I-Dance, PENANG STATE STREET DANCE COMPETITION

The I-Dance Competition is going to be held for the second time this year after the success of the Penang Street Dance Competition in 2007. In 2007, the competition did not attract any major controversy. Even the "So You Think You Can Dance' nation-wide competition do not have such a controversy, Muhamad Haslam "Alam" the winner, is now a youth celebrity and a role model.

However, this year Penang PAS youth, DAP partner in Pakatan Rakyat are against it. The situation worsen until Penang Pas Commisioner have to step in, yet PAS Youth is still adamant against it.

What is worrisome, is that to please PAS, the competition Rule 12 state that, “only same gender teams are allowed for Muslim participants. Non-muslim participants are also encouraged to have same gender teams.”

I am not a Muslim, whether the same gender teams for Muslim participants rule is suitable or not is for the Muslims to decide.

But, adding a statement that, “Non-muslim participants are also encouraged to have same gender teams” indicated the pressure PAS is putting on the DAP-led Penang state government.....



Star online,Thursday December 11, 2008
Street dancing contest to go on
By K.KASTURI DEWI

GEORGE TOWN: The I-Dance street dancing competition will go on but Muslim male and female participants are not allowed to mingle with each other. State Youth and Sports, Women, Family and Community Development Committee chairman Lydia Ong Kok Fooi said yesterday she had agreed to the condition imposed by state PAS leaders after meeting them on Saturday.

“Our committee managed to convince the PAS leaders that the event is a healthy pastime to combat social ills and their fears that it would promote social problems among youngsters were baseless,” she said during a press conference at her office.

Ong said she also explained to them that the event was held at a public place and under the supervision of teachers, parents and dance instructors.

“Public decency is assured and we also highlighted the event’s objectives, such as introducing street dance to youths in Penang as a healthy pastime and to counter negative vices such as loafing, vandalism and illegal racing (mat rempit). It also helps to curb drug and alcohol abuse,’’ she added.

Ong was commenting on the protest by the state PAS Youth which wanted the competition to be cancelled.

Its chief Mohamed Hafiz Mohamed Nordin had urged Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to scrap the event in line with the latter’s administrative slogan of amar ma’ruf mahi mungkar (enjoining good and preventing wrongdoing).

Ong also said the event organisers would meet with the Consumers’ Association of Penang next week to explain that the event was a non-profit youth project and a non-commercial activity for school children.

The event, supported by the state youth and sports committee, will see the preliminary round held at the New World Park from 7pm to 10pm on Dec 20. The finals will be held at the Queensbay Mall on Dec 27 and a dance jamboree will be held at the New World Park on Dec 28.