back to article Malaysia bans 'satanic' Man Utd kit

Manchester United replica shirts have become a banned item in Malaysia after local clerics took exception to the presence of a red devil on the club's crest, branding the image "dangerous and un-Islamic", Sky News reports. Malaysian fans of the team have reacted angrily to the decision, voicing their disapproval on social …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Ludicrous

    For a religion that wants the protection of blasphemy, this is more than adequate evidence that such a request should not be granted on the ground of intolerance and religious hatred.

    Yep, this sounds to me like the imams in this case are practicing religious hatred against other religions. So much for peace, tollerance and all the rest of it.

    This is only promoting the image that islam is a religion of fear. Massive foot bullet, methinks.

    Surely they realise that this is no way to act in a shrinking international world.

    1. TimeMaster T
      Megaphone

      What?

      "Surely they realise that this is no way to act in a shrinking international world."

      Apparently not.

  2. Richard 120
    Alert

    religious

    nutjobs

  3. Tony Green

    Religion, eh?

    Just got to love these religious nutters, haven't you?

    1. Wommit
      Pint

      Re : Religion, eh?

      Yeah.

      If you don't they burn you at a stake.

  4. Richard 81

    Anyone read Monstrous Regiment?

    I can't help but be reminded of the increasingly psychotic decrees of the god Nuggan (only deity worshipped in Borogravia, but elsewhere known as the God of Paperclips, Correct Things in the Right Place in Small Desk Stationery Sets, and Unnecessary Paperwork).

    According to the Book of Nuggan, cats, the colour blue, Dwarfs, oysters, mushrooms, chocolate, garlic, babies, cheese, the smell of beets, ears, jigsaw puzzles, crop rotation, shirts with six buttons, and rocks were all Abominations unto Nuggan.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Thumb Up

      Let's be fair...

      In fairness, I thought it was only Crying Babies, which we can probably all understand, but I may be wrong.

      However, it also included Barking Dogs, ears, messages in the sky, pictures of living things and women knowing how to write (anything they wrote would be, by definition, a lie)

      You know what Richard, I think I agree with you.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Not cheese or mushrooms please

      They're the closest things to religion that I have.

  5. Duckorange
    Thumb Up

    As fatwahs go...

    ...this is the kind of thing we should all be getting behind.

    Can they do something about Mick Hucknall next?

    1. g e
      Happy

      Don't forget

      Lord Mandevilson, too

      Hmmm, I like that, can we refer to him as Mandevilson from now on along with Honest Steve

  6. steward
    FAIL

    Next time Malaysia has a disaster...

    I guess they're not planning to let any Red Cross relief personnel into the country.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Alert

      Re: Next time Malaysia has a disaster...

      Non-christian countries have the red crescent, although suprised you'd not suggested why they didn't have a red muhammad, bet you'd never see a first aid kit for miles! I wonder what did ever happen to that teddy?

    2. steogede
      Pint

      @steward

      Red Cross? Don't they use a Red Crescent symbol when operating in Muslim majority countries.

      BTW, El Reg, in this article there are three words which should never appear next to each other an El Reg article - 'News', 'reports' and 'Sky'. That said there is a great quote from a Malaysian man in the original Sky News article "What am I gonna do with all my Man Utd jerseys? And my sons' jerseys?" - the simple solution would be to take black marker to the offending image (leaving a slit for the eyes).

    3. Kevin Montgomery
      Stop

      Probably not....

      They operate as Red Crescent in Malaysia for precisely that reason.

    4. Frumious Bandersnatch
      Thumb Down

      idiot

      way to:

      (a) make blanket generalisations about an entire country based on a few of its occupants and

      (b) display your total lack of understanding of the connection between Red Cross and Red Crescent organisations

      Oh, and:

      (c) let everyone know what a dickhead you are

    5. Dave Gregory
      WTF?

      Red Crescent?

      You do know this is the same organisation, right?

      And for precisely this reason?

    6. g e

      Red Crescent

      If they won't let the Red Cross provide aid to them cos they don't like their logo and would rather let sections of their populace suffer... Maybe it's the Will of Allan or whatever his name is.

      Well, if it weren't for the suffering, leave em to it. Lucky for them the RC puts its mission above such lunacy

  7. Ol'Peculier

    Yeah, that'll work...

    You just need to wander round China Town towards Merdaka Square in Kuala Lumpur to see all the football kit knock offs. As if this will do anything about that. (there's even a police station in the middle of it all!)

  8. Chris Harrison
    WTF?

    Death to all fanatics!

    Someone really should invite these people to the 21st century.

    1. Your Handle, my Handle, it's all good
      Joke

      "Death to all fanatics!"

      That's a bit of an extreme view?

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Yeah...

    Except that it appears this is a fatwa, not a law. I've not been able to find corroboration from any Malaysian publications, my friends over there haven't heard about it and since the only source is clerics it looks a lot like it's not an actual ban, but some imams wanting free publicity.

    So it's a bit like saying that pork is banned in Israel because Rabbis say it's not allowed.

    1. Is It Me...?
      Headmaster

      My head read...

      "Rabbits say it's not allowed"

      And, personally, i think it's better that way.

  10. IR

    Wait

    Isn't there a bit in the Koran about Shaitan, who is essentially the devil? So it would be from their own religion...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Malaysia

      Many ways to skin a cat. In Malaysia, UMNO the racist party that defacto rules Malaysia from time to time unleashes its policies politizing Islam. Muslims are confused-first its caning women for alcohol although the Minister of Home Affair-Hishamuddin is seen in photographs all over the world drinking beer! Then there is no caning for a particular woman because of the publicity but many others caned although the Malaysian constitution disallows criminal matters to be dealt with by the Shariah Court. Then there is legalized gambling-the Najib Government is broke and they tried very hard to push for lotteries-that failed after much pressure but this HALAL UMNO gets its moneys from Genting Highlands Casino-The Directors of the Gambling Casino (majority are MUSLIMS). Why the Ulamaks can’t run up the hill and catch the devils there I don’t understand.The Muslims are confused-they can’t see the oppressive government who uses Islam illegally. What had Manchester United got to do with it? Most Imams have 4 or 5 wives -its legalized prostitution-say 3 talaks and you are divorced-can marry another-after sex-2 hours divorce-so all this is rather ridicilous. Malaysia can do anything!!! Except play football in the World Cup-like one commenter says that Malays should ask for exemption being Bumiputras-to play in Brazil.

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Joke

    Paranoid control freakery

    iSlam - is this a Jobsian cult, also?

    Anon, you betcha.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Coffee/keyboard

      lmao

      you owe me a pint, and a new keyboard

      1. g e
        Pint

        Cripes!

        One refreshing pint duly served up! :oD

  12. Flugal

    Every day

    Every day religion seems more and more shit.

    But almost every government gives them special rights. Including the Uk governement.

    Still, it's all a bit, er, preaching to the converted here....I wonder what percentage of El Reg readers bow down before their great sky fairy, and those of us that regard it as the height of all bollocks. Oh, and agnostics....you're half way there.

    Having said all that, if a fatwa on Alex Ferguson is the result of all this it might be no bad thing.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re Every day...

      Agree with your first two sentences, but did you have to spoil it with your use of that tiresome "Sky Fairy" reference? 11 previous posts all focusing correctly on the stupidity of religious leaders and then you decide to spit on probably half the world's population for daring to believe (or maybe believe in the case of agnostics) in something beyond this crappy human-governed world. For the record I don't believe in God, but I respect the beliefs of others - as long as they refrain from thrusting them on me.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Alien

      @Flugal

      @Flugal: that would be the flying spaghetti monster. It needs an icon

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Pint

    Here's a thought, guys...

    Don't like it? Don't wear it. End of.

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Stop

    Blimey if it's not the bloody Catholics...

    Blimey if it's not the bloody Catholics it's any one of the others, I really would like all religious people to just get over it. If people are so easily swayed from their 'faith' by a picture of a devil then their 'faith' isn't very compelling is it?!

    Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there was a time when religion made sense and helped humanity, but it's now hindering human progress and it's time to grow up.

    AC because people with 'faith' are absolute nutters.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      IT Angle

      oh all absolutely nutters

      if you include the AGWers, there is nothing but matter and Darwin is its prophet and their beancounter variant, economic rationalists. All the kinds of people who insist they know the unknowable, ignoring the test of rational minds which is " How do you know that ?".

      If it cant be tested in a lab, it ain't science.

    2. Bill Fresher
      Happy

      Oh dear

      I think anger hinders human progress.... so calm done kid and don't be such a bigot.

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    They should should be supporting their local teams anyway...

    ...except Man U fans don't like doing that, do they?

    AC, in case I've offended dangerous (Man U) fanatics

  16. John A Blackley

    Makes sense

    When you think about it, if my imaginary friend says that all women should be draped like a budgie at night time and all muslims should slaughter non-muslims then it makes sense to say that my imaginary enemy should be reviled.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Alert

      Imaginary friend - real followers

      Imaginary friends / sky fairies have real people following them. These real people have real powers in the real government of real countries. And in many of these real countries it is illegal not to believe in the imaginary friend / sky fairy. And while you might not believe in the imaginary sky fairy, you will end up believing in your nth class citizenship, your inability to get a job, the handcuffs, the detention cell, the show trial (where as an nth class citizen your evidence doesn't count) and you will certainly believe it when they put the hood over your head.

      This is a reality today. It was a reality in Europe between 1200 and 1800 and even believing in the same fairy as the person tightening the noose didn't help.

      Religion is a dangersous thing. Faith is something different altogether. The UK is a secular democracy, which is something to be greatful for.

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Megaphone

    Why now?

    Easy. Now they have a large enough amount of power to start throwing their weight around. Malaysia was "moderate" because religiously correct muslims didn't constitute a sufficiently large group to actually take any sort of control. Now they do, and so now they are. There are already "morality police" wandering around parts of the country, beating people for holding hands with their spouse or partner in public - a phenomenon that was unheard of just a decade ago there. Another 20 years and it'll be an islamic hell-hole like Iran.

  18. Stef Ch

    Ban

    Malaysia have not banned any Man U T-shirt items, they might have ban REPLICA Man U items to protect Man U's brand. This reporting is totally out of order!!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Ban

      Hmm! well if that is true then that should be included in the copy.

      I was in a Foreign country wearing a footie shirt and being hounded to look at their footy shirts - I was wearing a real shirt and they had fakes - not one was real and none of the people making the fakes can spell (although that can could be a loophole by pretending not to be a fake, because it is so UNLIKE the real thing).

      No one seem bothered that my REAL shirt was different to the fakes on sale.

  19. TimNevins
    WTF?

    Who *exactly* are the nutjobs?

    So France bans the Burka (Actual religious freedom being suppressed).

    Malaysia bans a t-shirt (No religious suppression).

    And you have the gall to call Malaysians nutjobs?

    America removed T-Shirts from airline passengers that were critical of Bush.

    As for Christianity. It was killed (and replaced by Paganism) by Emperor Constantine at the First Council of Nicaea in 325AD.

    http://apostolics.net/trichrt1.html

    1. Richard 120

      Well

      I'm calling them all nutjobs.

      Although the French less so, how is the banning of this symbol not religious suppression? It's suppression by a religious organisation. They believe the symbol to be one of religious significance otherwise they wouldn't be trying to SUPPRESS it.

      The subtle difference is one's the suppression OF religion and the other is suppression BY religion. In my opinion the latter justifies the former.

      I am not particularly religiously tolerant, I'd prefer a world where there were no believers in spaghetti monsters from space. Where people didn't threaten to kill people for drawing cartoons of fictitious or real people. A world free from the my god's better than your god crap.

      An educated world where people don't need to believe, they're allowed to think for themselves.

      There have been a lot of good things done in the name of various religions, there have also been a vast number of atrocities done in the name of religions too. It's time to stop that sort of rubbish.

      Science isn't a religion.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      religious freedom & respect goes both ways

      "So France bans the Burka (Actual religious freedom being suppressed)."

      If you want your cultural and religious conventions respected, you also have to respect other people's religious and cultural conventions.

      In the western world, showing your face is a sign of openness and honesty, covering your face is a sign of concealment and dishonesty. There is a reason why historically outlaws are called hoods, it's because they covered their faces. Covering your face here will engender distrust and suspicion, despite it being "the norm" in other cultures.

      While I don't believe the burka should be completely banned, i do think that no concessions should be made towards people who choose to wear one. If you walked into a bank or shop wearing a motorcycle helmet, you would be asked to remove it or leave. Don't expect to be allowed to wear one in places where showing your face is a requirement. Even if this effectively does ban it.

      If you are going to ban a tshirt because it is against the "official" religion, fine, no problem with that. But just don't then expect concessions to be made towards you or your religion in secular countries.

    3. ElReg!comments!Pierre

      The Burka is a social symbol

      Not a religious one.

      Find me somewhere in sacred text where it is even mentioned. Go ahead.

      So yeah it's frown upon in France (not banned, just not accepted in schools). But so is stoning adulterous women to death. Is that a bad thing? Freedom of religion being suppressed?

      We DEMAND our stonings! Or not?

  20. ElReg!comments!Pierre

    Sot that's true...

    The further away from Manchester you go, the more supporters of Man you find... none in Manchester, 7000 in Kuala Lumpur.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Not been round Manchester much then?

      Because we're nearly all red round here. You can tell who's not from Manchester by the way they wear a City shirt because they think it'll make them blend in (and it does, with all the City shirt wearing students).

      Of course there are blue sections of the city, but they're the grubbier parts I'm sure.

  21. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    If a pattern on some cloth...

    ...will "erode your belief in Islam" you have bigger problems.

  22. It wasnt me

    Oh really ????

    "Malaysia is religiously moderate".

    Why both printing that in your article? The rest of the piece shows it to be demonstrably complete crap.

    Come on reg. No-one wants you to become any form of anti <insert your religion here> mouthpiece, but you dont need to pander to the PC brigade either.

    1. Dave Harris
      Pint

      Quite moderate

      It is actually very moderate, at least around KL & parts of Selangor. Most muslim mates of mine aren't too impressed by this sort of grandstanding, and just take it with a pinch of salt.

      Up in Terengganu and Kelantan, it's a bit different. The dominant party there, PAS, is not so moderate at all, although they're still miles away from Saudi.

      Beer - there's no decent native one, just locally brewed European beers and Thai, Laotian and Chinese beers

      1. Thecowking

        Penang's probably more moderate

        But then it's a lot more Chinese than the rest of Malaysia. And say what you like, I quite like Tiger. (Yes I know it's Singaporean, but they hopped in and out of Malaya so I still call it a native beer. Plus everyone drinks it.)

  23. Carl W

    red cross

    @steward: that'll be why it's called the Red Crescent in Muslim countries

  24. g e

    The 6th Century just called

    They want their society back

  25. steogede

    @Flugal

    Every day humans seem more and more shit. You wouldn't believe the nonsense that came out of Nick Griffin's mouth today.

  26. Anonymous Coward
    Joke

    "This is very dangerous. As a Muslim we...

    ...should not worship the symbols of other religions or the devils"

    Maybe they should put a picture of Muhammad on the shirts.

    On a serious note...

    All politics are local. There's probably some Imam making a power play for higher office.

  27. ian 22

    Questions answered

    I had wondered if Man Utd was the Devil's Own, and now I know.

    I'd also wondered if organised religion was as brilliant as organised sex. Question answered.

    They do insist on making themselves ridiculous.

  28. JaitcH

    These religious parliamentary extremists ...

    should allow people freedom, not treat different segments of society differently.

    It's a pity so many former British colonies have authoritarian governments.

    As far as Manchester United is concerned, the Vietnamese have adopted the club as their international mascot with all manner of products bearing their club names. KFC had life-size likenesses of United team members all over their stores during the internal football matches.

    MU matches are broadcast live here in VietNam, with VN commentary, and heaven help when they win - the streets are filled with motorcycles, sounding their horns, and flying large flags with Manchester United logo's on them. So hands off, Malaysia.

  29. manikam

    UMNO in Malaysia uses Religion to keep Muslims Fearful

    Many ways to skin a cat. In Malaysia, UMNO the racist party that defacto rules Malaysia from time to time unleashes its policies politizing Islam. Muslims are confused-first its caning women for alcohol although the Minister of Home Affair-Hishamuddin is seen in photographs all over the world drinking beer! Then there is no caning for a particular woman because of the publicity but many others caned although the Malaysian constitution disallows criminal matters to be dealt with by the Shariah Court. Then there is legalized gambling-the Najib Government is broke and they tried very hard to push for lotteries-that failed after much pressure but this HALAL UMNO gets its moneys from Genting Highlands Casino-The Directors of the Gambling Casino (majority are MUSLIMS). Why the Ulamaks can’t run up the hill and catch the devils there I don’t understand.The Muslims are confused-they can’t see the oppressive government who uses Islam illegally. What had Manchester United got to do with it? Most Imams have 4 or 5 wives -its legalized prostitution-say 3 talaks and you are divorced-can marry another-after sex-2 hours divorce-so all this is rather ridicilous. Malaysia can do anything!!! Except play football in the World Cup-like one commenter says that Malays should ask for exemption being Bumiputras-to play in Brazil.

  30. frank ly
    Stop

    Every Cloud...

    "...For example, one recent edict banned the ancient practice of yoga because of its links to the Hindu faith..."

    Some bright spark could develop 'Muslim toning and relaxation postures' and make a mint in Malaysia, with an illustrated book of poses. (All models to be old men wearing thick baggy clothes.)

  31. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    Personally

    I think this is a really good idea and rational reaction to Manchester United, their strip and supporters. Though I would have started with Liverpool, perhaps the Malaysians will move on to them next

  32. J 3
    Alien

    It will erode our belief in Islam

    Hurray for that, I say.

  33. Otto von Humpenstumpf
    Coat

    A crescent on the jerseys would presumably be fine?

    Must be all Pompey fans then, those Malaysian imams. Would at least explain why they're so grumpy.

    Mine's the one with the red and white stripes and a ticket to Southampton in the pocket...

  34. grusome
    IT Angle

    Opinion

    This is nothing but the opinion (valid or not isn't important) of some imam's, and was actually first voiced by an EX-MUFTI of a state ..

    This is a prime example of mass media sensationalizing a topic that really doesn't deserve all the fuss (It's made the front pages of some disreputable papers here in Malaysia) .. The media reaction has probably made an issue of something that would have been ignored by everyone

  35. Geoff Campbell Silver badge
    Grenade

    What puzzles me about this....

    ....is why there are supporters of a UK local town football team in Malaysia at all?

    GJC

    1. Jay 2
      Pint

      Football Abroad

      Like a fair bit of the Far East, for some reason Premier League football is very big in Malaysia. In KL you can see HUGE billboards with footballers helping to flog some product or another. Also Premier League matches are shown live over there, but as they're 9 hours ahead, then people will quite happily stay up late to watch them. When I asked about seeing some local football over there, almost everyone advised against it as they said it was terrible!

      As also mentioned elsewhere, there are also quite a few places that will sell you fake stuff (among them football shirts), like Petaling Street in KL which is more-or-less entirely full of knock-off stuff. Like my cufflinks, they're Armani...

  36. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    Muslim Nutters

    At least their decrees are backed by faith. The ones that we have to live with are backed by lawyers, insurance, and three second sound bytes. As for which are more stupid, I'll leave it up to you...

    Now, only can carry on clear plastic bottles, cant wear my steel capped boots, gotta be there an hour early and absolutely must not say what I feel.

  37. Anonymous Coward
    Dead Vulture

    "Malaysia is religiously moderate"

    Have you actually been to Malaysia?

    They may not be a Saudi Arabia, but from making it difficult/impossible for Malaysian Chinese to get pork/gamble, to instituting university (and then public sector job) quotas for the underachieving Malay (Muslim) majority (at the detriment of the much higher achieving Chinese and Indian minorities), through to a religiously discriminatory benefits system that sees Malays (Muslim) and Mamaks (Indian Muslims) getting a discount on their first house, you can't really call them moderate.

    And if they are so tolerant, why is it practically impossible for a Malay to renounce their religion and why do the authorities practice Sharia Law on the Malay population in the process caning people for drinking alcohol or having extra marital affairs.

    This sh*t will never wash in any truly civilised country.

    /rant

    1. JaitcH
      Pint

      "caning people for ... having extra marital affairs."

      these Sharia victims should get smart and do what their Muslim politicians do, take the object of their passion across the border to Singapore where Sharia law doesn't exist or take a cheap AirAsia flight to Bangkok!.

  38. Anonymous Coward
    Dead Vulture

    Excuse me...

    ...can someone tell me the way to The Register please, I seem to have landed on the Daily Mail website by mistake.

  39. Paul 172
    WTF?

    "imams of supporting Liverpool, the Old Trafford club's arch-rivals."

    ....since when ??

    Everton vs Liverpool,

    Man City vs Man Utd.

    It's not difficult is it....

  40. bluesxman
    Flame

    The IT Angle

    Guess they won't be switching their Clerical IT systems to FreeBSD any time soon then.

  41. Winkypop Silver badge
    Thumb Down

    Islam eh?

    They're having a lend...

  42. No, I will not fix your computer
    Heart

    On the other side of the coin....

    Are the American mentalists that insist that "Hello" should be replaced with "Heaveno" (I shit you not)

  43. Richard Scratcher
    Coat

    Los Verdes

    I think that any Malaysians who are concerned about the damaging effect of the Man United shirt should protest by wearing a plain green shirt, free from demonic images.

    Might I recommend this Peruvian club as a fine example of how a football kit should be designed:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deportivo_Wanka

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