes, April 19, 2023
