Sarawak, everyone’s favorite, laid-back uncle in a singlet, has told Free Malaysia Today that the state is open to celebrating Oktoberfest.
Emboldened, conservative Islamic party PAS along with other less moderate authorities have been riding a recent victory in having a craft beer festival permit denied, and now have their sites set on Oktoberfest. The cultural German celebration of beer, food and music, has in years past, popped up across Malaysia during the month of October.
PAS are currently attempting to have a Selangor Oktoberfest event celebrating German food and beverages shuttered.
But Sarawak Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said that in the midst of PAS trying to shut down Selangor’s Oktoberfest celebrations, they were happy to host it, as long as it wasn’t promoted purely as a beer drinking event.
Speaking to FMT he told the site that in Malaysia, “Oktoberfest has been misconstrued and promoted by pubs as a beer drinking festival. Since my school days, I’ve seen hotels in Sarawak organizing Oktoberfest and I’m just puzzled why this has become an issue in 2017.”
There is something so refreshing when a voice of reason speaks through the chaos, that somewhere deep inside you, your faith in humanity gets restored just a tiny bit.
He added that Muslims like himself could partake in a bit of German culture, and enjoy the non-alcoholic elements of Oktoberfest. Furthermore, he told the public to remember that we’re a multi-religious and multiracial country.
“Muslims cannot force non-Muslims not to eat or drink food which they aren’t allowed to consume.”
Karim added that this principal was even more important in Sarawak, where drinking alcohol was part of the culture of non-Muslims. If tolerance were to dissipate, then the fabric that celebrates Sarawak’s unity and diversity would break apart.
PREACH.
Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) recently pulled the plug on the city’s “Better Beer Festival 2017.” It would have been Malaysia’s largest craft beer festival. Single tear.
DBKL issued a statement saying that the August 28 application from festival organizers had been rejected, with no approval being given for the date nor the time. They also warned that any go-ahead with the event would result in prompt closure by authorities.
It’s widely believed that the rejection was due to the objections by conservative, Islamic party PAS, which referred to it as a “vice festival.” However, there have also been claims by government officials that the festival was given the kibosh due to “Islamic State security threats.”
Riiiiight. So – see everyone in Sarawak? Game of Thrones-slash-Kill Bill approved!
