The sultan’s private secretary Munir Bani said the claim was inaccurate.

“Such a conversation never took place when Selangor PAS commissioner Ahmad Yunus Hairi had an audience with the Selangor sultan,” he said in a statement.

Munir was referring to a New Straits Times report which quoted Selangor PAS secretary Roslan Shahir Mohd Shahir as saying that Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah had wanted to know PAS’ position on the Japanese festival.

In the report, Roslan was also quoted as saying that the sultan gave his views, and “we told Tuanku our position”.

Munir went on to say that Sultan Sharafuddin only stated that the festival should not be banned as it was a cultural event.

The sultan also said that he would not prevent any Muslims from attending it, Munir added.

Yesterday, Selangor PAS chief Ahmad Yunus Hairi also denied the NST report, saying there was no discussion between him and the Selangor sultan when he was summoned to Istana Bukit Kayangan on Tuesday.

“I would like to state that I only listened to what the sultan had said at yesterday’s meeting and that there was no discussion between His Highness and me,” he was quoted as saying.

Yunus’ audience with the sultan follows his call to the Selangor government to prohibit Muslims from participating in the Bon Odori festival.

The brouhaha over Bon Odori was sparked after religious affairs minister Idris Ahmad reminded Muslims not to take part in the annual summer festival, claiming that the celebration was “influenced by elements of other religions”.

Sultan Sharafuddin later asked Idris to attend the Bon Odori festival to “understand the difference between religion and culture”.