KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 27 — The Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) said it is not responsible for approving entertainment events and their timing, after at least one organiser said it planned to challenge an order to shift its event over a clash with Awal Muharram.

Responding to remarks by the organisers of the SPB’s Live In Concert Illaya Nila on August 31 featuring Indian superstar singer SP Balasubrahmanyam, the department said matters concerning foreign performers came under the Central Agencies Committee for Applications for Filming and Performances by Foreign Artistes (Puspal).

Jakim said it was simply an advisor to Puspal appointed by the Communications and Multimedia Ministry.

"Seeing that Jakim is not the approving authority for applications to organise such events, Jakim gave its views and advice from a religious perspective regarding the suitability of the event.

"Jakim’s views are in line with the position of Islam as the religion of the federation and provided as guidance for Puspal that has absolute power to approve or otherwise based on existing laws and guidelines,” it said in a statement.

The department added that the decision on the SPB event was made via consensus among all agencies advising Puspal.

Yesterday, Astro’s Indian broadcast channel, astroulagam, reported the concert organiser Raaghav Productions as naming Jakim for the move to alter the show’s timing in order to avoid upsetting Muslim who will celebrate Awal Muharram in the evening.

Puspal reportedly had notified the organisers that Jakim had advised that no concerts be held after 7pm that day. A press conference was supposedly held yesterday on this issue.

The agency is also said to have warned concert organisers not to sell tickets prior to getting approval from the relevant government agencies.

The agency said that events will not be allowed to proceed without such approvals, amid an uproar over the rescheduling of two concerts in order to accommodate the Muslim new year celebration of Awal Muharram and Maal Hijrah.