The Selangor state assemblyman for Paya Jaras, Mohd Khairuddin Othman of PAS, decided he’d go thematic in his wardrobe choices for Chinese New Year, and ended up being kitted out as Cao Guojiu, a mythical Chinese emperor regarded as one of the Eight Immortals in Taoist belief.
He does not currently think that decision was as well thought-out as it could have been.
“I believed that Chinese New Year is a cultural celebration. That’s why I thought the costume had nothing to do with religion,” he said according to a report by the Islamist party’s official portal Harakahdaily.
He was told by members of his constituency in Wangsa Permai, Kepong, that the ethnic costume he had chosen to wear to mark CNY was that of a divine figure in Taoism, also known as “someone you should not be dressing up as”.
Khairuddin says he will accept any opinion or action by PAS’s Syura Council on his mistake. The Syura Council is the party’s apex committee on matters of Islamic jurisprudence.
“I believe that PAS is lead by Islamic scholars who are more learned than I am in matters of both religion and the muticultural issues in Selangor, and therefore I will defer to their decision, whatever it may be,” he said in a statement.
He also offered an apology for causing any offence, or for marring the image of Islam by his actions.
For reference, this is what the Selangor state PAS chief thought was a good idea for a CNY stunt:
