GEORGE TOWN, April 16 (Bernama) -- The Penang City Council (MBPP) will take action against the organisers over an incident whereby several women were reported to be dancing in a semi-nude state at a tourist area in Batu Ferringhi, near here recently.
Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Dr Mohamad Abdul Hamid said the local authority (PBT) would also issue a show cause letter to the organisers of the event.
"The organisation of the Songkran festival in Batu Ferringhi recently was under the jurisdiction of the local authority, namely MBPP and the organisers had an entertainment licence, but the organisers did not follow the stipulated conditions.
"The MBPP will take action, including issuing a show cause letter to the organisers of the event," he said when contacted today.
Earlier, the media reported that several women danced semi-nude on stage in conjunction with the Songkran festival in Batu Ferringhi recently sparking the anger of netizens after a video recording of the incident went viral on social media, and the incident even happened 50 metres from a mosque there.
Mohamad, who is also the president of the Penang State Islamic Religious Council (MAINPP), said his views were in line with the views of Penang Mufti Datuk Dr Mohd Sukki Othman who insisted that Muslims are prohibited from participating in the Songkran festival, either directly or indirectly.
Meanwhile, Northeast District Police Chief ACP Abdul Rozak Muhammad said the organisers of the weekend event did not apply for a permit from the police as it was held in a private area by a restaurant that had a valid general business and entertainment licence from MBPP.
"As the event took place in a private area, the organisers were not obliged to apply for a permit from the police and the monitoring carried out throughout the event was unaffected by any untoward incidents," he said, adding that no police report had been received on the organisation of the Songkran festival to date.
-- BERNAMA
