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Making arbitrary, spur-of-the-moment decisions seem to be the norm for the Malaysian government.

And just as ambiguous is the Kuala Lumpur City Hall's (DBKL) recent nixing of an annual craft beer festival scheduled for early October.

But this ban sends a clear sign of creeping Islamisation and the vocal stance by hardliners, who do so at the expense of taking a blow at a multi-religious country where the rights of the non-Muslims are at stake.

We have been seeing growing protests from Islamists PAS and other conservative groups against concerts by Western artists, songs deemed too racy and even Valentine's Day celebrations.

Such radical elements are dangerous in a multiracial, multi-religious country such as Malaysia, where the Federal Constitution guarantees civil liberties for all citizens.

The organisers of the event have been threatened with the full force of the law if they went ahead with the festival.

But the DBKL hasn't seen it fit to give a concrete reason for its decision, only informing the organisers that the ban is due to the political sensitivity surrounding the event.

The popular guesswork screams political pressure as PAS has labelled the beer festival as a "vice festival" and alleged it could lead to an increase in crime, rape and illicit sex.

PAS didn't, of course, back its observations on statistics. And no such incidents were reported since the festival started in 2012, with the nod from the DBKL.

But the government has, once again, chosen politics over the liberties of its citizens as the general election is around the corner and it needs PAS as an ally to garner Malay votes.

Even if my reading is wrong, it would do PAS good to look into its own backyard.

Kelantan is one of the two top states in viewing porn online, has an increasing crime rate and the highest cases of Aids and drug addiction. It also remains the poorest state in the peninsula.

It's however still not too late. The DBKL must revoke its ban on the festival and allow it to go on.

Or it would only demonstrate that the government succumbs to pressure for political gains.


CHARLES SANTIAGO is the Klang MP.

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