Its chairman, Chong Chieng Jen, said the state’s tourism ministry should now also consider promoting the native Sarawak tuak (rice wine), which is popularly consumed during community festivals and other special events.
“There is a sufficient number of backyard breweries and variety of tuak from different fruits that can be showcased and promoted in a ‘tuak festival’,” he said.
“If the tuak festival and the Sarawak tuak can be successfully promoted overseas, they will provide great economic opportunities to our natives and rural communities,” he added in a statement today.
He said the state tourism ministry should capitalise on the “self-created fiasco” of the Umno-led federal government in Peninsular Malaysia and invite organisers and international beer and wine breweries to hold more such events in Sarawak.
“It is utter stupidity on the part of the authorities in West Malaysia to stop Oktoberfest and the Better Beer Festival,” he said.
Chong claimed that it was a “clear sign” that Umno was working with PAS in moving the country towards being more extremist and less tolerant.
“What has always been an annual festive event and celebration is now seen as a taboo by the Umno/BN/PAS pact,” the Bandar Kuching MP and Kota Sentosa state assemblyman said.
“With Umno now acting more like PAS extremists, all the other non-Umno parties in BN have now been put on the leash to toe the line on such an extremist position,” he added.
Sarawak Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah had said on Sept 28 that the state had no issue with Oktoberfest.
“We must remember that Malaysia is a multi-religious and multiracial country. Muslims cannot force non-Muslims not to eat or drink food what they aren’t allowed to consume,” he said.
The Better Beer Festival was initially slated to be held on Oct 6 and 7 at the Publika Shopping Gallery in Kuala Lumpur, but Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) rejected the organiser’s application to host the event, despite it being held in the city before.
This came about soon after objections by PAS against the alcohol-themed event.
Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun later said it was cancelled due to security reasons, claiming that militants were planning to sabotage the festival.
However, organiser MyBeer Malaysia said its representatives had been told by the authorities that the festival was “politically sensitive”.
Yesterday, the North Klang police said they will not approve a permit for the “Centro German F&B Party”, scheduled to be held at a supermarket in Klang on Oct 12 and 13, following a recent order by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is acting Umno deputy president, for the police to ensure there would be no beer festivals.
Chong said the 16-day Oktoberfest, which ends in Germany on Oct 3, is not just a festive celebration, but also a major tourism business generator.
He said by having it on a grand scale in Sarawak, it would also showcase to West Malaysians the racial harmony and thriving multi-cultural society of the Borneo state.