PAS hands over memo against Gomez concert

- AFP

SHAH ALAM: Selangor PAS has handed over a memorandum to the state government stressing its disapproval of Selena Gomez’s concert.

Its Youth wing chief Hanafi Zulkapli said on Wednesday that PAS is still hopeful that the state administration will call off the concert, which is scheduled to be held at Stadium Melawati here on July 25.

The Islamist party views the American singer as promoting Western culture and hedonism.

"The culture brought by Selena Gomez is against what we have been practising in Malaysia throughout the years.

"We call for the concert to be cancelled because it will have a severe negative impact.

"The concert will also promote social ills such as alcohol use, drugs and free mingling of sexes," he said after handing over the memorandum to the Mentri Besar's chief private secretary, Mohd Shahrizal Mohd Salleh.

PAS' state ulama chief Riduan Rahmat, Muslimat chief Wan Hasrina Wan Hassan and about 20 wing members were present during the brief meeting between Hanafi and Mohd Shahrizal at the lobby of the state secretariat building here.

Earlier at about 2pm, the gates at the building's main entrance were seen chained and closed for vehicles with extra security guards and police on duty.

Motorists were told to use another entrance while visitors on foot had to go through tight security checks before being allowed entry.

Escorted by police, the PAS group walked in from the gate at 2.40pm.

After submitting the memorandum, the group met and addressed about 100 supporters outside the main entrance.

The group dispersed at about 3.15pm, and the gates were reopened to public 15 minutes later.

The PAS memorandum states that concerts involving foreign celebrities often stir up negative elements during and after the event.

It also claimed that entertainment nowadays had deviated from the actual purpose of "resting the soul and relaxation".

"It has turned into a business and related to profit," it said, adding that entertainment business operators were racing to bring in popular foreign artistes without looking at their backgrounds and the possible effects of their shows.