September 15, 2010
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Muslims banned from attending brewery-backed Malaysia concert
The Malaysian government has barred Muslims from attending a concert by US hip-hop stars the Black Eyed Peas next month because the event is organised by the Irish brewer Guinness, an official said today.
The ban comes amid a clampdown on alcohol consumption among Malaysia’s Muslim majority.A woman who drank beer in public was sentenced to caning by a court last month, but the authorities – who recently curbed the sale of alcohol in a central state – have since agreed to review the punishment.
Muslims in Malaysia are governed by sharia law – which forbids the consumption of alcohol – in family and personal matters.
The Black Eyed Peas will perform at a theme park near Kuala Lumpur on 25 September as part of a worldwide series of events to mark the 250th anniversary of the Guinness brewery in Dublin.
Malaysia’s largest city is one of five places hosting Guinness concerts, and its website said the party was “only open to non-Muslims aged 18 years and above”.
Previous major pop concerts in Malaysia, including one by the Black Eyed Peas in 2007, have always been open to Muslims.
“Muslims cannot attend. Non-Muslims can go and have fun,” an official at the ministry of information, communication and culture told the Associated Press.
It was not immediately clear how the ban on Muslims would be enforced.
The official said the concert would not have been permitted under normal circumstances because government regulations forbid alcohol companies from organising events.
However, they made an exception in the hope that it would boost tourism. The official said Guinness could not use its logo in concert publicity material.
Comments (7)
You know Ger, I think it is such hog wash. Why the heck did they allow the concert to be performed if they were going to have this kind of double politics. Do they know how the dresses of the performers could be in violation of the islamic dress code among women? I think it is wrong that they would come down so hard on the muslim youth…. just because the concert is sponsored by Guinness. That is just such crock! If this hurt their sense of decorum for religion so much, they should not have allowed the performers to even come to Malaysia.
These particular lines irk me, “The official said the concert would not have been permitted under normal
circumstances because government regulations forbid alcohol companies
from organising events. However, they made an exception in the hope that it would boost tourism.” That is bullcrap.
I agree with Zakia, this is total madness ! Are Muslims banned from restaurants then that sell alcohol – or banned from shopping in stores that sell it ?
Hi there…I feel so close to this issue…I lived and worked in KL for years at a very large advertising agency and sponsored all types of shows…all were sponsored by tobacco and alcohol as they had the big money and it was the only way that they could promote their brands…many performers wore skimpy clothing (tina tuirner) even some of the malay pop stars…I can’t believe years later they crack down for some political reason…@ZSA_MD -
I am a Malaysian (but no longer living in Malaysia). This is so typical of the Malaysian govt. Their policies are inconsistent most of the time.
@ZSA_MD - EXACTLY! Why allow it?
And getting caned for drinking alcohol, whoa.
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