Malaysia Protects Muslims From Fergie

It’s all about the beer – Guinness – which is sponsoring the Sept. 25 event at a theme park near Kuala Lumpur celebrating the 250th anniversary of the company’s flagship brewery. Islamic law governs the country’s Muslim majority in personal and family matters, prohibiting alcohol consumption.

From the Malaysian show’s official Web site:

“The party is only open to non-Muslims aged 18 years and above.”

“Muslims cannot attend,” an official at Malaysia’s Ministry of Information told Associated Press. “Non-Muslims can go and have fun.”

A concert like this would normally have been prohibited because government rules & regs forbid alcohol companies from staging such events. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said authorities made an exception for the Peas in hopes the event will increase tourism, but told the beer company it could not use its logo in publicity materials promoting the gig.

Nearly 60 percent of Malaysia’s 28 million people are ethnic Malays and are legally considered Muslims. The rest of the population is mainly ethnic Chinese and Indians, many of which are Buddhist, Christian or Hindu.

Last month a Malaysian Islamic court sentenced a Muslim woman to a public caning for drinking beer. Officials recently said they are reviewing the matter.

Click here for the complete Associated Press article.