Despite protests and criticisms from PAS and controversial speaker Riduan Tee Abdullah, the atmosphere around the stadium looked regulated and under the strict supervision of police and officers from the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA).

A police officer, who declined to be named, said the situation in the stadium was under control and police were on alert for any signs of trouble.

Under the watchful eyes of the authorities, teenagers of all races arrived for the show, braving the hot weather. They formed a long line and stood under the available canopies for shade.

Nur Ameera Sapari, 19, was happy the event was not cancelled despite the protests.

“Many Chinese and Indians also attended the concert. We live in a country with many races and I feel it wouldn’t be fair if this concert was cancelled,” she said.

Earlier, Selangor Islamic Affairs Exco Ahmad Yunus Hairi, from PAS, ordered that all mosques in Selangor organise special prayers to invoke divine intervention for Selena Gomez’s concert to be cancelled.

The directive was the outcome of a protest by 100 leaders and members of the Selangor PAS Ulama Council, along with the youth and women’s wing of the party, at Bangunan Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah on July 20.

However, the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) denied issuing any directive to mosques and surau in the state to perform special prayers (solat hajat) seeking the cancellation of the concert.

“It is stressed here that any cancellation of the Selena Gomez concert is under the jurisdiction of the local authorities (PBT) and out of Jais’s jurisdiction,” the department said in a brief statement.

Yesterday, PAS Youth Chief Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz said it was inappropriate for Muslims to attend the Selena Gomez concert because it not only made them neglect their duties as Muslims but it was also a question of moral limitations.