Our security measures adequate, say beer fest organisers

Updated 6 years ago · Published on 21 Sep 2017 2:19PM · 1 Comments

Staff at the Schweizerhaus beer garden in Vienna’s Prater amusement park recently. The organiser of the Better Beer Festival says it has held the annual event in Malaysia for the past five years without any untoward incident. – EPA pic, September 21, 2017.

THE organiser of the Better Beer Festival today insisted that its security provisions for the event are adequate and is now seeking a meeting with Kuala Lumpur City Hall to discuss the cancellation of the event.

Mybeer (M) Sdn Bhd has not given up hope of holding the event as scheduled, and will present its security provisions again, it said in a statement today.

“We believe our security measures are adequate and were adhered to in the past five festivals we organised.

“We will appeal and hope that KL City Hall grants us permission to proceed with the event.”

On Monday, the festival organiser announced that the event had been cancelled.

The Better Beer Festival 2017 was slated for October 6 and 7 at Publika, Kuala Lumpur, but was cancelled by KL City Hall, citing “political sensitivities”.

This came after PAS politicians objected to the event, claiming it would encourage immorality and turn Kuala Lumpur into the vice capital of Asia.

MCA president Liow Tiong Lai waded into the issue when he said KL City Hall had blocked the festival over security concerns.

Liow had said he accepted and respected the decision after he was informed by Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor that it was based on security issues. He was slammed by social media users for accepting “security concerns” as the reason for the cancellation.

In its statement today, Mybeer said to ensure the safety of patrons, it would conduct strict ID and security checks at all entry points into enclosed areas.

It said it would enlist the help of security personnel and Red Crescent Society members, as well as auxiliary police from Publika.

“We would like to reiterate that we have held this festival annually for the last five years, with no untoward incidents reported before, during or after the event.”

Mybeer also said they welcomed any recommendations from KL City Hall to ensure the safety of patrons.

Restaurant owners and managers had said that cancelling the festival without explanation would have an adverse impact on the food and beverage industry, as well as tourism in Kuala Lumpur.

At a Bar Council forum last night, former Federal Court judge Gopal Sri Ram said the cancellation of the festival infringed on the rights of an individual by dictating how a person should lead his or her life.

The cancellation had irked non-Muslims, who said City Hall was bowing to political and religious pressure. – September 21, 2017.

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Comments

  • If there is any security concerns erupted, please look up at PAS as the main susupect. They are playing up the fear of security to support their disaproval of the event and also making a statement of their Islamisation in Malaysia. Unfortunateley MCA has lost their testicles and sell out whatever to ensure their status quo in the UmnoBN. Wondering why PAS is so vocal in other states and very silent in their home base of Kelantan where vices and crime are festering almost at double rates without a check. Imorality from beer drinking--- my foot. Go and clean up all the STD , child abuse and incest , wife beating and raping , killings and murder before you do your moral policing.

    Posted 6 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply