KOTA BARU: The Tanah Merah district council has launched an investigation into a dinner event organised by a mining company that allegedly featured a belly dance performance in the district on Saturday.
A Chinese vernacular school is also under investigation for allowing its hall to be used as the venue for the event, which goes against state regulations.
Kelantan Local Government, Housing, Health, and Environment committee chairman Hilmi Abdullah, when confirming the matter, said organisers of the event and the school representatives would be called in to provide statements to assist in investigations into the event.
"It is understood that the dinner hosted by the mining company took place yesterday in a hall of an SJKC in Tanah Merah.
"The organisers and the school have violated Section 6 of the Entertainment and Places of Entertainment Control Enactment 1998, which carries the maximum RM20,000 fine or five years' imprisonment or both," he said when contacted.
He added that checks showed that the organisers had not applied any permits to hold the event.
"We understand that most of the attendees were miners from mainland China, working in the Sokor gold mining area in Tanah Merah, along with company staff and other guests.
"There were also local Muslim residents employed by the company among the attendees.
"We regret the organisers' decision to provide such entertainment and use a school hall to carry out the event," he added.
The dinner, featuring provocative dance performances, has gone viral on social media.