Beyonce skipped Malaysia in 2007, but will be making her stage debut in this Muslim-dominated country on October 25 for her "I Am..." world tour. This is definitely great news for her fans in this part of the world.
As Malaysians are all geared up to watch this "If I Were a Boy" singer strut her moves, more dramas are unfolding. Two years ago she skipped Kuala Lumpur because of strict guidelines, and performed instead in Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country. This time, Beyonce promises to cover up for her Malaysian fans, but an Islamic student group doubts the multiple award-winning singer will follow Malaysia's strict dress-code guidelines and calls for a ban to prevent the R&B diva from performing.
The group secretary general of the National Union of Malaysian Islamic Students was quoted in a local daily saying: "We doubt whether she will obey the 15.2 and 15.3 codes set by the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission while performing." Both codes deal with attire, appearance, and behavior of performers.
Although more conservative Malaysians are calling for a ban on this "bootylicious" singer, the younger and more modern crowd is looking forward to the concert.
Yes, Malaysia is a predominantly Muslim country, with the majority of its population Muslim Malays. However, Malaysia is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country. Above all, we Malaysians are as modern as we are traditional. We uphold our traditional cultures and values as much as we worship pop culture.
By "we" I refer to the generation with access to the internet and cable television – MTV Asia, Channel V, CNN, Channel E! and other channels at the flip of the remote control. We are a unique breed, greatly influenced by globalization and the effect of Westernization. Just like our Western peers, we love McDonald's, KFC, and Starbucks, just as much as we like to eat at the street-side cafes and Mamak stalls. Most of us depend greatly on our Blackberrys and iPods. We know the difference between Gucci, Zara, Louis Vuitton and Jimmy Choo (by the way, he is Malaysian!). Twitter and Facebook are just a click away.
Walk downtown at Bintang Walk and you will see us dressing just like our Western counterparts, but perhaps in a less revealing way. There are Muslims wearing the headscarf but still looking very chic. Very rarely will you see a woman wearing the burqa, which covers everything except the eyes.
Article comments
1 - Boudeng Edruce
Well written and exactly the voice of the majority! The problem here is, it's becoming a political tool more than anything else. One party expect the other party to react and use it as a weapon in their campaign. We are just victim to their game plan.
2 - Adura
Beyonce should reduce the act of wearing bikinis. Else what would she keep for Jay-Z . How would she make him long to have her when everyone sees her curves, shape and sexiness?
3 - Sahar
It's definitely going to be interesting to see what's going to happen when Beyoncé does perform, and what she will do to make her stage outfits, some of which are probably way too skimpy for Malaysia, acceptable.
4 - Poverina
The fact that she is coming, after a string of other "sexy" female singers had performed in Malaysia, is a pleasant "no" to the answer at the outset.
5 - D in San Diego
At a certain point one has to ask is it respectful to another country to challenge culture and belief. Also, its one thing to be personally told your too provocative to perform in a country, but if any group is willing to kill as much of your audience as they canto prove their point it would be best to cancel for the safety of the fans. It is awful to say so and give in to such no so vailed threats, but the whole world is not free.