Avril concert cancelled

I am so angry right now I can’t even adequately express it in words. News has gone out that Malaysia has cancelled the 29 August Avril Lavigne concert because “it is not timely. It’s not in the good spirit of our National Day,” according to an official from the Arts, Culture and Heritage Ministry.

For the second year running, the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (more commonly known as PAS) has demanded a Western female artiste be banned from performing here, citing the artiste’s sexiness as an avenue of moral corruption. Or whatever it is that they manage to make up.

“We don’t want our people, our teenagers, influenced by their performance. We want clean artists, artists that are good role models,” a party youth official has been quoted as saying. Apparently, Avril is “considered too sexy for us”.

I am literally speechless. When the correct strings were pulled, the Pussycat Dolls performed on our shores, but not Avril? Exactly what is it about Avril that is “too sexy”? Her long blonde hair? The fact that she’s 23? She doesn’t dress even half as sexily as the Dolls do. Or dance seductively and so much as grind her hips. Damn you, perverts.

I honestly don’t know which is more insulting -  the fact that immature people such as these are allowed to dictate the country behind a mask of pseudo-patriotism and religiousity; or that the citizens of this country has been regarded as so stupid that an Avril Lavigne concert will drive us down the path of moral depravity. As if porn is not easily accessible elsewhere, as if the entire country lives in a protected cocoon of righteousness. Ha ha. Don’t you guys have more important things to worry about? Crime? Rape? Corruption?

Perhaps you don’t want girls to adopt that feisty rocker chick attitude that Avril embodies. You don’t want girls to learn to form opinions and stand up for themselves. In fact, you don’t want girls to do anything other than stay at home because if they so much as wear a school uniform and venture out the door, men will feel compelled to rape them.

I know I’m mixing up my religious groups here, but I’m just so sick and tired of all this bullshit. Everyone and everything is blamed for their own weaknesses and shortcomings; don’t you guys ever take any responsibility for your own actions?

As for the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, you guys clearly need more variety in your club activities. Last year it was Gwen Stefani and Beyonce Knowles – Gwen eventually promised to cover up and came, Beyonce canceled her show; this year it’s Avril. What is it to you guys, an annual activity on your club’s to-do list?

Of course, the political and social scene is very different today as compared to last year. And I can’t help but wonder if the move to cancel Avril’s concert is more about sucking up to relevant parties for political gain and less (if anything at all) about “protecting teenagers”. I wouldn’t be surprised, really, and judging from the general response I’ve seen and heard, lots of other people are feeling the same way. Shame on you guys.