PAS today called on the government to cancel the proposed concert by veteran German rock outfit Scorpions or warned that it will stage a series of protests.

Its Youth leaders said the concert, scheduled for Sept 13, should be scrapped as it will have a negative moral impact.

"There is no point (for the government) to use its right hand to create self-development programmes for the youth while with its left it destroys them," said Pas Youth chief Salahuddin Ayub in a memorandum.

Copies of the memorandum were submitted to the offices of Wilayah Persekutuan mufti Dr Yusof Hussin as well Culture, Arts and Heritage minister Dr Rais Yatim.

Salahuddin said should the government choose to ignore their demand, the wing will stage a protest at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport when the band arrives.

He added that they will also demonstrate at the venue of the concert on the scheduled date in attempt to dissuade the expected 30,000 fans from watching the performance.

Timing questioned

The Youth leader said while the government conducts the national service progamme and introduces the national youth policy, Rais' ministry 'suddenly' organises an event that is counter-productive to the former.

"Western music, which is spiritually bankrupt and transgresses all known religious boundries and customs, need not be spread further in this country where the youth no longer respect but look down upon long-standing cultural traditions," he added.

Salahuddin also criticised the timing of the concert as it falls on the day after Isra' and Mi'raj, the date Muslims believe Prophet Muhammad was miraculously brought to Jerusalem from Mecca before ascending the seven heavens to speak with Allah.

"Pas Youth notes the high probability that what the Barisan Nasional government seeks by holding the concert on Isra' and Mi'rajis is to present the openness of their 'Islam Hadhari'.

"Their raucousness governs how Islam is administered, whereas Islam should be the one governing and controlling raucousness," he said.

Yusof's personal assistant received the memorandum on behalf of the mufti while Rais' political secretary Zainuddin Ismail accepted a copy on behalf of the minister.

Distribute leaflets

Pas Youth deputy chief Idris Ahmad said the wing was not against the whole of Western culture as there are some aspects that are good such as the values of being upfront and of equality.

"We are talking about the survival of this society. Non-Malays as well as Malays, those who seriously think about culture and the future of this pluralistic society will also object to such programmes as they will not build the intellectual and economic capacity of our people," he added.

Speaking about the planned protests, PAS Johor Youth chief Mazlan Aliman said the party would organize a protest action committee against the Scorpions concert and the first protest will be held at the airport.

"Following that, we will distribute leaflets to Muslim society at large, especially on Fridays when they are performing their prayers, in order to dissuade them from going to the concert.

"If the concert proceeds, the Pas Youth leader (Salahuddin) will himself lead the protest at Stadium Merdeka itself," he added.