KUALA LUMPUR – As British band Coldplay prepares to take to the stage tonight, a PAS lawmaker has trained his guns on an upcoming Bollywood concert, alleging that the event will be yet another hotbed of ‘maksiat’ (sinful acts).
Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman (Kuala Krai-PN) in the Dewan Rakyat today urged the government to consider cancelling the Stars on Fire concert, which is set to feature several renowned Bollywood figures, such as celebrities Hrithik Roshan and Vaani Kapoor.
“The Stars on Fire concert, which will be held early this December involving famous celebrities from India, is unsuitable and will disturb the sensitivities of the rakyat as our brothers and sisters are being slaughtered in Palestine.
“Muftis have already advised the rakyat to not be involved in programmes that clearly go against the values of our local culture. The government must act proactively by closing the doors to spaces of ‘maksiat’,” Latiff said during his debate on Supply Bill 2024 at the committee level.
He also said that people must be made to understand Islamic teachings that stipulate boundaries for the holding of entertainment events, asserting that any programme that goes against these boundaries is against Islamic guidelines.
“The issue with Coldplay is not about whether or not they support Palestine, (but more on) how the band is associated with immoral groups that promote the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community.
“The government should learn from The 1975 event, which tarnished the nation’s image (when) the group displayed rude acts that strayed from our cultural values and Islamic principles,” Latiff added.
The MP was referring to the fiasco during the Good Vibes Festival in July, when the band’s lead singer Matty Healy’s criticism of the government over laws affecting the LGBT community resulted in an uproar and the festival’s cancellation.
While the MP requested that both the Stars on Fire and Coldplay concerts be cancelled, the Communications and Digital Ministry has since announced that the Coldplay concert will proceed as scheduled tonight at Bukit Jalil National Stadium.
Later on, Latiff’s fellow PAS lawmaker Mohd Misbahul Munir Masduki (Parit Buntar-PN) continued to voice his disagreement with the concert, saying the British band’s support was not enough as it still supports the LGBT movement.
Yesterday in the lower House, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (Tambun-PH) said the concert had received the green light from the government, while several lobbyists from the pro-Palestine movement have expressed their support regarding the band’s performance. – November 22, 2023