Lim said although she doesn’t necessarily agree with Rusnah’s opinion on Timah, she believes the country’s plural society must allow room for healthy and open discussions.

Rusnah’s statement sparked controversy when she said “Timah”, the Malaysian-made whisky which recently made headlines over its brand name, is a disservice to women.

Rusnah insisted that Timah was a name associated with a Malay woman, like “Kak Timah” or “Makcik Timah”.

“So when we drink the whisky, it gives the impression that we are drinking a Malay woman,” she said in the Dewan Rakyat. A video clip of her making the comments has since gone viral on social media.

“Any criticism based on facts can be accepted to help everyone understand one another,” said Lim.

“However, the personal attacks against Rusnah have been disrespectful and offensive in nature. They do not promote a healthy culture,” she said in a statement.

Lim, who served as the women’s development and welfare exco in the former Pakatan Harapan state government in Melaka, added that Rusnah only brought up the issue in her capacity as an elected representative towards women’s issues in order to highlight the context during a debate in the Dewan Rakyat.