MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT WANTS OKTOBERFEST BANNED
After the pandemic forced all festivals and events to be cancelled, the world’s largest beer fest is finally back. Every year, hundreds and thousands of people flock to the German city of Munich to attend Oktoberfest.
The festival is traditionally held in September over a two-week period and ends on the first Sunday in October.
The festival, first held in 1810, has now become a hot topic for the Malaysian government as it hopes to bring an end to the celebrations.
The country’s Religious Affairs Minister Idris Ahmad said that “although non-Muslims are not prohibited from drinking alcohol, the (Malaysian) government is of the opinion that allowing this festival to happen and making it open to the public should not happen as it will cause social problems”.
CNN reports that Ahmad said that “alcohol is seen to affect the harmony, order and safety of the community”.
“With regards to Oktoberfest, all parties should respect the rules and regulations of Malaysia based on Islam as the religion of the federation.”
The festival is often celebrated in other parts of the world where countries hold their own versions of the popular beer fest, including countries with large Muslim populations like Palestine and parts of the Middle East.
Several pubs in Malaysia host their own Oktoberfest and the events are usually very popular. Even the Irish festival St. Patrick’s is celebrated by locals in Malaysia.
The German government hasn’t responded to the comments yet.
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