Elopura assemblyman Calvin Chong Ket Kiun was invited as a guest of honour to the event at Bandar Indah and received brickbats from Pakatan Harapan party Sabah Amanah and also Islamist party PAS.
Chong said he was there more to witness a mock cheque presentation involving donations for the conservation of pygmy elephants rather than to promote the event.
“NGO Rakan Elopura invited me as the guest of honour to witness them handing over a donation to the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre, which also houses orphaned pygmy elephants.
“These claims are a misunderstanding and it’s nothing like what has been posted in Facebook that we don’t respect Islam … that is extreme,” he told FMT.
Sabah Amanah chairman Haris Alimudin had earlier questioned the Sandakan Municipal Council (SMC) for allowing the event, normally associated with alcohol consumption, to be organised at an open space in Bandar Indah.
He said this has triggered uneasiness, particularly among Muslim residents there.
“The actions by SMC to issue a permit and allow the Oktoberfest to be held in an open area clearly do not respect the sensitivities of the people, particularly Muslims.
“We also understand that the event was backed by several politicians from the government. Thus, we call for Chief Minister Shafie Apdal to look into this because this has affected the people’s perception,” he said here today.
Alimudin said such an event had never been openly held in Sandakan previously but this latest episode has raised questions over the policies of the government of the day.
PAS also took a shot at the organising of the event at an open area.
PAS Sabah deputy commissioner (III) Sahar Abdul Majid said Chong’s presence as a guest of honour at the event also showed he did not think of his Muslim voters who had contributed to his win in the last election.
Chong contended that his political opponents were attempting to make this a political and religious thing, urging them not to do so.
“In Sabah, a lot of people support religious freedom but some people are extreme and make such things an issue.
“We are not forcing Muslims or non-drinkers to come to the event. For me, I only support the conservation of pygmy elephants — not sure if there’s anything wrong with that.”
Meanwhile, Alimudin said Amanah maintained that holding Oktoberfest so openly was unnecessary although the party respects the freedom and rights of other races in the state, including the right to drinking alcohol.
“There are plenty of nightclubs in the area that provide ample closed spaces. They limit entry to invited guests,” he added.
“SMC should take full responsibility and justify the reasons for allowing the event to be held in an open area,” he said.
State Youth and Sports Minister Frankie Poon, who is also Tanjung Papat assemblyman, also attended the event.