Asia Times Online :: Islam as politics in Malaysia – Southeast Asia news and business from Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam
PENANG – Two years after canceling her last scheduled concert in the country, United States pop star Beyonce announced this month that she would perform in the Malaysian capital in late October. Her 2007 gig was canceled after the Pan Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) – a party that forms part of the opposition coalition – threatened protests. “We are against Western sexy performances. We don’t think our people need that,” said PAS spokesman Sabki Yusof at the time.
Beyonce’s about-turn comes despite a raft of piety-tinged controversies in recent weeks, including the sharia law sentencing of a 32-year-old woman and an Indonesian national to six lashes for drinking alcohol in public. The government did an about-turn of its own, rescinding a ban on Muslims – who make up around 60% of the population – from attending a Black Eyed Peas concert in
