Few performers would not be left humiliated after being told to exit the stage in front of hundreds of people, simply because their way of dressing reflects their beliefs.
 
Alleging religious discrimination, singer Marinatasha Isnariah Mustapar - who has 12 years' experience in the industry - chose to speak out.
 
"I felt vilified and humiliated. It should not have happened," she said, choking back tears at a press conference at Plaza Damansara yesterday.
 
This is the third such incident reported over the past year.
 
Prior to this, graduate Mira Kamil was refused jobs at Suria KLCC mall because of she wears a tudung, while vernacular school teacher Choi Yi San was instructed to remove her tudung by a school management board member.

In the Jan 18 incident, Marinatasha was told to stop her performance at a corporate event in Kuala Lumpur.

She said a senior manager of the company told her to leave the stage because she wears a tudung.

She was then replaced with another singer, and was only allowed to provide back-up vocals.

"(The manager) said I should not have been wearing a tudung, but I had a tudung on during the Jan 16 rehearsal and the company representative did not bother about it," she said.

She said the manager also scolded her after the performance but paid her the contracted fee.

She lodged a police report at the Sentul police station at 2.40am on Jan 19.

Persatuan Karyawan Malaysia (Karyawan), who called the press conference, urged the company to apologise or face legal action for religous discrimination.

"Karyawan urges the company to apologise and offer a solution to the situation," said chairperson Freddie Fernandez.
 
"This should act as a lesson to others not to discriminate against artists who wear the tudung."
 
Malaysiakini is contacting the company involved, and is withholding its name pending comment.