PAS: Kuala Selangor cineplex notices merely reminders

SHAH ALAM: The notices put up at a Kuala Selangor cineplex stating that unmarried Muslim couples should not sit together are merely reminders, said Selangor PAS commissioner Dr Rani Osman.
He said the decision to compel the cinema operator to put up the reminders were made by the licensing department of the Kuala Selangor District Council (MDKS).
“It has not been brought to the full board council meeting yet. It was discussed by the licensing department,” he told a press conference at the lobby of the state assembly on Wednesday.
It was widely reported that Lotus Five Star, the only cinema in Kuala Selangor had put up notices informing unmarried Muslim couples that they were banned from sitting side-by-side.
State executive councillor Ronnie Liu immediately asked for the ruling to be deferred and discussed further at MDKS' full board meeting.
Selangor PAS deputy commissioner Khalid Samad admitted the party's MDKS councillors had made the proposal, but they had no intention of imposing Islamic values on non-Muslims.
“The cinema is a public space for family entertainment. Families go to the cinema and they complain of seeing couples make out.
“So we want to remind the public to behave. Do not make the cinema a poor man's nightclub,” said Khalid.
PAS' Kuala Selangor MP Dr Dzukefly Ahmad said the matter would be discussed at MDKS' full board meeting at the end of the month.
Selangor MCA Youth chief Dr Kow Cheong Wei said a temporary freeze on the ruling left the possibility that the gender segregation might be fully enforced in the future.
"The rakyat cannot continue to rely on face-saving temporary relief from contentious, divisive issues that face their states.
"Instead, I strongly urge Pakatan Rakyat to issue a public declaration denouncing further gender segregation rulings in their respective states.
"It can start by permanently retracting the recent cinema ruling enforced by MDKS," he said.
MCA's Sungai Pelek assemblyman Yap Ee Wah said it would be difficult for Pakatan to earn the trust of voters if it flip-flops on its policies.
"While MDKS has withdrawn the directive in the wake of public criticism, the above-mentioned examples prove how PAS creates and enforces rulings on its own will, and at the expense of the people while DAP and PKR sit idly by," he said in a statement.

tunku :this is another example how islamic pas is? its haram in Islam for unmarried couple to sit very closely as they will surely be touching each other, so why only as reminder. take action against them if you really want to uphold Islamic teaching. why only a reminder? the answer is very simple.they are afraid of dap and pkr. dap tell them to shut up, they back off. this is how islamic pas is today.