KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — Datuk Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi did not go against the Selangor government by ordering state mosques to hold special prayers to prevent Selena Gomez’s concert from taking place in Shah Alam next week, the Selangor Mentri Besar’s Office said today.
A representative from Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali’s office said the view by state executive council in charge of religious affairs was his own, and added that approval for the US singer’s concert was granted by a local council and was not an executive decision.
“It’s not going against the state government as such since the approval was granted at local council level, not the executive level.
“In any case, I note the YB has put the decision before God and not any entity of the state. We will see what He decides,” the representative who asked not to be named told Malay Mail Online when contacted.
Ahmad Yunus claimed today that Muslims would not accept such “extreme” forms of entertainment and that the concert by the US pop singer will invoke God’s wrath if it were allowed to take place on July 25.
“All mosques in Selangor have been ordered to hold ‘solat hajat’ after Friday prayers or whenever it is appropriate before the concert takes place to pray to Allah in hopes that the concert will be cancelled.
“(May) our beloved Selangor not be struck with disasters, and the concert organisers be enlightened by Allah,” Ahmad Yunus said in a statement.
Azmin has said his administration will not ban the upcoming concert, even as Islamist party PAS continues to protest against it.
The mentri besar said Selangor has no reason to prohibit the event from proceeding so long as the organisers meet all the requirements set by local authorities.
Responding to PAS Youth’s claim that the “sexy” American singer’s concert would taint the Muslim month of Syawal, he explained that sex appeal was not an attribute that should be maligned.
“Sexiness is God’s creation and subjective. Do not be over-excited by it. Most (of her fans) are drawn by the song lyrics delivered by the particular singer,” he was quoted as saying by Berita Harian in its news portal this week.
He also said there was no issue with holding the concert in the month of Syawal, adding that every month should be equally respected.
Gomez’s concert is part of her Revival tour and will be held at the Stadium Melawati in Shah Alam.
Concerts held by international musicians and bands in Malaysia frequently see opposition from hardline Muslim groups and PAS Youth in addition to strict regulations from authorities, causing many to give the country a miss during their South-east Asian tours.
