Era FM Apologises After Its DJs Were Seen Mocking The Sacred Thaipusam Kavadi Ritual
MIC deputy president Datuk Seri M Saravanan, a devout kavadi carrier himself, lambasted the Malay language radio station for the "blatant insult to the faith and traditions of Hindus in Malaysia".
By Sadho Ram — 04 Mar 2025, 02:57 PM — Updated about 2 hours ago
Astro Radio's Malay-language radio station Era FM today, 4 March, issued a public apology on its social media accounts after its staff members were seen mocking and insulting Hinduism
In the apology video, three DJs — Nabil Ahmad, Azad Jazmin, and Radin Amir Affendi Ahmad Aruani — from Era's 3 Pagi Era show acknowledged that the now-deleted video was "insensitive".
"We humbly apologise for our recent content which has touched the sensitivity of many parties, particularly our Indian friends.
"We never intended to offend anyone, and we deeply respect the beliefs and values of every individual. We will be more careful in the future," read the apology post.
"We are also always open to receiving comments and criticism to improve ourselves, especially from our loyal Era listeners," the DJs added in the post, which has its comments turned off on Instagram and TikTok.
Meanwhile, the three DJs have been taken off the air.
In a statement, Astro Audio said it viewed the situation seriously and had taken immediate action.
"After careful consideration, we have decided to take the three individuals off-air until further notice while we review the situation internally. We will always be aware of things happening around us," it said.
The apology from Era FM comes after people criticised the DJs, especially presenter Azad Jazmin, who was mimicking the sacred kavadi ritual to the chants of "Vel Vel" and bursting into laughter
For context, "Vel Vel" is a chant that means "Spear, Spear" in Tamil.
It is used to invoke Lord Murugan, a Hindu deity, specifically referring to his powerful spear called the "Vel" which symbolises victory and divine power; devotees chant this during the Thaipusam festival while carrying kavadis, signifying their devotion to Murugan by symbolically carrying the weight of his spear.
Era FM removed the video after its drew widespread criticism, with a strongly worded statement from MIC deputy president Datuk Seri M Saravanan, a devout kavadi carrier himself, branding the video "brainless" and calling for the radio channel to also issue a public apology.
"This is not just stupidity — it is a blatant insult to the faith and traditions of Hindus in Malaysia. Such a disgusting display of ignorance and disrespect has no place in our society.
"Era FM, as a media organisation, should know better than to allow this kind of offensive nonsense. Their staff have proven themselves to be utterly unfit to work in the media industry if they lack even the most basic understanding of religious and cultural sensitivities.
"This is not humour but an act of mockery that deeply offends the Hindu community," he said.
The offending video can be found below:
Following the controversy, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil has ordered an investigation into the incident based on existing laws
Fahmi said that he has ordered the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to conduct a detailed investigation into the issue.
MCMC will soon summon Astro and the management of the radio station for explanation.
"This is to ensure that action can be taken based on existing regulations and laws," he said.
