KUALA LUMPUR: The Islamic Development Department (Jakim) is looking into claims that The Weeknd’s concert at the TM Stadium Nasional in Bukit Jalil on Nov 4 and 5 contained elements that contradicted Islamic teachings.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan said Jakim’s Research Division was in close contact with the secretariat of the Central Agency Committee for Filming Applications and Foreign Artistes’ Performances (Puspal) to verify the claims and check whether the concert had complied with the stipulated conditions.
He said Islam strictly prohibited any form of worship or veneration directed at anyone or anything other than Allah.
“All parties must ensure that artistic performances do not cause confusion regarding matters of faith, morality and religious sensitivities in Malaysia,” he said.
Zulkifli said action would be taken in accordance with the law to ensure that all performances respected religious and cultural sensitivities, as well as public order.
Pas yesterday questioned the use of a giant golden statue and performance elements allegedly resembling worship rituals during the concert.
Pas Youth Dakwah and Islamic Advocacy Committee chairman Mohamed Sukri Omar said the party was concerned that elements of worship could be normalised in the name of entertainment.
He claimed the performance concept was inspired by a fictional work about a civilisation that worshipped machines as gods, with themes of grandeur, destruction and rebirth.