Restaurants and food stalls in Malaysia must rename their 'hotdogs' or risk having them banned, the government there said today.

Malaysia is a predominantly Muslim country and the government's religious authority has threatened to withdraw the snack's halal certificate.

Although hotdogs in the West are traditionally made of pork, in Malaysia they have have to be made of chicken in order to pass strict halal rules.

But now it seems the name itself has fallen foul of the authorities.

People eat at the Jalan Alor Bukit Bintang street market in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur. Apparently some Muslim tourists have taken the name hotdog too literally

Sirajuddin Suhaimee, director of the halal division of the Department of Islamic Development, said there had been a number of complaints from tourists from other Muslim countries who had apparently taken the name too literally.

He said: 'Any halal products that make consumers confused, we have to change,' he said.

'In Islam, dogs are considered unclean and the name cannot be related to halal certification.'

Numerous street vendors and restaurants must rename hotdogs or risk being refused a halal certificate in Malaysia

The ruling, which also bans any other canine food names such as cheesedog or chillidog, has been ridiculed on social media.

One Facebook user wrote: 'Please stick to religion...don't be an English language adviser.'

Another mischievously suggested: 'Pet shops please rename ur dogs as sausages.'

Mr Sirajuddin said they would be checking up on hundreds of food outlets which currently advertise 'hotdogs' to make sure they are not flouting the ban.

US pretzel chain Auntie Anne's, which has 45 outlets in Malaysia, said it had no qualms about renaming its pretzel dogs - sausages wrapped with pretzels - following the edict.

'It's a minor issue. We are fine with changing the name and are still working on it,' said Farhatul Kamilah Mohamed Sazali, an executive at Auntie Anne's Malaysia.

Hot sausage? Doesn't sound as good as hot dog, does it?

Mr Sirajuddin suggested pretzel dogs be called pretzel sausages and he is thought to favour 'hot sausages' as the dull but factually accurate replacement for 'hotdogs'.

Malaysia has long practised a moderate form of Islam but conservative attitudes are rising.

A company last year introduced halal bottled mineral water in Malaysia, and Islamic speed dating sessions - where single women are chaperoned - have been embraced.

A halal convention in Kuala Lumpur last year, which drew thousands of delegates and hundreds of exhibitors, showcased products ranging from food and cosmetics to collagen produced from yaks in Tibet.