Malaysia OK's Avril Lavigne concert
Kuala Lumpur gig to kick off Asian tour
Last Updated: Monday, August 25, 2008 | 10:25 AM ET
CBC News
Avril Lavigne, seen here in Germany in November 2007, got the green light for a Malaysian concert slated for Friday. (Dave Hogan/MTV/Getty Images)Malaysian officials have changed their minds and will permit Canadian pop star Avril Lavigne to perform a concert in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.
Earlier this month, the country's Arts, Culture and Heritage Ministry labelled Lavigne's show unsuitable, especially since it is scheduled to take place two days before Malaysia's independence day celebrations.
The youth wing of a fundamentalist opposition party, the Pan-Malaysian Islamic party, had complained the punk-pop performer was "too sexy" for the conservative Asian nation.
On the weekend, however, the cultural officials announced they'd reversed their decision.
Muzahet Masruri, secretary general of the ministry, said on Saturday that after talking with the concert organizers, they decided Lavigne could perform.
He declined to give a specific reason, but said authorities were told the concert organizers had sold thousands of tickets and that if the concert were cancelled, it could hurt tourism.
The 23-year-old Lavigne is kicking off a month-long Asian tour with the Kuala Lumpur concert.
With files from the Associated Press
