HYPERLINK "http://www.theaustr alian.news. com.au/story/ 0,25197,22576074 -2703,00. html"ht tp://www.theaustral ian.news. com.au/story/ 0,25197,22576074 -2703,00. html
Beyonce's Jakarta show destined to upset KL Stephen Fitzpatrick, Jakarta correspondent | October 13, 2007 WHEN the US R&B star Beyonce Knowles shakes her scantily clad thang to tens of thousands of Indonesians next month, it will be the latest blow in an escalating diplomatic row with Malaysia. The received wisdom might be that Canberra has the shakiest relations with Jakarta, but Kuala Lumpur is the object of far more frustration and derision. Beyonce was due to perform in KL -- which, as Indonesians will sniffily point out, translates as "muddy estuary" -- but shifted the gig after learning she would be required to cover up from knees to shoulders. "Though Indonesia is also a Muslim country, it doesn't have all these issues that we have," said disappointed Malaysian tour promoter Razlan Ahmad Razali. "She can perform as she likes there." The snub by the former Destiny's Child superstar was one of a recent string of incidents, culminating in the vigilante arrest this week of a Jakarta diplomat's wife in KL on suspicion of being an illegal immigrant. That incident prompted anger in the Indonesian parliament and triumphant afternoon headlines declaring "Malaysia finally apologises". It's more than 40 years since the two countries waged actual war -- during the konfrontasi years at the height of founding president Sukarno's xenophobic nationalism -- but they still miss no opportunity to engage in a bit of diplomatic pencak silat, or traditional martial arts. A member of Indonesia's parliamentary committee on foreign affairs, Yusron Ihza Mahendra, this week suggested issuing travel warnings against Malaysia "so other nations will know Indonesia is saying its neighbour is a dangerous place to go -- and that will have a negative effect on their tourism". The proposal failed to get up, but it offered an insight into how Indonesian legislators view Australia's terrorism-based travel warnings against their country. Mahendra's suggestion played into another recent diplomatic spat -- the alleged theft by Malaysia of a traditional song from Indonesia's Moluccus islands for use in a tourism campaign. Bewildered Malaysians protested that they had sung Rasa Sayang (Feelings of Love) for years and that Indonesians had no sense of humour. The Jakarta Post suggested Malaysians suffered from an inferiority complex and had "a habit of claiming things which are not theirs". But it's not just words that sting. Indonesian karate coach Donald Luther Kalapita felt the Malaysian way for himself when, taken in by immigration police while in KL for a tournament recently, he fought back the way only a martial arts expert can. His enraged captors took him to a city police station, beat him up and then let him go, after finally accepting he was in the country legitimately. Muslinah Nurdin, the wife of Indonesian Education and Culture attache Imran Hanah, was spared the beating this week but had a hard time proving to "volunteer" immigration police who seized her in a shopping mall that she belonged in the Malaysian capital. The illegal migrant issue will probably never go away, since Indonesia is one of the biggest suppliers of domestic workers to the region and relies on remittances for a part of its economy. And the recent rape by at least 12 men of an Indonesian female domestic worker, at the prompting of the same "volunteer" organisation whose members seized Mrs Nurdin, prompted little in the way of "rasa sayang" between the two nations. It is hoped that when Beyonce wiggles her sequined behind next month, KL does not interpret it as an obscene gesture aimed its way. HYPERLINK "http://www.atimes. com/atimes/ Southeast_ Asia/IJ13Ae01. html"http://www.atimes .com/atimes/ Southeast_ Asia/IJ13Ae01. html Page 1 of 2 Malaysia takes the rock out of music By Ioannis Gatsiounis KUALA LUMPUR - This is Visit Malaysia Year and the government is using the opportunity to promote the multi-ethnic country as a regional beacon of diversity and tolerance. But apparently international performing artists are a little less welcome than your average tourist. In August pop star Gwen Stefani was required to dress "modestly" for her concert here, after the National Union of Malaysia Muslim Students protested against the scheduled performance on the grounds that she would bring to Malaysia an "American hegemonic background", said the group's president Hilmi Ramli. Early this month, R&B singer Beyonce Knowles scrapped her debut concert in Malaysia slated for November 1 due to what her agency called "a scheduling conflict", though local record industry sources say it was because the 26-year-old diva thought better of conforming to Malaysia's dress stipulations for international performers. "They have to dress decently ... and behave in a manner appropriate in Malaysia," insisted culture, arts and heritage minister Rais Yatim, days after Beyonce cancelled her show. Malaysian authorities have long required local rock stars to cut their hair or forfeit the opportunity to appear on television or radio, and frequently remind Malaysians of the consequences for openly addressing "sensitive" issues like race and religion. But it wasn't until 2005 that foreign performers were asked to join the act. Guidelines require foreign performers to cover themselves from shoulder to knees. They also stipulate no hugging or kissing fellow artists or audience members, no jumping or shouting, no cursing and no exchanging objects between audience and artist. Preventing "moral decay" and preserving Malaysian values are the reasons usually cited for the restrictions. But what exactly are Malaysian values, and who is defining them? The issue has come to the fore in this multi-ethnic and multi-religious society, as religion asserts itself with renewed vigor in the public and political domain, and Malaysia's sizeable non-Muslim communities feel increasingly marginalized. Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak recently called Malaysia an "Islamic state", even though Malaysia's governing framework is a secular constitution that gives Islam special importance. Mohamad Akram Laldin of the International Islamic University in Malaysia says the government curbs on artistic freedom are in the interest of all Malaysians. "When the government takes a decision, they know that ... a big majority of the people will not be happy if such a thing is allowed. That is the reason why they have put [in place] certain restrictions [for performers]. " Razlan Ahmad Razali, chairman of Pineapple Concerts, which was to organize Beyonce's performance here, finds such reasoning specious. He says the dress of performers never becomes an issue until a vocal religious minority makes an issue of it. "Look, compared to 10,000 people who want to watch Gwen Stefani and 100 or 50 or so people doing the protests - you're willing to cave into those people?" US rock stars Linkin Park and Mariah Carey are notable acts to have complied with Malaysia's dress restrictions. (Carey coincidentally is now appearing in a print ad for a local radio station wearing a short slinky dress with her derriere facing the camera next to the tag line, "Turn me on.") The government and the Muslim groups it often stands accused of pandering to tend to conflate Islamic values into Malaysian values, and Asian values more broadly, to rationalize giving Islam primacy in a society where non-Muslims account for 40% of the population. But a look around Malaysia reveals that Malaysian values (like Asian values) are neither static nor homogenous. Even within Malaysia's Muslim community there is considerable plurality. Indeed, many of those who frequent nightclubs dressed in form-fitting, flesh-baring clothing also happen to be Muslim. A tourism campaign sponsored by the Culture Ministry deems Malaysia "Truly Asia", as in, "With a sparkling and lively melting pot of races and religious [sic] where Malays, Chinese, Indians and the many ethnic groups of Sabah and Sarawak live together in peace and harmony, Malaysia is truly a country that epitomizes Asia." Solo act of censorship But then Malaysia finds itself standing alone among Asian neighbors in its handling of international pop stars. On Beyonce's scheduled Malaysian date, she will instead play in neighboring Indonesia, where some 85% of the population is Muslim. She will also perform in Thailand, India, and China. None of those countries have asked Beyonce to censor herself or be anyone other than herself. Indonesian concert promoter Nia Zulkarnaen was quoted as saying, "I expect Indonesians to see this in a positive light. She is a great singer and her stage act is entertaining. Why should we say no to the way she dresses?" The Malaysian government is standing firm, however. After Beyonce's cancellation, Rais said his ministry will set up a committee to vet foreign performers and ensure they dress and behave in a way that is respectful to Malaysia as defined by the government. No one can deny Malaysia the right to act on its own terms, a point the government has not been shy to stress. Former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad was famous for his anti-Western and anti-Semitic diatribes. Ministers relish dismissing international calls for Malaysia to show greater respect for human rights and dignity. International trade minister Rafidah Aziz called a speech by then US vice president Al Gore during the peak of the reformasi era, which echoed the Malaysian . ____________________________________________________________________________________ Moody friends. Drama queens. Your life? Nope! - their life, your story. Play Sims Stories at Yahoo! Games. http://sims.yahoo.com/
