Don’t blame us, Mas Idayu tells PAS Youth

PETALING JAYA: Angry dangdut queen Mas Idayu lashed out at Selangor PAS Youth who wanted her banned from performing at the Sultan of Selangor Cup match on July 6.

“If you (PAS) have internal issues, don't take it out on the artistes,” she said when contacted yesterday.

Mas Idayu: Are they saying that if all artistes were banned from performing on stage, social illnesses would be eradicated?

“There is not one single artiste who encourages people to do bad things such as taking drugs or consuming alcohol,” she stressed, adding that no organiser had asked to start the show during prayer times.

In the memorandum submitted three days ago to the state government, state PAS Youth chief Sallehen Mokhyi had said that the performances by singers Mas Idayu and Ella were inappropriate for youngsters and their dressing did not follow the values of Islamic and Malay cultures.

Mas told The Star that in her 15 years in the entertainment industry she only wore dresses and pants when performing.

“Are they saying that if all artistes were banned from performing on stage, social illnesses would be eradicated?” she asked.

Karyawan president Freddie Fernandez slammed the movement's memorandum.

“It is totally absurd. Both Ella and Mas Idayu have good reputations in the market and they have been entertaining Malaysians for more than 20 years without any problem,” he said.

Fernandez said Karyawan met Perak Mentri Besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin last week and assured him there would be no new ruling requiring artistes to alter their stage dressing.

State government subsidiary Kelab Darul Ehsan Bhd is organising the football match at the Shah Alam Stadium. Ella and Mas Idayu are to perform during a one-hour musical performance to kick-start the event together with David Arumugam of Alleycats.