Putrajaya blacklists concert organiser after K-pop hugs
Putrajaya has blacklisted the organiser of a mini-concert in January which drew a storm after several female Muslim fans went on stage to hug members of a South Korean boyband.
Communication and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said that following the furore over the incident, there has been tighter enforcement in a joint effort with other agencies such as local councils.
"In the K-pop concert (Fan Meeting B1A4 Acer Special) on January 10, 2015 at KL Live in Kuala Lumpur, we have blacklisted the organiser of the concert for breaching set regulations," he said in a parliamentary reply to Rantau Panjang MP, Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff, today.
Last January, a video of South Korean boyband B1A4 hugging their three Muslim fans at a concert 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, with Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) warning the girls to come forward or face arrest.
Jawi director Paimuzi Yahya later told The Malaysian Insider that it would adopt a softer approach by counselling the three girls involved. It is not known whether the girls had come forward to meet the religious body.
TGM had denied accusations against them, including molest and sexual harassment.
It said the interaction between the singers and their fans took place voluntarily even though the emcee had instructed the fans not to touch or get too close to members of B1A4 before the event took place.
TGM said that it was not standard protocol for K-pop artists to get too close to their fans, but the concert was a special meet-the-fans event.
The organisers also hit out at accusations that the girls were molested or sexually harassed, saying that the company is run primarily by women and would never condone sexual harassment as alleged.
Shabery, in his written reply to Siti Zailah, also revealed that the ministry had no records of how much the organisers paid the artists.
"This is because organisers are not required to divulge that information to Puspal.
"However, organisers have to give that information to the Inland Revenue Board through the artiste contract documents," he said.
Jawi had wanted the three girls to surrender themselves to assist its investigation under Section 29 of the Shariah Criminal Offences (Federal Territories) Act 1977 (Act 599 Indecent Acts in Public Places).
Jawi director Paimuzi Yahya reportwas quoted by Utusan Malaysia as saying the department would apply for an arrest warrant if the female fans refused to come forward.
Paimuzi later told The Malaysian Insider that the religious body might forgo the arrest warrants and adopt a softer approach by counselling the three girls involved.
However, it is not known of any of the girls involved in the video came forward to meet with Jawi. – April 2, 2015.
