GEORGE TOWN, Aug 18 — No fatwa has been issued in Penang against Zumba, the aerobic fitness programme, and the state mufti has given the green light for a Zumba event to go ahead on Merdeka day.

Penang Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon said he had consulted with the Penang mufti and even showed him a video clip of the Zumba exercise.

“After looking at the video clip, he said there is nothing wrong for Muslims to participate in Zumba as long as they are properly attired and covered,” he told a press conference at his office to announce the event today.

The Penang mufti confirmed that there was no fatwa in Penang specifically to ban Zumba for Muslims.

Last week, Malay group Persatuan Mukabuku Pulau Pinang called for the Zumba exercise to be banned from public areas.

The organisation’s secretary Muhsin Abdul Latheef claimed Zumba is unislamic especially after a Sabah Mufti had issued a fatwa against it.

He said the dance is unsuitable for Muslim women as “they will be dancing to upbeat tunes in public” which go against the grain of Islamic teachings.

The group also criticised Mohd Rashid for endorsing an upcoming Zumba event on Merdeka day.

Mohd Rashid pointed out that the fatwa issued in Sabah is limited to that state.

“As for the actions in Zumba, it can be controlled but if someone has bad intentions, no matter what is the movement in any exercise, it will still be misconstrued as being inappropriate,” Mohd Rashid.

He emphasised that the purpose of him endorsing the Merdeka Zumba Carnival on August 31 is to promote a healthy and active lifestyle.

“As someone who practices an active lifestyle, I always encourage a healthy lifestyle especially when it involved group events amongst local residents to cultivate closer ties in the community,” he said.

He rubbished the Malay group’s claims and asked that them to justify their baseless demands.

“If they want to say women can’t be near men, then this (press conference) is wrong since we are a mix of men and women sitting together. We are living in a society and it’s a group exercise in public with no hand holding or touching so there is nothing wrong with that,” he said.

He also pointed out that Zumba did not involve any touching as each participant would be moving individually.

“I’ve seen a trial session before and there was a Muslim woman with a tudung participating in the event and there was nothing improper about it,” he said.

The question of close proximity also does not arise as Zumba is held in an open public area and in a group, he added.

“I’m taking progressive step to encourage healthy lifestyle and as long as participants stay away from dressing indecently, it is perfectly fine,” he said.

The Merdeka Zumba Carnival is organised by JKKK Jalan Tengah Utara and will start at 7pm on August 31.

JKKK chairman Teh Kim Chuan said they are targeting 1,000 participants for the event and that free T-shirts will be given to those who register for the event.

He also said the event was organised as part of the JKKK’s active lifestyle programmes to promote exercise.

Zumba is a popular aerobic programme created by Colombian dancer and choreographer Alberto “Beto” Perez during the 1990s.

The group workout, that’s gaining popularity in Malaysia as a form of fitness programme, incorporates different types of movements from samba, salsa, mambo and hip hop to martial arts.