From 9/11 to Nick Griffin, the Islamic debate is a sure fire way to provoke controversial debate, but evidence from Malaysia this week suggests that Islamic Clerics have most certainly got something spot-on!

According to those clerics in what experts describe as "moderate" Malaysia, Manchester United shirts are both "dangerous" and "un-islamic" so much so they have been banned!

In what surely must be a mega-blow for the cash-strapped Premiership club, who have just launched a new money-spinning strip, a senior Malaysian cleric said: "You are only promoting the devil."

Another cleric ranted: "This is very dangerous. As a Muslim we should not worship the symbols of other religions or the devils,"

"It will erode our belief in Islam. There is no reason why we as Muslims should wear such jerseys, either for sports or fashion reasons."

Sky news estimate that of the 81 million Manchester United followers in Asia, 7 million live in Malaysia.

However before this provokes yet more Fergy-style paranoia from as far afield as Cheam and Chertsey, the religious leaders also have a downer on the shirts of Manchester United's 2009 Champions League final conquerors Barcelona - as their emblem features the cross of St George on it. Their former hero Ronaldos' Portugal shirt is also frowned on because of a cross on the badge, as is Brazil's famous yellow shirt as worn by one-time Old Trafford legend Kleberson.

Photo: Action Images

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