SOME Muslim lawyers have apparently aired their grievances over the serving of alcoholic beverages at the recent Selangor Bar members’ Night 2026.
According to the Selangor Bar website, the event themed A Denim Affair: Confidential. Casual. Unforgettable which took place on May 23 at DoubleTree by Hilton @ i-City, Shah Alam was opened to its members and chambering students at RM150/ticket.
Pointing to what is presumably a beer drinking contest that ensued at the event, sharia counsel Nazrul Nazir who is a Selangor Bar member reckoned that it is appropriate for him to question “if the money that my law firm pays for the annual subscription fee is being used for this alcoholic beverage”.
“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,” the owner of his own practice Nazrul Nazir & Co rued in a Facebook post.
Sebagai ahli Selangor Bar, wajar untuk saya bertanya samada adakah wang yang firma guaman saya bayar untuk Subscription Fee setiap tahun turut digunakan untuk hidangan minuman keras ini.
Jika ya, saya tak redha dan halalkan walau sesen pun duit yang saya bayar digunakan untuk tujuan tersebut.
Apart from that, saya tak rasa video sebegini sesuai ditayang di media sosial. Ianya secara tak langsung mencemarkan dan/atau menjatuhkan imej dan maruah profesion di mata orang awam. ...
See moreApart from that, I don’t think this kind of video is appropriate to be posted on social media. It indirectly tarnishes and/or degrades the image and dignity of the profession in the eyes of the public.
May Allah forgive my sins and the sins of all Muslims.
‘Table grievances at AGM’
Fellow Muslim lawyer Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar wanted an explanation on the viral video of the beer drinking contest from the Selangor Bar committee.
“I no longer attend such events so I don’t know what happened,” reacted the principal at Chambers of Zainul Rijal on his FB page.
Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar
on FridayJawatankuasa Peguam Selangor patut menjelaskan mengenai video yang tular seperti minum arak ala-ala pertandingan minum arak yang berlaku di Selangor Bar Members Night 2026. Saya tak lagi hadir acara-acara sebegini sebab itu tak tahu apa yang berlaku. Jika benar ada program sebegitu ia amat memalukan walaupun tidak menggunakan wang yuran ahli. Pertandingan minum arak tidak menggambarkan seorang peguam yang professional. Kalau mereka nak minum bersendirian itu pilihan mereka.
“If it is true that there is such a programme, it’s very shameful even though it doesn’t use fees paid by members. Drinking contests don’t reflect the professionalism of the legal fraternity. If they want to drink alone (as opposed to doing so openly), that’s their choice.”
In a rebuttal, a non-Muslim legal practitioner who admitted that his firm has uploaded the so-called viral clip urged his Muslim counterparts to moot an EGM (emergency general meeting) to voice their grievances.
“If you genuinely believe alcohol should not be served at Bar events, then the solution is quite simple,” proposed Khoo Boon Han who is a partner at Tan. Norizan & Associates in a LinkedIn post.
Propose the motion. Wake up early. Attend the EGM. Debate it. Convince the members. Win the vote. That is how institutions change.”
However, Khoo also reminded those who wish to continue this tradition to “have some spine and fight for those who wish to drink and be happy”,
“Not by asking someone else quietly remove a social media post like this but continue condoning the tradition.
For the record, I don’t drink. In fact, if recreational alcohol disappeared from the face of the earth tomorrow, it wouldn’t’ affect my life one bit.
To me, spending money on alcohol is no different from people saying my hobby of hanging flower is a form of hedonism. If you ‘ve the means and your religion permits, go ahead and enjoy it. If not, don’t.
The funny thing is this debate is older than some of our lawyers. It has surfaced countless times over the years.
Motions have been proposed. Debates have been held. Members have voted. The position remains unchanged because the majority of members who bothered to turn up and vote decided so.
Recount that a motion to ban alcoholic beverages at Malaysian and state Bar events was overwhelmingly rejected at the 79th annual general meeting (AGM) of the Malaysian Bar on in March 2025.
A senior lawyer told Free Malaysia Today (FMT) back then that about 400 members voted on the resolution which was the last of 14 motions debated at the AGM.
“Nearly 15 members spoke on the resolution but the proposal was overwhelmingly rejected,” revealed the lawyer.
HR Dipendra who voted against the motion insisted that Malaysian Bar and its state counterparts must remain secular.
Joining the chorus was human rights activist and lawyer Siti Kasim who expressed aghast at pious members who mooted the idea of blanket ban on alcohol consumption within the professional grouping.
Interestingly. this is not the first time such a proposal has been brought forward. In 2017, a similar motion was tabled, citing the multi-ethnic and multi-religious composition of the legal fraternity and the fact that many religions prohibit alcohol consumption.
That motion was also defeated by a thumping majority. – May 31, 2026
