“Protecting personal freedom means citizens should be free to make their own decisions about what events to attend or what food/drink to consume without state intervention.
“If anyone does not wish to go for Oktoberfest, they are free to stay home,” it said in a statement today.
PAS had raised objections to the event, with its information chief Nasrudin Hassan saying on Sept 28 that representatives from the party had met with the local authorities to express their opposition.
“PAS has voiced out its views and suggestions to the mayor of the Petaling Jaya City Council, including submitting its rejection towards the application of the event as a social responsibility effort from our end to advocate the rights of the people of Selangor,” he said in a Facebook post.
He added that alcohol festivals were against Malaysians’ way of life, and expressed hope that the application for the Oktoberfest event would not be approved.
However, Bebas said Oktoberfest was “very much in line” with Malaysia’s celebratory culture of food and drink.
“In fact, Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia’s official opening was officiated by then prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein,” it said, adding that Malaysia’s founding fathers had “clearly understood” the importance of diversity and unity.
The #SaveOktoberfest petition, which was started last Thursday, had 2,700 signatures at the time of writing.
It was presented to Petaling Jaya mayor Mohd Azizi Mohd Zain at his office by Bebas co-founders Boo Su-Lyn and Azrul Mohd Khalib, witnessed by Petaling Jaya councillor Sean Oon and Oktoberfest organiser, CIA International Malaysia chief executive officer, Ben Yap.
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