Erykah Badu’s picture was published in the Star Newspaper on Monday along with the coverage on her upcoming concert in Malaysia, scheduled to take place tomorrow.
Now, the concert will not be taking place as she has been banned from performing. This picture of her sporting temporary tattoos of the word Allah on her bare shoulders was deemed inappropriate by the Muslim activist in Malaysia, rendering her a bad role model.
However ,the 41-year-old, Dallas-born singer had already arrived in Malaysia. She can remain here as a tourist but will not be allowed to perform, the official said. Dato’ Seri Utama Dr.Rais Yatim, Information Minister has confirmed the decision on his Twitter account.
The show’s Malaysian organizer, Pineapple Concerts, said the company was in contact with government officials and hopes the ban will be reversed. Badu reportedly is “worried and dismayed. She was slated to perform in an auditorium that can hold about 3,000 spectators and has a huge following in Malaysia.
The decision to ban her has caused a myriad of sarcastic remarks from her fans on social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter. It is apparent many people are unhappy with this decision.
It was the first concert by a Western performer to be banned in Malaysia in recent years. Several other stars, including Gwen Stefani and Avril Lavigne, were warned by officials to dress modestly for their shows to proceed. It is not uncommon that international acts heading to Malaysia are met by resistance so this will not be the first time Malaysia is back in the headlines for it’s rigid ways.
The photograph of Badu also appears on her official fan website but it attracted the attention of the groups opposing after it appeared in The Star. The Home Ministry summoned The Star’s editors to explain the photograph, which caused some Muslim activists to demand the newspaper’s suspension.
Badu is yet to issue a statement. It will be interesting to see what the Grammy winning artist has to say about this. While we understand religion is not to be made fun of, the decision to ban her from performing when she is already in the country surely seems harsh in it’s entirety.
