Girls in K-pop hugging incident are sinners, says Jakim

Jakim in its Friday sermon today warns Muslims in the country about influences from both the east and west and the obstacles they pose to their faith, especially in the recent incident where a tudung-clad female K-pop fan was hugged on stage. – Picture taken from Facebook, January 16, 2015. 

Following the furore over a South Korean band hugging their female Muslim fans in a recent concert, the federal Islamic authority today warned Muslims of the obstacles to their faith posed by both western and eastern cultures.

In its Friday sermon, the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) condemned entertainment programmes that trod on Islamic values.

"Bagi mereka yang cetek pemikiran menganggap ianya sekadar hiburan semata-mata, (To them who are simple minded, this may only be simple entertainment)," Jakim said.

Jakim blamed the Internet and the mass media for the ‘problem’,  and urged organisers of such entertainment programmes to review and modify their contents with due sensitivity for Islamic values.

It also said the Muslim girls who were hugged by members of the K-pop band had committed a "sinful act".

A video of South Korean boyband  B1A4 hugging their three Muslim fans at a concert last week went viral after it was posted online with the sensational title, “Perempuan Melayu dicabul atas pentas oleh mat K-pop semalam” (Malay girls molested on stage by K-Pop artistes last night).

The clip caused an outcry among Muslim groups and religious authorities.

Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) director-general Datuk Othman Mustapha on Monday said it would haul up the organiser over the band members' inappropriate behaviour and for not taking precautionary measures seriously.

He said it was a shameful act for the artistes to hug and embrace the “tudung-clad” Malay girls, who seemed to be obsessed with the K-Pop artistes.

Jawi also wanted the 3 Malay girls caught on video to assist its investigation under Section 29 of the Syariah Criminal Offences ( Federal Territories ) Act 1977 (Act 599 Indecent Acts in Public Places.)

Jawi director Paimuzi Yahya reportedly said the department would apply for a court order to arrest the girls if they refused to come forward to help in the investigation.

- TMI