Malaysian girl group Dolla’s ‘immoral’ video pulled over religious backlash

Malaysian girl group Dolla have withdrawn their latest music video after religious groups and a government minister accused the performers of wearing overly suggestive outfits amid mounting moral scrutiny of women in the country’s entertainment industry.

The video for “Question”, released in early November, featured the three members – Sabronzo (Wan Sabrina Wan Rusli), Tabby (Tabitha Ariel Lam) and Angel (Angelina Chai) – confronting a cheating boyfriend inside a retro American-style diner.

It disappeared from all platforms on Saturday, hours after Religious Affairs Minister Na’im Mokhtar had said the footage would be reviewed by Islamic authorities and could fall under Sharia criminal provisions applicable to Muslims. Sabronzo is the only Muslim member of the group.

“Celebrities are role models. As Muslims, we must ensure our actions lead others towards good,” Na’im told local media.

The ministry is drafting broader dress guidelines for Muslim women in Malaysia’s arts scene, raising fears among activists that state oversight of creative expression will harden.

Artists in recent years have faced tightening restrictions – from “kill switches” at concerts to film bans and threats of prosecution – as successive administrations have defended a push to uphold public morality in the majority-Muslim nation.