Local girl group Dolla recently caught public attention after appearing in revealing outfits in their latest music video.
Following the backlash, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar has asked the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) and the Federal Territories Mufti to review the current guidelines on how Muslim celebrities should dress.
Mohd Na’im Mokhtar
“A government minister has no authority to prosecute citizens”
Following the incident, Universal Music Malaysia removed the video from all its official platforms, a move Na’im thanked them for.
Former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Chief Commissioner Latheefa Koya later took to X to criticise the minister for his comments about the group, of which one member is a Muslim.
She argued that the minister had no right to threaten syariah charges against the member, Wan Sabrina, better known as Sabronzo.
“Religious Affairs Minister Na’im Mokhtar has threatened to file syariah offence charges against Sabronzo over a music video for allegedly being ‘too sexy’,” she wrote.
Latheefa also stressed that a government minister has no authority to investigate or prosecute citizens.
“How did the minister decide the music video was ‘too sexy’?”
Latheefa added that any prosecution, whether civil or syariah, can only be decided by the proper authorities after a fair and impartial investigation by the relevant bodies.
“By launching this tirade against Sabronzo, the Minister has publicly shamed her even though she hasn’t been found guilty of anything. He’s also undermined her basic right to a fair investigation and trial.”
“This whole backlash against Sabronza and her group is sensationalist and shows an unhealthy obsession with policing women’s purity, while ignoring the real misogynistic attitudes in society,” she added.
Latheefa Koya
She also urged him and the ministry to focus on actual issues instead of “scrutinising Dolla’s performances.”
“How did the minister decide the music video was ‘too sexy’? Did he actually watch it? What’s the criteria? Maybe he should’ve just ‘lowered his gaze’. It’d be better if Na’im and his ministry focused on real problems instead of nitpicking Dolla’s performances.”
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