“Sabah welcomes concerts, including those that feature international artistes. We have hosted such events before and there has never been a problem,” said Malakun.

He rejected the notion that concerts featuring international artistes were a threat to the country.

“Threats are ideologies that can divide and destroy our long-standing racial and religious harmony,” he said in a statement.

Malakun said Sabahans were not likely to protest just because someone told them to do so, adding that they were peace-loving people.

“Besides, Sabahans are moderate people who live by common sense. We have been living in harmony despite being of different ethnicities and religions, and we have mutual respect,” he said.

He was responding to a warning by PAS Youth that there would be nationwide protests unless such scheduled events were cancelled.

Malakun said what Sabahans must continue to reject were ideologies that could destroy the unity in diversity that had been the state’s proud identity.

He said music and songs had universal power to unite people of all races and religions, as well as ethnic communities.

“Sabahans appreciate the value of music and songs because these are a part of every ethnic community and we pass them down from generation to generation.

“And what unites us is that songs and music from one ethnic community are appreciated and enjoyed by others. This is one of the trademarks of Sabahans,” he said.

PAS Youth chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari recently called on the government to cancel scheduled concerts featuring international artistes and warned that unless this was done, there would be nationwide protests.

He said these concerts encouraged hedonism and were incompatible with the norms and values of Muslim life in Malaysia.