SHAH ALAM, 9 Oct: The requirement for the organisers of the Oktoberfest 2014 to apply for a temporary entertainment from the local authorities is a normal procedure and not an additional requirement.

The Executive Councillor in charge of Local Government, Ean Yong Hian Wah, said that the approval for the permit application is subject to the prescribed conditions.

He said that there is no reason for the permit to not be granted if the organisers met all the conditions that have been set.

“Local authorities are the agency that grants the permit for any programmes organised by any party, such as a shopping centre.

“This is a normal process and not a new requirement imposed on the organisers.

“Conditions such as the approval from the Police and Customs are the same conditions as in years past and not an additional requirement this year,” he said in a statement.

Ean said this to shed some light on earlier media reports made it seem like the state government had pushed the responsibility to local authorities or imposed additional conditions to the organisers.

The Octoberfest began since the 90’s.

For this year, the event is scheduled to begin at the Subang Hotel (September 24) and some places in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.

The finale is scheduled to be held at the One Utama shopping centre in Petaling Jaya from October 10 to 12 and is expected to attract 12,000 beer lovers.

The festival also received objections from several PAS leaders and NGOs such as the Malaysian Egypt Alumni Association (ILHAM) and the Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (Abim).

Meanwhile, the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS), in a statement, urged the organisers to be more sensitive to cultural and religious sensitivities in the country.

“Meanwhile, local authorities have been requested to take appropriate action on any party deliberately violating the rules prescribed,” they said.

NS