Johor: Investigation into allegedly unislamic Kuda Kepang video

State authorities have ordered an investigation into a viral video featuring allegedly supernatural elements during a traditional dance performance in Batu Pahat. Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi reiterated the ban on superstition and rituals contrary to Islamic law, calling on religious authorities and local communities to ensure the purity of the Muslim faith.

Johor Bahru (AsiaNews) – The Johor state government has ordered an immediate probe into a viral video showing a Kuda Kepang performance in Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, which allegedly contained elements of superstition and supernatural rituals. Kuda Kepang is an art form that originated in Java that combines dance and music with mystical elements.

State authorities fear that some cultural manifestations may be bordering on practices prohibited by Islamic law.

Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the Johor Islamic Religious Department (JAINJ) and police have been instructed to investigate and take firm action, stressing that such acts could disturb public harmony and threaten the faith of Muslims if left unchecked.

“All forms of superstition, sorcery, wrongful worship, or rituals that contradict Islamic law are strictly prohibited and subject to action under the Johor Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment 1997,” he said in a statement today. “Therefore, the state government will not compromise with any party that threatens the harmony and sovereignty of Islam as enshrined in the Federal Constitution”.

Onn Hafiz reminded Muslims that Islam is a religion of peace, harmony, and mutual respect, and that every believer has a duty to protect the purity of their faith. He added that Sultan Ibrahim, Malaysia’s King and the Johor Regent Tunku Mahkota Ismail have also urged religious institutions and authorities to strengthen both enforcement and education to safeguard Muslims from heretical practices.

The chief minister further called on village heads, community leaders, mosque activists, and relevant agencies to work together to ensure such activities are stamped out in Johor.

The statement came after a one-minute video began circulating on Facebook and TikTok, showing a group of men and women gathered at a Kuda Kepang show. In the clip, two men appeared to fall into a trance, lying on top of each other while the performance continued in the background.

Kuda Kepang, a traditional Javanese dance depicting horsemen in battle, is deeply rooted in Johor’s cultural heritage and is often featured in tourism and community events.

The performance remains especially popular in Batu Pahat and areas with sizeable Javanese communities, where more traditional forms are still practised. In some cases, however, elements of trance and ritualistic acts have been incorporated, sparking recurring concerns from religious authorities.

Islamic scholars and state religious leaders have long clarified that Kuda Kepang is a cultural performance with no basis in Islamic teachings, warning that any attempt to infuse the dance with mystical or spiritual practices falls outside the bounds of the faith.

• malaysia
• johor
• islam
• kuda kepang
• cultural practices
• superstitions
• censorship