![]() Over the last two decades, there has been a growing middle class of Islamic modernists in Malaysia who accept the challenge of modernity but with a difference. Nevertheless, as in other parts of the Muslim world, there are diverse types of Muslims who embrace different interpretations of Islamic practices and culture (Hefner 1997: 6-7). ![]() The media has chosen to focus on the actions of these conservative Muslims. Women have also been banned from taking part in all concerts and live entertainment shows in Kelantan since 2002 because the female voice is considered aurat, a part of the body which must be covered ( Star, 19 September 2002). Worse still, Pak Dogol, the clown of the wayang Kelantan, not only acts as a servant to Seri Rama, the hero of the puppet theater, but is himself a Hindu demigod. Spirits are believed to be invoked during these performances and non-Islamic stories (like the Indian epics Ramayana and Mahabharata) are used. ![]() For orthodox Muslims, traditional theater forms are haram (forbidden) because they are performed for spiritual occasions, including healing. Since the opposition Party Islam Se Malaysia (PAS, Islamic Party of Malaysia) took over the state government in Kelantan in 1990, it has deemed as un-Islamic and banned public performances of traditional theater such as wayang kulit (shadow puppet) and makyong (a form of Malay theatre), as well as rock concerts.
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