SELANGOR ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has ordered the state Islamic Religious Department (Jais) not to disrupt the Bon Odori festival scheduled to take place next month.

Jais, in a statement posted on its Facebook, said the state ruler has given instructions for Jais and the Shah Alam City Council officers to physically attend the festival and see for themselves what actually happens during the celebration.

Jais director Shahzihan Ahmad said the sultan himself had attended the festival several years ago and did not find any evidence that it contains elements detrimental to the practice of Islam.

The statement follows religious affairs minister Idris Ahmad’s remark discouraging Muslims from participating in the annual Bon Odori festival, which he claimed is “influenced by elements of other religions” according to research by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia.

However, Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari publicly stated yesterday that the celebration will go on as planned next month.

He added the state government will contact the Japanese embassy and cultural experts to obtain greater understanding of the festival, while commenting that the administration has never received any protests or objections over the last three decades.

The Bon Odori festival, held every year, is organised by the Japanese community in Malaysia. It is making its comeback after a two-year absence due to the Covid-19 pandemic, first in Shah Alam on July 16 and then in Penang on July 30.

Among the Japanese cultural elements showcased during the festival are drum performances and the Bon Odori dance. – June 8, 2022.