'Ridiculous' reason, Guan Eng slams exco over women singers ban

'Ridiculous' reason, Guan Eng slams exco over women singers ban

Published: Aug 6, 2024 2:57 PM


DAP chairperson Lim Guan Eng has censured Terengganu state executive councillor Wan Sukairi Wan Abdullah who defended the directive to the Guan Di temple association prohibiting female singers from performing at its jubilee celebration.

Sukairi denied that the state government was discriminating against other religions and explained that the directive was issued because the event was taking place in an open space.

However, Lim described this justification as “ridiculous”.

“Because this is a temple event involving only non-Muslims. No Muslims have been invited to attend and no Muslims would attend of their own accord in a PAS-controlled state that rigorously applies their strict moral code.

“Further, this performance was conducted next to the temple that has organised such an event every year involving only non-Muslims without any unsavoury incident,” he added in a statement this morning.

He also pointed out that PAS’ previous promises not to disrupt the religious traditions or practices of non-Muslims are ‘irrelevant, meaningless, and a deception’.

Terengganu exco Wan Sukairi Wan Abdullah

Lim elaborated that not only were non-Muslims discriminated against the state government’s actions also denied them the right to practise their customary entertainment and traditional practices during a religious festival.

“This infringes on the freedom of religion provision in Article 11 of the Federal Constitution, which grants every person the right to profess and practise his or her religion,” he said.


PAS’ extreme rules may affect non-Muslims

With PAS refusing to back down from its harsh stance, Lim claimed the regulation hints at how extreme practices by PAS could affect non-Muslims in the future.

“These PAS regulations restricting entertainment in non-Muslim religious festivals are still in place.

“Malaysians, especially non-Muslims, are now forewarned that the extremist practices of PAS can also be imposed on non-Muslims,” he added.

On Aug 3, China Press reported that Guan Di temple received a written instruction from the local government prohibiting female singers from performing on stage.

This prompted DAP lawmaker Teresa Kok to inquire of the state government whether the ban on female singers represents a new policy and whether the government has broadened the scope of its entertainment bans to include non-Muslim venues such as Buddhist and Taoist temples.

Subsequently, another DAP lawmaker, Lim Lip Eng, asserted that the move systematically denies women’s rights, including those of all races and faiths.