Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=...9188&sec=nation



JOHOR BARU: PAS has slammed the organisers of a Fathers Day event at a shopping mall in Segamat for staging a belly dancing performance by scantily-dressed women.

Johor PAS commissioner Datuk Dr Mahfodz Mohamed said the “dirty dancing” by the foreign women was not an appropriate performance at a shopping mall, as there were Muslim shoppers and children among the crowd.

“Such dances should be held behind closed doors,” he said, calling on the authorities to take the necessary action against the event organisers and the mall.

Dr Mahfodz was commenting on remarks by Segamat PAS chairman Firdaus Masod, who had expressed his regret over the performance at the mall on June 1.

Firdaus had told a Malay daily that retailers at the mall had complained to him of “feeling uneasy and disappointed” over the weekend performance.

He alleged that apart from the gelek show, the loud accompanying music had disturbed both shoppers and retailers.

Responding to the controversy, state Islamic affairs committee chairman Abd Mutalip Abd Rahim said the Johor Islamic Affairs Department had instructed the Segamat district council to investigate the “dirty dancing” at the mall.

He said the department wanted to know how the dance was allowed at a public place, adding that there was a crowd of about 500 people watching the show at around 8.30pm that day.

Abd Mutalip said the department had received a tip-off that another event would be held in Segamat this week, declining to say if it would be held at the same venue.

He also took Firdaus to task over the matter, saying that while the PAS official had prior knowledge of the event, he chose not to inform the department or the district council about it.

“PAS can show it is sincere about eradicating vice by coming forward to inform the relevant authorities rather than going to the media to highlight issues,” he said.

“Stamping out vice is the responsibility of all Muslims, regardless of their gender and political belief,” he said, adding that the event was advertised in several Chinese dailies and targeted at non-Muslims.

What about sexy dancers on TV?