Split over Selena Gomez concert trivial, PH tells PAS
(FMT) – PAS claims singer was too sexy and PKR in Selangor is not committed enough to strengthen Islam.
Pakatan Harapan parties have hit out at PAS’ youth wing for wanting to cut ties with PKR over a concert by Selena Gomez saying it was trivial and just an excuse to justify their newfound love with Umno.
Amanah vice-president Mujahid Yusof Rawa said one would have thought it would be over policy disagreements or a difference in party aspirations.
“It is a very trivial issue. I would have thought it is about policy or something (PAS) aspires,” he said referring to the concert by the US pop singer in Shah Alam last July.
PAS had claimed the singer was too sexy. They had also said PKR in Selangor was not committed enough to strengthen Islam.
The motion was passed unanimously during the PAS youth wing’s muktamar in Kedah on Saturday.
Yesterday, the PAS central muktamar also passed a motion to terminate the Islamist party’s political cooperation with PKR.
Amanah’s Kota Raja MP Siti Mariah Mahmud said Malaysia is a multiracial country and people had a choice whether to go to a concert.
“We are talking about freedom of choice where we can’t restrict other people’s choices. Those who don’t want to go have a choice not to go.”
She added there were no laws in the shariah that forbade Muslims from attending concerts.
“(If) they want to forbid, then make it a law. But it might be too much trying to curb everything.”
She said it was far better to create awareness in the long run, to educate people not to attend such concerts as it is un-Islamic, instead of curbing the choices people make.
“With the awareness, there might not be a demand for such concerts, and the artistes might not come here, too.”
PKR’s vice-president Rafizi Ramli said it was time to make a decision on the cooperation with PAS in the Selangor government.
“I am less concerned about the reasons as compared with a ‘drag’ that might put off some voters from voting.
“That’s why the sooner we decide, the better,” he said while laughing off the reasons given by PAS to cut off ties with PKR.
DAP Socialist Youth (Dapsy) executive secretary Muhammad Shakir Ameer said the concert was just an excuse to justify PAS’ newfound love affair with Umno.
“It’s just an excuse because PAS’ youth wing has nothing constructive to say over any matter and it is finding every excuse to try and sound ‘right’ with their supporters.
“That has always been their tradition. Protest over matters they think are ‘un-Islamic’.”
