Malaysian Islamists slam Avril Lavigne

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Islamic political officials in Malaysia say they don’t want Canadian pop rocker Avril Livigne performing her show there because it’s “too sexy.”

Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party official Kamarulzaman Mohamed told reporters Lavigne’s stage show revealed too much skin and was too controversial to be performed on the eve of the nation’s Aug. 31 Independence Day, the British newspaper The Mirror reported Monday.

“It is considered too sexy for us,” the newspaper quoted Mohamed as saying. “It's not good for viewers in Malaysia. We don't want our people, our teenagers, influenced by their performance. We want clean artists, artists that are good role models."

A spokesman for the concert's organizer, Galaxy Group, denied Lavigne’s singer's show contains any inappropriate content.

The Mirror reported an official from Malaysia’s Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry said the government has not given permission for the concert and has not yet considered Galaxy Group’s application, which was received last week.

Such female performers as Christina Aguilera and Beyonce Knowles have avoided Mayalsia because of strict Muslim cultural laws, the newspaper said.