[UPDATED] Change Bon Odori’s name to avoid confusion: Perlis mufti

KUALA LUMPUR – Perlis Mufti Datuk Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, popularly known as Dr Maza, has suggested that the Bon Odori festival to be held in Malaysia change its name to “avoid confusion”.

In a Facebook post today, he said the name change will avoid confusing the event with the original Japanese celebration that has “elements of syirik (idolatry) and khurafat (superstition)”.

“The event can instead be called a Japanese cultural or community festival,” he said, claiming that this will allow the festival to be held without backlash.

He also recommended for the organisers to ensure that the event is not religious in nature and does not involve rituals representing certain beliefs.

The Bon Odori programme is scheduled to be held at the Shah Alam Sports Complex on July 16.

Previously, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Idris Ahmad had advised Muslims to not participate in the festival as it contains components of other religions.

He said that a study conducted by Jakim found that the festival does have religious elements, adding that the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) advocated for Muslims to avoid participating in programmes that could affect their religion and beliefs.

Subsequently, Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah had decreed that the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) not obstruct anyone from attending the event.

Jais director Datuk Mohd Shahzihan Ahmad has since said that it will not prevent any individual from attending the event, following the sultan’s decree.

The sultan had also said that he himself has in the past attended the annual event and did not find anything there that can corrupt the faith of Muslims.

Proposing that Idris attend the festival himself to see the difference between culture and religion, the sultan said he does not want Jakim to be used to issue confusing and inaccurate statements that will undermine the department’s image and reputation. – The Vibes, June 10, 2022