A planned performance by a group of Thai men in women’s clothes at a nightclub in Kuala Lumpur has caught the attention of Putrajaya - who are zooming in on the paperwork.
Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said having such a show during Ramadan was inappropriate and should not go on.
"We will find out where they got their approval from and (also contact) the local authorities on this matter," he said, as quoted by The Star.
However, according to an aide to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, there might not have been any approval.
Azman Abidin, one of the prime minister's political secretaries, said the Privacy Club at Jalan Tun Razak did not have an entertainment licence, nor did it apply for permission to host this entertainment programme.
Azman said the club's restaurant licence also expired last year.
"Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is in the process of carrying out checks to take enforcement action in the event there has been any violation of terms and conditions by the organiser," he said.
The Federal Territories are now managed by a department under the Prime Minister's Department.
The Privacy Club is reportedly inviting “Thai Hot Guy” - a group of buff male performers from a popular restaurant in Thailand - for their "grand opening" on March 30.
The event was reported by a local web portal as well as a nightlife social media account but was missing from the Privacy Club's Facebook page on checks by Malaysiakini today.
The club's Facebook page shows that it held a "grand opening" in September last year and several other musical performances since then.
News of the event has since triggered an uproar from PAS, which objected to the event.
"It is clear from the poster, which was attached with flashy photos of the group members, that this event promotes hedonism, obscenity and free sex culture," PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan had said.
The updated guidelines on foreign performers which bar crossdressing only come into force next year.
Disgusting and rude
Meanwhile, Amanah and PKR's youth wings have also joined in the furore.
Amanah Youth chief Mohd Hasbie Muda said the planned performance was disgusting, rude and disrespected the sensitivities of the majority of Malaysians.
"Such events appear to want to bring in propagators of excessive freedoms that are deviant into our country," he said.
Mohd Hasbie added that Amanah Youth would be sending a protest letter to DBKL to take action on the forthcoming performance and others like it in the future.
Separately, PKR Youth’s religious understanding and strengthening bureau leader Ashraf Hadi said hosting such a performance during the Ramadan fasting month can hurt societal sensitivities.
He said even though the government upholds personal freedoms, it must be paired with mutual respect.
Ashraf added that "irrelevant Western cultures" risk further polarising society, hence the show must be cancelled.
"No matter what the excuse, this programme must be cancelled," he said in a statement today. - Mkini
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