PAS criticised for wanting concert banned
BY RENEE CHOONG AND CATHERINE CHONGKUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional and DAP leaders have criticised PAS for its call to ban American pop star Mariah Carey’s concert at the Stadium Merdeka here on Feb 22 on grounds that she is provocative in her dressing.
MCA Youth secretary-general Liow Tiong Lai urged PAS leaders to adopt a more liberal attitude as Malaysia was a progressive and plural society.
“Malaysians are generally tired of calls by PAS to ban concerts, the imposition of a dress code and its gender segregation policies,” he said.
Liow said the MCA had received many complaints from youngsters following the protest by PAS against Carey’s concert as they felt PAS leaders were “living in the dark ages.”
Penang DAP legal bureau chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said it was another extension of PAS’ discrimination against women.
“How can PAS ask for the cancellation of concerts of such nature in a progressive country like Malaysia, which is trying to be at par with other developing and developed countries.
“This further reinforced the narrow-mindedness of the party’s leadership,” he said.
DAP Wanita chief Chong Eng said PAS should channel its energy towards helping to solve more serious issues like pornography instead of harping on inconsequential matters.
She said that if the public could not watch the concert, they could easily watch it on television or music videos.
MCA Wanita central committee member Tan Cheng Liang said PAS was basically against any form of entertainment including wholesome cultural dances.
“PAS should discard its Stone Age thinking and move forward with the times,” she said.
On Thursday, Federal Territory PAS deputy youth chief Ahmad Sabki Yusof sent a protest memorandum to the Culture, Arts and Tourism Ministry, saying that the party could not accept Carey’s “immoral performance.”
Concert organiser Galaxy Productions spokesman Eric Chen said Carey had personally picked Malaysia to be one of her world tour destinations in line with her objective to cover new territories as an international artiste.
He said she was set to tour other predominantly Muslim nations such as Lebanon, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates.
Chen revealed that they had been in talks with Carey for the last two years and she had agreed to perform here, as Malaysia was one of her strongest fan bases in Asia.
“Carey has already been briefed about the culture and sensitivities of this country before she accepted the invitation to perform here and she knows her limits.
“We already said there will be no bikini costumes, and that she will don attire that complies with the dress regulations approved by the Culture, Arts and Tourism Ministry,” he said.
Having sold 150 million copies of her albums, Carey has had more No. 1 songs than any other artistes, with the exception of Elvis Presley and The Beatles.
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