Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia is foaming over reports that several non-Muslim Pakatan leaders attended Carlsberg's Oktoberfest opening on Friday night.

 

The appearance of Pakatan leaders at the annual festival, which was eventually moved from outdoors into 1 Utama due to protests from PAS and other Muslim lobbyists, made the daily's weekend front page headlines.

 

"DAP and PKR do not care about the objections of PAS," it read.

 

While the report only pitted comments from PKR leader Wong Chen's Facebook against the objections of PAS central committee member Nasrudin Hassan, the daily's anonymous senior editor 'Awang Selamat' predictably took the next lap.

 

In the regular column 'Awang's Whispers', the writer accused the organiser's persistence with the event as meant to "test the reaction of the authorities and society".

 

Berating DAP and PKR leaders for reveling in the event, it said sarcastically, "It is easy to see why the state government under Menteri Besar Azmin Ali did not dare to act.

 

"DAP is more powerful in Selangor, PKR is just a ' pak turut ' (yes man)," said the writer.

Awang then "congratulated" the festival's organisers and the opposition for 'uplifting' the country's "alcohol culture".

 

"Oh yes they have won, and they won easily," he said.

 

The writer further warned the attempt to "test" the authorities will lead to greater audacity in the future.

 

"This is what we call a 'major invasion' which starts with a minor one. If we let it continue as it is, it will give a signal as though such festivals can be celebrated at a large scale.

 

"It will not be surprising if such festivals are organised at a bigger scale in the future."

PAS: Okay behind closed doors

Meanwhile in another report in the same editition, PAS Selangor deputy commissioner Sallehin Mukhyi was quoted saying the issue was not with the Oktoberfest itself, but with the public advertising of the event.

The former Selangor exco member said it should not have been publicised via billboards so as not to disturb the Muslim community.

“We disagree with the putting up of billboards (for the event).

“If the beer festival involves non-Muslims and is done behind closed doors, that is up to them,” he was reported saying.