Muslims in Malaysia advised against drinking halal beer

Muslims in Malaysia have been advised against drinking a type of beer claimed to be halal (permissible) by the distributor because the beverage contained alcohol content higher than permitted under Islamic law, a media report said today. 

Jamil Khir Baharom, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, said the company's claim that the beer contained only 0.01 per cent of alcohol was not true as a laboratory test showed up to 0.5 per cent of alcohol.
He said the Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (Jakim) and the state Islamic affairs councils would prohibit the sale of the beverage to Muslims. "We will consult the Customs Department to seek more information on the matter," national news agency Bernama quoted Jamil as saying.
Malays, who are all Muslims, form 60 per cent of Malaysia's population of 28 million people. The other races are 25 per cent ethnic Chinese who are mostly Buddhists or Christians and eight per cent ethnic Indians who are mostly Hindus.