Ban Rihanna concert: PAS

Ban Rihanna concert: PAS


Malaysia's conservative Islamic party has called for R&B sensation Rihanna to be banned from performing here next month, saying her outfits are too sexy. -- PHOTO: ASSOCIATED PRESS

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's conservative Islamic party has called for R&B sensation Rihanna to be banned from performing here next month, saying her outfits are too sexy, a report said yesterday.

Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), which has mounted protests against the United States over its support for Israel, said concert-goers would also contribute to an outflow of local currency to the US.

'Whether Rihanna realises it or not, we know that the taxes she has paid also contributed to the war in Gaza,' Mr Kamaruzaman Mohamad, a PAS youth wing leader, told The Star newspaper.

He said the show, planned for Feb 13, would be an insult to Asian values as she often performs suggestively and wears skimpy outfits.

The concert's sponsor told the daily that Rihanna has agreed to follow local regulations for her performance but did not give details.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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Rihanna concert to go on

KUALA LUMPUR - THE Rihanna concert will go on, according to Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.

'Rihanna and the concert organiser have assured us that they will fulfil the conditions laid out by the ministry.

'If that is the case, then there is no reason why they can't hold the concert,' said Shafie, adding that his ministry had the final decision on the matter.

He was speaking to reporters after launching the Chinese New Year 2009 celebration at Central Market on Friday.

Mr Shafie was commenting on Federal Territory PAS Youth's call to ban the R&B singer's concert, slated for Feb 13 at Stadium Putra, Bukit Jalil, in Kuala Lumpur.

He said while he understood concerns that the concert may not be in line with local culture, entertainment was a dynamic and creative industry.

'Therefore, the public should be allowed access to entertainment just as long as it does not violate any regulations,' he said.

FT PAS Youth chief Kamaruzaman Mohamad was recently reported as saying that inviting the Grammy-award winning singer from Barbados here was 'akin to insulting eastern culture', among other reasons.

Meanwhile, Mr Kamaruzaman on Friday handed over a memorandum of protest to the concert's local sponsor Celcom (M) Berhad.

'This singer is not a good icon in the entertainment world for Malaysians to idolise,' he said after handing over the memorandum.

Celcom vice-president (corporate communications) Datuk Najmuddin Abdullah said Rihanna had agreed to the terms and conditions of how she was to behave and dress for the concert.

Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/SE%2BAsia/Story/STIStory_330218.html