MCA: Beer festival stopped over security, safety not politics or religion
NATION
Thursday, 21 Sep 201712:31 PM MYT
PETALING JAYA: Malaysians should be rational and take into consideration the explanation given by the authorities in the cancellation of the Better Beer Festival, said MCA Religious Harmony Bureau chairman Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker.
Last Monday, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) said it had rejected the organisers' application to hold the craft beer festival.
The police told the Cabinet that "security concern" was one of the reasons why the craft beer festival was cancelled.
Ti said that upon explanations given by the police and assurances that DBKL had denied the application due to security and safety considerations and not due to any change of policies or political pressure, MCA has to respect the intelligence and expertise of our police.
He said if the reasons given for the application to be rejected was over 'political issues' or 'religious sensitivities', MCA would have rejected DBKL's decision.
"However, MCA is convinced that there are real security issues and there are clear and present dangers indicating that the 'Better Beer' event will be targeted by IS (Islamic State) militants etc," said Ti.
"As a responsible party and government, we cannot gamble with public security or put the public at risk," he said.
"It is regrettable that the beer festival was canned, leading to speculations that PAS' criticisms of the event had attributed to the rejection," he added.
He said that PAS' comments calling the event a "pesta maksiat" (vice party) and claiming that it would turn Kuala Lumpur into the "largest vice centre in Asia," had caused much "dissatisfaction, angst and frustration".
Ti also hit out at DAP for trying to take advantage of the situation, without regard to national harmony or security.
"Stop politicking purely to score brownie points but placing the community and public to risk of injuries or attacks," he said.
"They should in all sincerity acknowledge that there is clear past and present danger of attacks by IS, Daesh etc particularly in the Klang Valley. We cannot and must not wantonly put the public at risk," he said.
Ti said that MCA is assured that DBKL's decision was based on security reasons and not political pressure.
"There is no change on Barisan Nasional (BN) government's moderate policies but public safety and national security is of paramount consideration and must not be compromised," he said.
Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/09/21/mca-canned-beer-festival-safety-and-security-not-religion-or-politics/#phIXYLovpExaV2lW.99
