From Budget to beer fest for PKR and DAP MPs
MalaysiaKini.com
Oct 11, 2014

Scrutinising Budget 2015 unveiled yesterday was not enough to stop a group of opposition MPs from lending their support to the controversial Oktoberfest beer festival in Petaling Jaya last night.
 
According to Kelana Jaya MP Wong Chen, the MPs attended the beer festival at 1 Utama shopping mall cark park to “show support” to the organisers.
 
“I am a teetotaler, but I believe in the rights of drinkers and non-drinkers alike. Just don’t impose your will on the other.
 
“For drinkers, you have an added responsibility to not drink and drive,” he said in a Facebook post.
 
Wong (left) said he attended the event with DAP parliamentarians Lim Kit Siang (Gelang Patah) and Tony Pua (Petaling Jaya Utara), and PKR’s Subang MP R Sivarasa at about 9pm yesterday.
 
Also part of the “DAP contingent” were Selangor assemblypersons R Rajiv (Bukit Gasing) and Yeo Bee Yin (Damansara Utama).

DAP's Seputeh MP Teresa Kok and PKR's Bukit Lanjan state assemblyperson Elizabeth Wong who were also present, posed for a photograph together with their pints.

"5,000 people turned up to the Oktoberfest at 1 Utama. Thanks for your support and especially 'you know who' for the free publicity. Cheers!" said Wong in a Twitter posting.

'Even more people came'
 
Meanwhile, Kok in a Facebook posting after the event said she had never attended Oktoberfest before and had only done so after there were efforts to block it.

"When I arrived at the event at the car-park area of 1 Utama, I was told by the host that the crowds were bigger this year.

"I think the controversy has given the event free publicity. It has also created the curiosity of many defiant non-Muslims like me to attend the event," she said.
 
She also lauded PAS' Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad, who was among the minority who defended non-Muslims' right to attend such events.

"I salute you (Khalid) for your courage and principles," said Kok.

"I am just a social drinker and not a 'kaki mabuk' (drunk) and I certainly was totally sober as I wrote this piece immediately after getting home," she added.

According to the Carlslberg Malaysia Oktoberfest Facebook page, the venue of the three-day event was moved from the open air carpark to the multi-storey carpark to adhere to Petaling Jaya City Council’s (MBPJ) requirement that the event be held indoors.
 
The festival, which received fierce opposition from several PAS and Umno leaders, was eventually held at Level 4 of the mall’s old wing car park.
 
“We, being the beer provider, regret any inconvenience caused,” it said.
 
It also reiterated that the weekend event is “strictly for non-Muslim consumers aged 18 and above only”.

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