GEORGE TOWN: The Oktoberfest has been celebrated in Penang for about 50 years, and the cultural event will not cause any problem to social harmony, say civil society activists.
Penang Gandhi Peace Centre chairman Datuk Seri Dr Anwar Fazal said the event is widely regarded as a cultural celebration despite it being known as a German beer festival.
“There are books that tell the whole amazing history of the German community in Penang. They are a significant part of our multicultural character that made us a Unesco World Heritage Site.
“We should celebrate this colourful diversity,” he said.
Anwar said genuine racial harmony is about respecting each other and giving people the right to celebrate the diversity of their traditions.
"If anyone is uncomfortable with this festival, it is their choice to avoid it.
"However, we should not fail to recognise that alcoholism is a major issue to be dealt with by the authorities and communities seriously and urgently as we are doing with tobacco control. The problems of addiction and health, drink driving, illegal activities and very violent behaviour should be addressed without fail,” he added.
Penang Crime Consciousness and Public Safety Society chairman Datuk Mohamad Anil Shah Abdullah said years of having cultural events such as Oktoberfest, Bon Odori and the St Anne’s Feast showed that people were mature enough to accept them.
“Oktoberfest, like other cultural events, is celebrated internationally.
“It is a social event over here and it also serves as a tourism attraction to connect Malaysians, the Germans and other communities from different backgrounds with each other.
“This festival will give us the opportunity to learn and understand more about other cultures, and it should not cause any social disharmony.
“As a mature society, we should be tolerant towards each other and accept other people’s cultures. The authorities such as the police are also capable of monitoring and handling such events,” said Mohamad Anil, who is a former senior police officer.
They were responding to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Idris Ahmad, who told the Dewan Rakyat last Thursday that Oktoberfest had the potential to disrupt social harmony and safety.
In a written reply, he said non-Muslims were not forbidden from consuming alcohol, but Oktoberfest events could trigger social problems as alcohol was consumed openly in a festival setting.
Prior to this, Idris was criticised after he told Muslims to stay away from the Bon Odori event in Selangor as he said it had “elements of other religions”.
This led to Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah ordering the state Islamic Religious Department not to prevent any individuals from attending the festival as it was a cultural showcase organised by the Japanese community in Malaysia.
While the annual Oktoberfest is held officially in Germany, many countries also hold their own versions.
Oktoberfest has been celebrated for almost 50 years in Penang and will return on Oct 21 and 22 after a two-year hiatus.
Now into its 48th edition, this year’s festival is expected to draw people for a variety of games, entertainment, dances and food at the Malaysian-German Society MGS headquarters in Jalan Ayer Itam.
Besides singing and dancing, the festival will also see Germans wearing traditional costumes called dirndls and lederhosen.
