Media yg berpengkalan di France dah siar cadangan Kerajaan nak jemput Yusuf
Islam ke Kelantan, cepat sungguh tersebar.
Malaysian Islamist state that recently lifted ban on concerts woos Cat Stevens
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Barely 13 months after it lifted a 15-year ban on pop
concerts, Malaysia's lone Islamist opposition-run state is attempting to woo
the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens, an official said Thursday.
Stevens, known as Yusuf Islam since his conversion to Islam in the late
1970s, is the favorite to headline a concert celebrating the third anniversary
of the Kelantan state capital, Kota Baru, as an "Islamic city," local
government committee chairman, Takiyuddin Hassan, told The Associated Press.
"We plan to get him, and anyone else that can convey a good message about
morals and religion," Takiyuddin said. "Our criteria is the artiste's
background itself and their track record. We'll of course still stick to crowd
segregation, male, female and families."
Takiyuddin said getting Yusuf would be big for the state and the Islamist
party but said officials have yet to talk to Yusuf or his representatives.
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The London-born Yusuf had a string of hit songs, including "Moonshadow" and
"Peace Train," before converting to Islam and withdrawing from the music
industry. He released "An Other Cup," his first new "mainstream" album in 28
years, last week.
In Kelantan, the opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party has banned rock
concerts and gambling, restricted alcohol sales and introduced a dress code for
Muslim women. It recently lifted bans on karaoke lounges and snooker parlors in
a bid to shed its hardline image.
The concert is scheduled for Oct. 1, 2007. It would be the first time the
state has invited an overseas act for its "Islamic City" celebration,
Takiyuddin said.
In 2005, Malaysian pop icon Asmawi Ani, also known as Mawi, played to a
sold-out audience in the state's first pop concert since the Islamic party
seized control 15 years earlier. The previous year, the party tested the waters
with a small gig by local performers although only songs about religion and
morals were allowed.
The party suffered a stunning defeat in the 2004 national elections, and
afterward tried to project itself as more moderate by reducing its religious
rhetoric. In recent party elections, a crop of young leaders were elected as
office bearers.
The federal government has dismissed the "Islamic city" badge as a
gimmick.//IHT
abuhafizd <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Thursday November 23, 2006
Kelantan wooing Cat Stevens
By IAN MCINTYRE
KOTA BARU: If all goes as planned, folk music legend Cat Stevens will
be performing in Kelantan next year.
The state government is now looking for sponsors to bring in Stevens,
a Muslim convert since 1977, to perform at its Islamic city's third
anniversary celebrations.
The plan is part of the state's intention to lure western artistes to
Kelantan shores, said state Local Government Committee chairman
Takiyuddin Hassan.
"We are receptive to concerts based on the Islamic guidelines and the
artistes must meet certain criteria such as positive lyrics, attire
and showmanship," he added.
At the peak of Stevens' musical career in the 1970s, the British
singer and songwriter had eight consecutive gold albums and 10 hit
singles in Britain and 14 in the United States.
As Yusuf Islam, he made several recordings, mostly educational and
pertaining to Islam.
The state government would however stick to its policy of crowd
segregation for open concerts, with single males and females sitting
apart.
Certain rock tunes would be allowed but only if they espoused
religious virtues, he said after yesterday's state exco meeting.
Takiyuddin added that TV3 was welcome to hold its "Jom Heboh"
carnival in Kelantan if the organisers met guidelines.
He also announced that the state had approved the expansion of the
Thian Hou Kong temple in Tumpat after the authorities were satisfied
it would not affect the mixed population in the area.
The state exco granted approval based on the temple's heritage value
and pledge by landowner Kelantan Hainan Association that the temple's
activities would not affect the neighbours. The temple was built in
1906.
Meanwhile, Deputy Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob announced that the
state was studying a proposal to allow poor landowners to pay land
premiums in four instalments yearly.
On land-related matters, state finance committee chairman Datuk Husam
Musa said the state had surrendered 25,833ha of land to Felda after
it paid RM79mil in land premiums to the state government last
week.//Thestar
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