Kepci concert held by private sector, not govt - minister

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Mohd Na’im Mokhtar clarified that the Kepci Music Fest last Saturday was not organised by the government.

He said the programme, held in conjunction with the golden jubilee of fast food restaurant KFC in Shah Alam, Selangor was organised by the private sector.

The event stirred controversy after group of young tahfiz (Islamic school) students were seen at the event.

“The Prime Minister’s Department has contacted the organisers and asked for an explanation regarding the issue.

“The organisers have said that the invitation to the students to attend the carnival programme and concert was done by a third party who sponsors the underprivileged and needy, including tahfiz students from the Rohingya community madrasah in Shah Alam,” he said in a video on Facebook today.

Mohd Na’im also advised all parties to be more careful of religious sensitivities, etiquette, as well as Eastern values and practices when organising programmes.

He said programme organisers must also take into account content appropriateness and its audience, especially tahfiz students and youngsters.

“My advice is to make it (the issue) a warning to everyone to ensure they follow the guidelines that have been prepared.

“I have asked the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) to call the relevant parties to take appropriate action,” he said.

Yesterday an individual, Andrie Ung Han Xiang, admitted that he was responsible for bringing the tahfiz students to the concert.

He said it was to give the opportunity to orphans and those underprivileged the experience of attending such a programme.

Ung said the children, seen wearing green robes and white turbans in a post that went viral, were from the Watahfiz al-Quran Rohingya Madrasah in TTDI Jaya and that they are Muslim Rohingya refugees and can hardly communicate in BM.

- Bernama