PAS Ulama urges Puspal to block entry of pro-LGBT artistes

PAS’ Ulama wing has urged the Filming and Performance by Foreign Artistes Agency (Puspal) to refuse entry to artistes who openly promote LGBT values from performing in the country.

The wing’s chief, Ahmad Yahaya (above), emphasised the critical need for this action to prevent the normalisation of LGBT values, which the party believes could have a detrimental impact on Malaysia’s younger generation.

“We should be aware that the LGBT agenda in the country always happens through a very fine needle.

“PAS Ulama insists that Puspal needs to act actively in this regard… The entry of artistes who promote LGBT only adds to the social problems of young people in the country,” said Ahmad in a statement today.

The remarks come amid pushback from PAS over an upcoming Coldplay concert in Malaysia this November.

On May 10, PAS central committee member Nasrudin Hassan said the concert should be cancelled because of Coldplay frontman Chris Martin’s outspoken advocacy for LGBT rights.

To support his argument, Nasrudin shared photographs of Martin holding up a rainbow flag during a concert in London, England on a Facebook post.

In a separate statement today, Johor PAS information chief Abu Irfan Muhammad Al Urduni said it is clear that Coldplay is an “LGBT symbol”.

“We are shocked by Coldplay’s concert being promoted in the name of freedom and economic attraction.

“At the same time, we forget about Coldplay’s ‘real background’ as a world LGBT symbol,” Abu said.

He added that should the concert proceed, it would embolden those who identify as LGBT.

Improve regulations

Meanwhile, Ahmad stressed that the government has been repeatedly reminded that Puspal’s guidelines need to be constantly improved.

One of the proposed improvements, he said, entails the active involvement of agencies such as the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) in Puspal.

Puspal passed new guidelines on Nov 16, 2022, encompassing updated regulations, including dress codes.

International male performers are prohibited from cross-dressing as women while female artistes must not wear clothes that “widely expose the chest area” or are “too high above the knee”.

Additionally, both male and female artistes are prohibited from removing their clothes while performing.

The new guidelines also stated that foreign artistes are not allowed to perform during or on the eve of Islamic holidays unless they have received permission from the relevant Islamic authorities.

The updated guidelines are supposed to be in force next year, but Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil has directed Puspal to make revisions based on industry feedback.

On another note, Ahmad said the PAS Ulama wing proposes the enactment of specific legal provisions to safeguard the nation against “LGBT threats”.

“This is to ensure that the country is free from normalising the culture and that the policy of rejecting the influence of LGBT culture can maintain.

“The organisation of programmes that damage the values and identity of young people in the country is against the National Cultural Policy,” he concluded.

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