Muslims in Malaysia have been advised against drinking a type of beer claimed to be halal by the distributor because the beverage contained alcohol content higher than permitted under Islamic law. Jamil Khir Baharom, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, said the company's claim that the beer contained only 0.01 percent of alcohol was not true as a laboratory test showed up to 0.5 percent.

He said the Islamic Development Department of Malaysia 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.

Muslims form 60 percent of Malaysia's population of 28 million people. There are also 25 percent ethnic Chinese who are mostly Buddhists or Christians and eight percent ethnic Indians who are mostly Hindus.

A newspaper recently reported that the halal beer was popular among Muslims. It quoted Johor state Mufti Mohd Tahrir Samsuddin as saying that the National Fatwa Council had decided that the permissible alcohol content in food and drinks according to Islamic law is under 0.01 percent. Sarah Berning (pti)