Kuala Lumpur - The youth wing of Malaysia's hardline opposition Islamic party Wednesday called for banning a concert by Canadian pop star Avril Lavigne later this month, saying the singer's "prancing" performances were not suitable for locals. The 23-year-old singer is scheduled to hold a concert, her first in the Muslim-majority nation, in the capital Kuala Lumpur on August 29.
However, the opposition Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) youth wing slammed the organizers for approving the show, saying the young pop-punk star's loud shows were not in line with local culture.
"This show is not suitable for our local culture," said Herman Samsudeen, the wing's information chief.
"Our independence month should be marked by respect ... and not remembered by inviting the offsprings of colonists who will teach our children how to become modern monkeys, prancing around without any purpose," he said in a statement.
Malaysia celebrates it's 51st year of independence of Britain on August 31.
"Approving this concert is a great insult," the statement said.
Herman said the party would send an official protest note to the government to call for cancelling the show.
A party official declined to comment, as Lavigne holds Canadian nationality, saying only that Western influences in general were "damaging" to local culture.
PAS, which has been in control of the northeastern state of Kelantan since 1990, has imposed strict religious laws dictating dress and all forms of entertainment in the state.
Among others, women entertainers are not allowed to perform in public, and men and women have to sit separately in cinemas.
