Albawaba brings 2 stories on what Muslims in South East Asia and the Southern Hemisphere are up to:
WHO names Malaysia as world's 10th largest alcohol consumer
World Health Organisation (WHO) has named Malaysia as the world's tenth largest consumer of alcohol.
A new WHO report has said Malaysia spent over 500 million dollars (RM1.5bil) on alcohol with a per capita consumption of seven litres, while its beer consumption is 11 litres per capita, The Star reports.
Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Heng Seai Kie expressed concern that this problem is getting serious.
"Alcohol is not only causing a lot of health issues but is also contributing to a significant number of accidents," she said after attending a seminar on "Promote Healthy lifestyle: Reduce Alcohol Harm".
She, however, assured that her ministry would organise a campaign through the National Population and Family Development Board to spread awareness on the danger of alcohol abuse by holding ten seminars nation wide this year.
"The public has to understand that alcohol is not part of our culture and it will bring harm if it is abused," she added.
Muslim radio to remain on airwaves after green signal from Oz Authority
A Muslim group, accused of having radical links would continue broadcasting 2MFM's community radio, following a "widely condemned" green signal by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
The renewal of radio licence for five years is on the condition that the station encourage wider Muslim participation.
The move has angered Muslims, who claim it is linked to an alleged extremist group, Al-Ahbash,The Sydney Morning Herald repots.
The President of the Islamic Friendship Association of Australia, Keysar Trad, said the condition would change nothing "because no Muslims in the wider community want to have anything to do with them - no one will go near them."
A founder of 2MFM Mustapha Kara-Ali, who has distanced himself from the group, said the condition could work but it was crucial "for the [Muslim] community to overtake the Al-Ahbash and run the radio station for the whole community."
Muslim Community Radio Incorporated, the operator of 2MFM, has ties to the Islamic Charity Projects Association, which is associated with Al-Ahbash.
Al Ahbash members have denied the claim of extremism saying the group promotes Islamic pluralism.
Station manager Malek Jouddawi said criticisms of the station were "utterly wrong ... whoever listens to our radio station can tell very clearly that we're moderate ... We don't want to waste time responding to these people. The endorsement by the authority was "evidence that 2MFM is serving the community responsibly".
