Bon Odori festival saga sheds light on how Malaysia governs Islam, after sultan rebukes federal minister

Even though Islam is enshrined in the constitution as Malaysia’s official religion, its governance comes under the nation’s nine monarchs across 13 states

Observers say Malay royals have become more vocal in asserting their power under the constitution, which serves as a ‘check and balance’ against federal politicians who politicise Islamic issues for support

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Drummers at the 1999 Bon Odori Festival in Kuala Lumpur. File photo: AP

Published: 7:30pm, 10 Jun 2022

The recent debacle over a Japanese festival in Malaysia has shone a light on how Islam is governed in Malaysia, after an influential sultan rebuked the federal religious affairs minister for telling Muslims to steer clear of the event.

Bon Odori, Japan’s traditional summer dance, is a popular event held annually in Malaysia by organisers including the Japanese embassy. It has returned after a two-year pandemic absence, but controversy erupted after Religious Affairs Minister Idris Ahmad this week suggested Muslims who attend the festival may be defying Islam.

He found himself reprimanded publicly by Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor, the state hosting this year’s Bon Odori. Even though Islam is enshrined in the constitution as Malaysia’s official religion, its governance comes under the jurisdiction of the nation’s monarchs across 13 states.

The sultan urged the minister, who hails from the conservative PAS party, to attend the festival “to understand the difference between religion and culture”.

Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor. Photo: Handout

Sultan Sharafuddin, one of Malaysia’s nine monarchs, also said his experience attending Bon Odori in 2016 gave him a clear impression that Bon Odori was neither religious nor ritualistic in nature, and Muslims who went to the event were not likely to be driven away from their faith.