[Watch] Beer-Drinking Contest At Selangor Bar Event Triggers Backlash From Muslim Lawyers

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A viral video of a beer-drinking contest at the Selangor Bar Members’ Night 2026 has triggered objections from several Muslim lawyers.

The event, themed “A Denim Affair,” was held on 23 May at the DoubleTree by Hilton @ i-City in Shah Alam, according to the Selangor Bar website.

It was open to members and chambering students at RM150 per ticket.

The clip was uploaded online by law firm Tan Norizan & Associates and quickly spread on social media.

‘Not A Single Penny’: Muslim Lawyers Object To Fees Allegedly Funding Alcohol

Syariah counsel Muhammad Nazrul Hakim Md Nazir, who runs his own practice and is a member of the Selangor Bar, questioned whether the annual subscription fee paid by his firm was used to fund alcohol.

“If yes, I don’t consent and consider as halal even a penny of the money I’ve paid to be used for that purpose,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

Muhamad Nazrul, who ran for the Bangi parliamentary seat as a PAS candidate in the recent elections and lost, also said the video was unsuitable for social media, arguing that it tarnished the profession’s image and dignity.

Fellow Muslim lawyer Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar sought an explanation from the Selangor Bar committee, saying he no longer attends such events.

He called a drinking contest “very shameful,” even if it did not use members’ fees, adding that it did not reflect the professionalism of the legal fraternity.

Not all lawyers agreed with the objections.

Old Argument, New Flashpoint

A non-Muslim lawyer whose firm uploaded the clip suggested critics raise the matter formally instead.

“If you genuinely believe alcohol should not be served at Bar events, then the solution is quite simple,” said Khoo Boon Han, a partner at Tan, Norizan & Associates, in a LinkedIn post, referring to an extraordinary general meeting (EGM).

Human rights activist and lawyer Siti Zabedah Kasim also weighed in, expressing dismay at calls for a blanket ban on alcohol within the professional body.

The debate is not new.

A motion to ban alcohol at Bar events was tabled in 2017, citing the profession’s multi-ethnic and multi-religious makeup; that motion was defeated by a large majority.

At the Malaysian Bar’s 79th AGM in 2025, a similar motion was crushed — only 106 of 310 members voted yes, and the idea was soundly rejected.

The latest controversy has reignited discussion over how a religiously diverse profession should manage shared social events.

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[Watch] Beer-Drinking Contest At Selangor Bar Event Triggers Backlash From Muslim Lawyers
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